Patna University on Friday decided to do away with the cut-off marks required for admission to undergraduate courses at its constituent colleges.

Earlier, the university had fixed cut-off marks for general category students at 50 and 40 for those from the reserved categories, in the admission test, to get through the undergraduate courses.

The decision to this effect was taken at the Patna University academic council meeting on Friday, which was chaired by vice-chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh. Arun Kumar Sinha, principal, Patna Science College, said: “The academic council has decided to remove the cut-off marks for those seeking admission to undergraduate courses, as a number of seats at several colleges remained vacant. For example, only 122 seats of 225 could be filled up in the biology course at Patna Science College, as the students could not achieve the cut-off in the admission.”

He added that the cut-off marks would be reduced till all the seats in the undergraduate courses are filled up.

In another important decision, the council gave its approval to make bachelor of fine arts a four-year course. Earlier, it used to be a five-year course.

Atul Aditya Pandey, the principal of College of Arts and Crafts, Patna, said: “Besides changing the course duration from five years to four years, the council has also given its nod to change the minimum eligibility criteria for admission in the course, which will be now be Class XII.”

Earlier, Class X passouts could apply for the course.

Pandey said with the academic council approving the changes in admission to BFA courses, it will now be sent to the PU syndicate from where it will be sent to the chancellor’s office for final nod.

However, the academic council has asked the college administration to make some modifications in the proposal submitted by the college principal. The modifications include charging fees to students belonging to ST/SC category according to university fees structure for the reserved category.