Since the first term got over on November 30, there is simply no other way they can be admitted to any of the colleges affiliated to the South Gujarat University without making changes in the relevant ordinance.

The affected students, who observed a dharna to highlight their plight are holding authorities at the P T Science College and the pro-vice-chancellor professor R N Shelat -- who is acting as vice-chancellor, since the exit of Ashwin Kapadia -- for having pushed them into such a situation.

They allege that they were made to shuttle between the college premises in Athwalines and the university administrative building on the Udhna-Magdalla Road. Their problem stems from the fact that they applied for admission at only one college, hoping that once the engineering and medical students secure admission elsewhere, their name will go up in the merit list.

The delay over finalising engineering and medical admissions ensured that very little time was left before the first semester ended. The affected students allege that many candidates who had secured less marks were admitted, while their claim was rejected. Authorities, however, deny that.

There were many students who had failed to secure admission anywhere, before the acting vice-chancellor asked some colleges to accommodate them by increasing their capacity.