The Andaman & Nicobar Administration has released the final merit list for six mainland-based courses reserved for island students for the academic session 2025–26. The list is available on the Common College Admission Portal (http://collegeadmission.andaman.gov.in) starting July 19.
This update follows the closure of the claims and objections window, which saw responses only for B.Sc Agriculture, B.Sc Horticulture, B.F.Sc, B.Tech Fisheries Engineering, B.Tech (Biotechnology), and B.Tech (Food Technology). After due examination of the representations received, authorities finalized the merit list for these six courses. For all other courses, the previously published provisional merit list now stands as final.
Counselling and selection for a wide array of Professional, Non-Professional, Technical, and Postgraduate courses are scheduled to take place on July 28 from 10 am onwards at the Auditorium of Tagore Government College of Education (TGCE), Sri Vijaya Puram.
Courses for which counselling will be conducted include B.Sc (Hospitality & Hotel Administration), Printing Technology and Photography, all Diploma courses (Diploma 1, 2 & 3), B.Ed (Bhopal), and B.E/B.Tech (Lateral Entry). Postgraduate programmes under consideration include MBA (Business Administration), MBA (Tourism), M.Sc in disciplines such as Ecology, Environmental Science, Physics, Mathematics, and Applied Psychology, and MA in subjects such as Economics, History, Hindi, Philosophy, Anthropology, and Sanskrit.
All candidates whose names appear in the merit list for the above courses have been directed to attend the counselling in person with original documents including educational certificates, five passport-size photographs, and two permanency certificates for sureties. They must also carry all relevant category certificates.
Authorities have clearly stated that any candidate who fails to appear in person or does not produce the required documentation during the counselling will forfeit their claim to the seat, regardless of their merit rank. No further claims or representations will be accepted after the counselling session.
The administration has also announced that if seats remain unutilized in any reserved category, those seats will be allotted to Category-V candidates based on merit. This provision allows for maximum utilization of available seats while ensuring that meritorious candidates are not left out due to procedural delays.
This annual counselling process is a key gateway for island students to secure admissions to specialized professional and academic courses in reputed mainland institutions. The administration facilitates the nomination of selected students to various central and state institutes with reserved seats under UT quota.
With many of these courses linked to in-demand sectors such as fisheries, hospitality, environmental science, and technology, the opportunity plays a crucial role in skilling island youth and enhancing their employability in national and global markets.
Officials from the Education Department are expected to oversee the counselling process on July 28 and ensure compliance with all eligibility and documentation requirements. Candidates have been advised to arrive on time and be prepared for a lengthy verification and seat allotment process.
This initiative is a part of the broader effort by the A&N Administration to ensure equal access to higher education opportunities for students from remote island territories. Counselling outcomes will be uploaded on the same portal following the completion of the process.
