Sri Vijaya Puram, June 6: Higher education opportunities for students from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have expanded with the opening of admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at local colleges and the announcement of reserved seats for island students in affiliated colleges under the University of Calicut, Kerala.
Separate notifications issued by the Administration, Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), Sri Vijaya Puram, and Mahatma Gandhi Government College (MGGC), Mayabunder, have outlined admission schedules and application procedures for the 2026-27 academic session.
The developments are expected to benefit hundreds of students who have recently completed Class XII examinations and are preparing to pursue higher education within the Islands or at institutions on the mainland.
One of the significant opportunities available to island students is the continued reservation of seats by the University of Calicut for natives of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
According to the Administration, the University of Calicut follows a long-standing practice of reserving one seat each for native students of the Union Territory in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered by its affiliated Arts and Science colleges.
These seats are created over and above the sanctioned intake strength and are reserved exclusively for eligible students from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In cases where the sanctioned strength and statutory maximum limit are identical, additional seats are created specifically to accommodate eligible island candidates.
For government colleges affiliated with the university, the reserved seats for students from the Islands are provided in addition to the intake sanctioned by the Government.
Officials said interested students seeking admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in affiliated Arts and Science colleges under the University of Calicut must first register through the University’s Centralised Admission Process (CAP) portal.
Registration through the CAP system is mandatory for consideration under the reserved category.
Students are required to visit the university admission portal to complete registration and obtain details regarding courses and eligibility requirements. After registration, eligible candidates must submit their applications along with supporting documents and proof of CAP registration to the Development-IV Section of the A&N Administration Secretariat in Sri Vijaya Puram.
The Administration has fixed June 16 as the deadline for submission of applications, which will subsequently be forwarded to the University of Calicut for consideration against the seats earmarked for Andaman and Nicobar students.
Meanwhile, admission processes have also commenced in the Islands’ major higher education institutions.
Mahatma Gandhi Government College, Mayabunder, has invited online applications from eligible candidates for admission to seven undergraduate programmes for the 2026-27 academic session.
The courses offered include B.A. English (Honours), B.A. History (Honours), B.A. Economics (Honours), B.A. Political Science (Honours), B.Sc. Geography (Honours), B.Com General (Honours) and B.Com Co-operative Management (Honours).
College authorities said applications can be submitted through the Common College Admission Portal (CCAP), which opened on June 5 and will remain accessible until June 30.
Students can access the portal to submit applications, review eligibility criteria and download the prospectus containing details of admission procedures and academic programmes.
At the same time, Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), Sri Vijaya Puram, has also opened admissions for a wide range of undergraduate courses.
Recognised as one of the premier institutions of higher education in the Islands, JNRM offers degree programmes across 18 disciplines in arts, science, commerce, management, computer applications and physical education.
The college’s academic offerings include B.A. programmes in English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, History, Economics and Political Science. Science courses include Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology and Home Science.
In addition, JNRM offers professional and career-oriented programmes such as Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), Bachelor of Business Administration in Tourism (BBA Tourism), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) and Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports (BPES).
Admissions to these programmes are being conducted exclusively through the Common College Admission Portal. The online application process opened on June 5 and will remain available until June 20.
College authorities have clarified that no offline applications will be accepted and all admissions will be processed through the online system.
The simultaneous opening of admissions across multiple institutions comes at a crucial period for students planning their academic future after school education.
Education officials said the Common College Admission Portal has been designed to streamline the admission process and provide students with a single platform for accessing information related to courses, eligibility criteria and application procedures.
With admission windows now open at JNRM and MGGC Mayabunder, and reserved opportunities available through the University of Calicut, students from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have multiple pathways to pursue higher education during the 2026-27 academic year.
Authorities have advised interested candidates to carefully review eligibility requirements, complete registrations within the stipulated timelines and ensure submission of all required documents before the respective deadlines.
