Guwahati, Jun 22 (IANS): The Higher Education Department in Assam has extended the date of admissions to undergraduate courses in colleges across the state as the monsoon flood has impacted the whole process, with many students failing to reach the institutions for admission, officials said.

According to the latest directive, although the last date for admission as per the first merit list was June 21, however, colleges can admit students till June 23.

The release of the second merit list was also postponed to June 24 and 25.

The colleges will release the merit lists in two installments and students can take admissions between June 26 to 28.

Spot admissions will begin on June 29.

The names of students who fail to be included in the merit lists can be admitted to colleges if they have vacant seats after two rounds of the admission process.

Meanwhile, each college has reserved at least 20 per cent of seats for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) pass candidates. The admissions to these seats will also start after June 29.

In three districts of Barak Valley -- Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar which were largely affected by the second spell of flood in Assam, the colleges witnessed a very low turnout of students till now.

A senior official in the Karimganj district said that many areas have been submerged under the flood water and the students could not step out of their house to take admissions into colleges.