Mumbai’s education department revealed that about 70,000 of the total 2.2 lakh students who applied for FYJC seats in city had refused to claim admission in the colleges allotted to them online, even after four merit lists. This has added to the already existing problem of about 40, 000 excess seats available especially in Mumbai. The education department is under pressure this academic year to conduct the entire FYJC admission process completely online, in order to comply with a Supreme Court order.
The government’s solution: to re-initiate the process, I.e., come out with more merit lists. On July 22, the education department declared a fresh set of dates for students to re-register online or even to change existing allotted colleges. Students who had registered earlier may, if seats are available, also receive betterments or be re-allotted to colleges of their choice.
Applicants were required to list 15 choices from the entire Mumbai region, another 15 from their own zones, and 5 within their local ward limits. Ashok Mahajan, general secretary of University of Mumbai college principals association, felt that the cause of the online admission problem was that neither Class 10 students or whoever was guiding them seemed were aware of location of colleges; they thus chose the wrong options while submitting their forms. Mr. Mahajan said that 80 per cent of the admission process was complete in degree colleges, and it was the junior colleges attached to schools that faced the vacant seats problem. He said, “Many colleges had already started their FYJC academic terms and those joining in late may have to be adjusted with classes during Ganeshotsav holidays.”
Jayant Jain of the Forum for Fairness of Education said “This clearly shows that offline admissions are taking place in colleges, and that students were hoping to get allotted to colleges of their choice. The government must scrutinise all admissions, and cancel the offline admissions done by colleges so far and penalise colleges that indulge in such unfair admissions. Competition among boards leading to high scores led to expectancy among students to get in only in the best colleges.”
Even a well-known institution like Sathaye College failed to fill up its seats online. Dr Kavita Rege, principal, said, “Students are probably waiting for the offline admission process that generally starts after completion of the online schedule. Till last year, after the admission process is over, we would just accept students, bring out a merit list and adjust them in. Students with less marks or those who fail to get in online, would be adjusted by colleges during such times. But, this year, the government’s insistence on strictly only online admission is creating problems. Also, the education department did not send enough students to us.” “How do you expect a Shivaji Park student to accept a college in Chembur?” asks Shalaka Salvi, secretary of the Parent Teachers Association United Forum.
The online system has come in for much flak this year. In Navi Mumbai, a girl committed suicide after she failed to get admission in the college of her choice, even after she allegedly paid a bribe of Rs 20,000 to the college principal. The principal of the institution, who promised her admission, was arrested on charges of abettment to suicide. Pune witnessed unruly protests against the online system at the local education office on July 21.
The writer is a freelance journalist
