Results of this year''s West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations (WBJEE) were announced on Friday and around 99% of the total 73,119 candidates secured ranks, an official said.
Souradeep Das of Ram Krishna Mission, Deoghar secured the first rank. He is a resident of Raiganj in North Dinajpur district.
Subham Ghosh of DAV Model School, Durgapur bagged the second rank. Sreemonti Dey of DPS, Ruby Park in Kolkata secured the third rank and topped among the girls.
West Bengal Joint Entrance Board chairman Malayendu Saha said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic the results could not be announced earlier.
The counseling process will start online next week at a date to be announced soon, Mr Saha said.
WBJEE is the common entrance examination for admission to undergraduate courses in engineering and technology, and pharmacy in universities, government colleges, and private institutes in the state.
Saha said total 72,298 candidates secured ranks. Of them, 76% are males.
Of the successful candidates, 71% are from West Bengal, Mr Malayendu Saha said.
Students securing positive marks (marks above zero) are given ranks. There is negative marking in the examination for wrong answers.
There are 34,891 seats in the pharmacy and engineering courses in the state-run and private educational institutions in West Bengal, WBJEE chairman Malayendu Saha said.
