Parents and educators ask colleges to explain the phenomenon, asking for admission process to be streamlined
Representation pic
Following 12 rounds of admission (regular, special, and daily merit) to First Year Junior College (FYJC), approximately 1.34 lakh seats remain vacant in institutes across Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) this year. The consistent issue of large-scale seat vacancies has led academics and educational experts to demand a thorough audit of the admission process.
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The 12 rounds of admissions concluded on October 5 and as on October 26 evening total of 1,34,537 (32.94 per cent) seats were vacant of the total 408,435 intake capacity across 1,050 junior colleges under the MMR zone. The number of students who were admitted stood at 273,898 from the 300,393 who had registered. According to data from the Deputy Director of School Education’s office, 26,495 students still fall under the “not admitted” category.
The trend is sparking demands from concerned stakeholders. “So many seats are vacant; shouldn’t the education department study this trend to understand why seats go unfilled year after year?” asked Ridaya Deshpande, a parent and teacher. Some parents expressed frustration over the seat allocation process, with one stating: “We finally got the college of our choice in Special Round 3. When we inquired about seat availability, we found seats were available, so we don’t understand why admission wasn’t granted.”
An analysis by System
Corrective Movement (SYSCOM), a Pune-based educational organisation, highlights persistent vacancies in FYJC admissions across Maharashtra. SYSCOM’s report for the 2023-24 academic year spotlights notable challenges in major regions like Amravati, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, and Pune.
Vaishali Bafna, chairman of SYSCOM, criticised the education department for its approach to approving new institutions despite the vacancies. This year, the department approved 24 new colleges in MMR and additional divisions, adding 7,920 seats. “The trend over the past few years indicates that there is no need for new colleges. The government must streamline the admission process,” she urged.
Bafna has also reiterated the demand for a third-party audit, recalling that in 2017, the state government had agreed in court to conduct one, but since 2018, no such audit has taken place. In April, SYSCOM formally requested a third-party audit from the school education director and commissioner to address the gaps in the current system and bring transparency and accountability to FYJC admissions.
Despite repeated attempts, Sandeep Sangwe, deputy director of school education could not be reached for comments.
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