Why does one college have separate merit lists per shift?

Because for admission purposes a “college” is not a single unit at all. Approved seats are set separately for each combination of college, shift, version and group. Each combination has its own seats, and therefore its own merit ranking.

The application form works the same way: adding a college makes you choose the shift and version separately, and two shifts of one college sit as two distinct entries. You are not applying to a college — you are applying to one specific combination.

That has two practical consequences. First, missing out in one shift does not mean missing out in the other, since the two compete independently. Second, listing one college in both shifts uses two of your total choices — it widens your chances but narrows the variety of your list.

Morning shifts generally attract more demand and are correspondingly more competitive. The syllabus, the examination and the certificate are identical across shifts, though — the difference is only in the timetable.