Showing resentment over this, parents blamed the university authorities for not sparing a thought for the students of the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) as the university had still not declared the results of the qualifying examination.

"I have come all the way from Pathankot and my ward has secured a top rank in the merit list of PAU's entrance exam. But they have turned down our application saying that we do not possess the result of graduation so we cannot qualify for counselling," said Harmesh Singh, father of a candidate who had secured seventh rank in the entrance test and was sure of getting admission in her desired course.

Despite the fact that many candidates holding top ranks in the merit list, they were not able to get seats in MSc. "The GNDU has not declared results so it is not our fault. The PAU authorities already knew this so they should have coordinated with GNDU authorities and postponed the counselling till the results were out," said a distressed mother of a candidate who had scored top rank in the entrance test.

"Most of us have come from places like Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Nabha and they have meted out such a treatment to our deserving wards, who would otherwise have got the seats in their desired courses," said Ashok Kumar from Pathankot.

"If they could not coordinate with GNDU which has been late to declare the results as the exams were held late, they could at least give us provisional admission subject to production of the result cards in a week's time," said Sandeep, a candidate from GNDU.

The parents and the students later went to see the Vice-Chancellor MS Kang and apprise him of the situation in order to request him to either postpone the counselling or allow them to attend it with provisional admission.

"The V-C has asked to come on Monday. We have come from far away places and it is difficult to take a day off from work to accompany our wards. We hope that the PAU authorities will take some favourable decision in this regard," said a hapless father of a candidate.

Speaking about the matter, Raj Kumar Mehey, registrar of PAU, said that the university was following its rules. "All those students who have fulfilled all the necessary requirements have been given admission. We cannot be blamed if a university has not declared its results," he said, adding that any decision on the matter would be taken by the V-C.