Bhubaneswar, Aug. 11: The second selection merit list for admission to junior colleges was declared today. The department of higher education (DHE) has decided to allow those candidates, who failed to enroll themselves during the first round of admissions, to take admission on August 16 and 17 on a priority basis.

“We had made it mandatory for candidates to take admission in the allotted college as per the first selection merit list so that students don’t take the process casually. However, we have exercised a bit of leniency and have decided to allow those, who either missed out on the first phase of admissions or were deprived of a seat due to certain compulsions, to take admission on a priority basis,” said Anirudha Rout, joint secretary of DHE, adding that classes in all junior colleges would begin on August 23.

This decision of reconsidering the applicants in the second selection list is good news for aspirants and parents. More than 6,000 students who had qualified for admissions as per the first list had failed to secure admission.

“It is a welcome move by the authorities. I could not take admissions in the first round since I was severely ill but with this decision I can take admission now,” said an applicant.

“We had received complaints that some students have not received their intimation letters and applicants in several remote areas had not been able to use the internet and find out their application status. This is certainly a good step taken by the DHE to allow the aspirants to participate in the admission procedure. Had the earlier rule been applied, candidates would have lost an entire academic year,” said S.N. Mohanty, principal of BJB (Junior) College.

Similarly, the list also includes students, who now have the opportunity of being upgraded to a college which they listed higher in their order of preference.

However, to be considered for this, the candidate is required to have taken admission in the initially allotted college. “Around 5,000 students would slide up during the second selection admission,” said Sankarshan Das, project manager of e-admission.

As many as 22,791 intimation letters were dispatched to applicants for admissions in the second selection. The admissions of second selection applicants would be conducted on August 16 and 17.

A total of 2,12,244 aspirants had taken admission in the first selection. The sanctioned seat strength of 1,301 junior colleges across the state is 3,07,766. The list for admission for balance seats would be published on August 24 at 11am.