MUMBAI, May 7 -- For the first time, first-year undergraduate classes in colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai will begin as early as June 13. In contrast, the last academic year had begun only after July 13. The shift comes after the Class 12 board exam results were announced earlier than usual this year. According to the schedule released by the university, online registrations for first-year admissions for the 2025-26 academic year will open on May 8 at 5 pm. Students can complete the registration process through the official university website: https://mu.ac.in/admission. The admission process, conducted at the college level, will cover around 3.28 lakh seats across the humanities, science, and commerce streams. Every year, education experts have voiced concerns about delays in the academic calendar caused by the late start of the admission process. These delays often impact students' learning and academic performance. To address this issue, the Class 12 board exams were advanced by around 10 days and results were declared within just 47 days. Welcoming this change, Parag Ajgaonkar, principal of N M College of Commerce, said, "This is a positive step. It allows first-year classes to start alongside second- and third-year students, helping colleges follow a unified academic calendar. It also ensures that students receive at least 90 days of instruction per semester." For 2025-26, Mumbai University offers a wide array of undergraduate courses, including Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), and Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). Professional programmes like Bachelor in Management Studies (BMS), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), which are under the All-India Council for Technical Education, will begin admissions after the Common Entrance Test results are announced. Pooja Raundale, director of the Examination and Evaluation Board, has urged all affiliated and autonomous colleges to strictly follow the admission schedule to ensure a smooth and timely admission process. The university has also emphasised that all students seeking admission to any undergraduate program must register through the Mumbai University portal....