Blame it on the lower marks of HSC students this year or the fact that CBSE/ISC students are still out of the admissions process, but several city colleges have lowered 4-5 percentage points in cut-offs in the second merit list. The second merit list for undergraduate course admissions for the academic year 2022-2023 was released online on July 7.

“Even in the second merit list, the cut-off marks have dropped by at least 4 to 5 per cent in each course this year. By the time CBSE  and ICSE results are out we will be preparing or have declared the third merit list,” said Chaitali Chakraborty, principal of Thakur College of Science and Commerce.