Vadodara: The commerce faculty at Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) announced a major overhaul of admissions to its first-year BCom programme, introducing an entrance test, increasing preference for local students and reducing high-fee seats to make education more accessible.The faculty dean, Professor Pragnesh Shah, on Saturday said admissions from the 2026-27 academic year will be based on a composite merit system, with 75% weight to Class 12 marks and 25% to an online entrance test.“The entrance test will be based on multiple-choice questions and will be conducted in English and Gujarati to ensure no student is disadvantaged,” Shah said. The test will have 100 questions to be solved in 100 minutes, covering English proficiency, logical reasoning and subjects such as accountancy, statistics, economics and business studies. A question bank of 500 questions will also be made available.The faculty has increased the share of Vadodara-based students from 85% to 95%, leaving only 5% seats for outstation candidates. “As there are limited options here, we want to prioritize students from Vadodara,” Shah said.The faculty also reduced dependence on the higher payment category. Last year, 3,147 students were admitted under this category, but the number will now drop to around 1,800.More students will be accommodated under the regular fee scheme, where annual fees are Rs 9,000, compared to Rs 15,600 for higher payment seats.Total intake has also been increased to 6,793 seats, including a new job-oriented programme. Officials said the earlier high intake under self-financed seats strained infrastructure, prompting the restructuring.—New courses focus on skills, logistics sectorVadodara: To align academic offerings with industry requirements, the Faculty of Commerce is introducing two programmes in the upcoming academic year, focusing on employability and emerging sectors.The first is an MCom in Global Business and Supply Chain Operations, with an intake of 80 seats and an annual fee of Rs 60,000.Announcing the programme on Saturday, Professor Pragnesh Shah said it aims to fill a gap in affordable education in logistics and supply chain management, where private institutes often charge Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.Students in the programme will undergo internships in the second year, with stipends ranging from Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 per month, and get practical exposure to import-export documentation and global trade systems.Additionally, a BCom in Business Operations with 333 seats will be introduced, focusing on skill enhancement in GST, income tax return filing and business operations. The course will include internships, on-the-job training and research projects, with opportunities to work in MSMEs, accounting practices and financial markets.—Biometric attendance, smart IDs mandatory for studentsVadodara: The Faculty of Commerce at MSU will enforce strict attendance and verification standards from this academic year, making biometric registration compulsory at the time of admission.Students will have to visit the campus, submit documents and complete biometric registration — including fingerprint and retina scan data capture — before their admission is confirmed. “We will not accept fees unless students complete the process in person,” he said.The faculty will also issue smart identity cards with updated photographs, which will be linked to attendance and academic records. Attendance will be monitored through biometric systems, making classroom presence compulsory.The move follows concerns that many students were not attending classes, skipping academic processes and directly taking examinations. Officials said the new system aims to ensure accountability and improve academic engagement.—BCom (Honours) Building | IntakeMain Building | 1,950Girls Building | 1,170Unit | 1,820Padra | 1,520BCom (Business Operations) | 333Total | 6,793—
