Guwahati, July 14: Gauhati High Court today issued an interim stay on the first entrance test for admission to post-graduate courses of Gauhati University.

The university for the first time was going to hold a central entrance test for admission into post-graduate courses from July 20 to July 23.

The stay was issued by a single-judge bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy in connection with a writ petition - number WP(C) 4125/2017 - filed by Mrinal Kalita and others opposing selection on the basis of performance in the entrance examination and wants the present practice of selection based on marks scored in the graduation exams conducted by the university or any other institute recognised by the university.

Petitioners' counsel S.S. Dey said the court today put an interim stay on holding the entrance exam after hearing both the sides.

Dey said according to a statutory ordinance of the university, admissions to the post-graduate courses will be done on basis of marks scored in the graduation exam.

"The entrance examination cannot be held without amending that ordinance or bringing a new ordinance by the university," he said.

The proposed entrance examination is of two-hour duration and carries a total marks of 100.

Dey said the court, however, said there is no bar on holding admissions into the university's post-graduate courses based on the present system (marks scored in graduation) if it wished.

According to the present practice, the students from colleges under other universities had to appear in a test conducted by the respective departments but students from colleges under the university were given admission directly based on their marks in graduation.