Vadodara: With improved Class 12 results in Vadodara district, admissions to the Faculty of Commerce at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU) are set to become more competitive this year. The university has revised its admission policy, increasing preference for local students and introducing an entrance test for the first time.The Faculty of Commerce, MSU’s largest by student strength, on Tuesday released detailed guidelines for the first-year BCom (Honours) admissions for the 2026–27 academic year.In a major shift, admissions will be based on a composite merit system, with 75% weightage to Class 12 marks and 25% to an online entrance test. The test, scheduled for May 26, will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 100 minutes.The changes come amid improved results, with the general stream pass percentage in the district rising to 88.11% from 87.77% last year, likely intensifying competition for limited seats.To cater to local demand, the faculty has increased the quota for Vadodara-based students from earlier 85% to 95%, leaving just 5% of seats for outstation candidates. Despite this, pressure on seats is expected to remain high. Against an intake of around 6,793 seats, over 15,000 students from the city and district have passed Class 12.Alternative options remain limited, with the Faculty of Arts offering around 1,500 seats, and professional courses such as BBA also seeing high demand.The admission process will be conducted through the Gujarat Common Admission Services (GCAS), making registration on the centralised state portal mandatory. Help centres will start functioning from May 7, while entrance test registrations are open till May 20. A mock test will be held on May 23.As part of a statewide awareness drive, GCAS sessions will be conducted at the MSU campus on May 6, 7 and 11 to guide students. Admissions will be granted provisionally after completion of formalities, including document verification, subject selection and fee payment, scheduled between June 2 and June 5.
