The departments will now receive applications from those students who have not already applied by October 9. The last date for admission has been extended to October 16. Vacant seats will now be filled by the respective departments on the basis of merit. The cut-off will be determined by the marks obtained by the last candidate promoted to MA Part-II.

A spokesman said a committee under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor met today to lay the criterion for filling vacant seats in MA Part-II. The committee decided that teaching departments will identify the vacant seats in each category in MA Part-II classes.

Earlier, a delegation of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Punjab University Students' Union (PUSU) and the Haryana Students' Association (HSA) met the authorities on this issue. Meanwhile, the secretary of the Panjab University Campus Students' Council has claimed that the decision was an achievement of the council, as its president, D.P.S. Randhawa, had submitted a memorandum in this regard to the university authorities within days of the formation of the students' council.

The PU decision goes beyond the earlier rule that only students who had secured above 55 per cent marks would be allowed admission to MA Part-II. With this, most students who have passed the first-year from either the department of correspondence courses, evening studies or colleges would be eligible for admission.