PUCA urges AICTE to extend Punjab Colleges’ admission deadline to Sep 15

Srinagar, Aug 8: The Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) has appealed to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to extend the admission deadline for the 2025-26 academic session from 14 August to 15 September 2025.

In a statement, PUCA President and Chairman of Aryans Group of Colleges, Rajpura, Anshu Kataria, said the current academic cycle has been severely affected by multiple disruptions. “Delayed 10 2 and university final results due to floods and natural calamities, extended CUET and NEET counselling timelines, and late admission processes of UGC-affiliated universities have all created serious challenges for both students and institutions,” Kataria said.

PUCA warned that adhering to the existing deadline could undermine national skill development efforts, especially in critical fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Health Informatics.

The association urged AICTE to consider the administrative flexibility required by colleges and universities under the current circumstances and extend the admission deadline to 15 September. This, they said, would help ensure that deserving students are not denied access to quality technical education due to factors beyond their control.