Kolkata: Colleges in West Bengal can extend the date for admission to undergraduate courses beyond the deadline of August 20 if there are vacant seats, state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee has said.

Asked about reports of hundreds seats lying vacant in several colleges in the city and all over the state, Chatterjee told reporters on Monday, that it would have to be looked on a case-by-case basis.

“If the concerned college has the required infrastructure, if the governing body of the concerned college seeks extension of deadline for admission owing to some seats still lying vacant, they can still continue with the admission process, on a case-by-case basis,” the minister said.

On July 17, the state government had extended the last date for admission to undergraduate streams in colleges from mid-July to August 20.

Asked about reports of hundreds seats lying vacant in several colleges in the city and all over the state, Mr Chatterjee told reporters on Monday, it would have to be looked on a case-by-case basis.

Mr Chatterjee said the admission quota stipulated by the university, with which the concerned college is affiliated to, should be adhered to.

The minister had earlier said that students should not crowd a few educational institutions for admission.