Currently, lateral entry is available only for technical courses in the colleges, which were approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

The Directorate of Collegiate Education’s decision to introduce lateral entry to B.Com courses came against the backdrop of several requests from students and academicians.

A senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next that the government is planning to introduce the lateral entry scheme in the coming academic year after getting feedback from academicians and professors. Accordingly, students, who successfully pursued various three-year diploma courses, including Commercial Practice, Computer and Commerce, after Class 10 can directly join the second year of B.Com course at all Arts and Science Colleges, including State-run institutions. “Students who were admitted in the second year of B.Com course would get the same priority as students who joined after Class 12,” he added.

Claiming that several lakh students would benefit from the scheme, the official said that authorities were also discussing introducing lateral entry in Bachelor in Arts (BA) courses.

Welcoming the decision, G Kannappan, TN Commerce’ Faculty Welfare Association, said at present, several thousands of diploma students, who wanted to join B.Com course, were losing at least one year in the absence of lateral entry scheme. “The government’s move will largely benefit and encourage the students, helping them get employment sooner,” he added.