Mumbai: After all the waiting and confusion, the junior college students can now enjoy as the state school education department has directed colleges across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to scrap the first unit test which was to be held in August this year.

The news has come as a relief for colleges which were considering cancellation of vacations to conduct these tests.

The junior colleges will now directly conduct the first terminal examinations in October.

The online admission process also delayed the commencement of the academic year by a month as it started in end of June and lasted till 1st week of August.

In an academic year, students are tested for 300 marks - two terminal exams of 100 marks each and two unit tests for 50 marks each.

"We have been asked to scrap the first unit test this year and directly conduct the terminal exams. The second unit test, which will be held after the Diwali vacations, which is for 50 marks will be converted to 100 marks. Making up for the absence of the first unit test's marks" said T. A. Shiware, Principal of Hinduja College.

In the meantime, the offline admission, for which the merit list was put up today by 11am, will be completed by Wednesday and the fees can be paid on Monday and Tuesday.

According to K. A. Vishwanathan, Trustee, SIES colleges, "We have also been asked to give admission on priority basis to those students who have not secured any seat. Also those who have failed to secure a seat even though their names have appeared on the online lists should be considered for a seat."

Deputy Director, V. K. Wankhede on the other hand held a meeting at Ruia College on Sunday with representatives of junior colleges to discuss the offline admission process.

"We have instructed colleges to guide students who have scored low marks by directing them to those colleges which offer low cut-offs," said Wankhede.