Since 2012, the university has been reserving 60 per cent of its postgraduate seats for students graduating from its affiliate colleges and 40 per cent for others. In most departments, the seats meant for CU students are filled on the basis of marks obtained in the Part-III exam. The remaining seats are filled on the basis of entrance tests.

A senior CU official admitted on condition of anonymity that teachers assigned to set question papers for entrance tests in various departments were yet to complete the work.

Some admissions-related decisions that need the approval of the vice-chancellor and the registrar are pending too. "They (the VC and the registrar) weren't available for a while as they were busy tackling the trouble caused by the agitation," said a veteran professor who heads one of the departments at CU.

Pro vice-chancellor (academic) Dhrubojyoti Chatterjee attributed the delay to the untested online admissions process. "This is the first time at CU that all postgraduate admissions will be through an online process. Until last year, postgraduate admissions were done online only in some departments. The delay this year is because we want to make the online system foolproof. The delay is not because of the agitation," he said.

Applicants would need to download admission forms from the university website, fill in their particulars and submit the information online. Payment of fees, publication of merit lists and counselling would also be online.

Dean of commerce Swagata Sen blamed the agency engaged to design the software for online admissions for the delay, saying the product didn't meet the university's requirements.

"We came to know about the agency's inability to design the software after July 1 and we had to make alternative arrangements. This delayed the admission process," Sen said.

The wait continues.