Bhubaneswar, July 15: The higher education department today published the first selection merit list for degree colleges.

Students will have to take admission between July 16 and July 23.

The state government yesterday rescheduled the last date of Plus III admission from July 20 to July 23 in view of Nabakalebar and rath yatra.

Mihir Das, nodal officer for the centralised admission, said the deadline was extended by three days since rath yatra would be celebrated on July 18 and students might face problems in reaching their respective colleges as buses and trains would be overcrowded. There will be no admissions on July 18 and July 19, he said.

The second selection list would be published on July 27. Those selected will have to take admission between July 29 and July 31. The classes would commence on August 7.

Altogether 2.45 lakh students have applied for 1.99 lakh seats in 707 degree colleges.

The cut-off marks have been uploaded in the higher education department website www.dheodisha.gov.in, said Das.

Students can download their intimation letters from the website. They have already been informed through e-mail and SMS, he said.

It is mandatory for the students qualified for the second selection to take admission in the respective colleges, failing which they will be debarred from admission in any other college in this academic session, he said. The same is applicable for junior colleges.