The first admission list is out. And in most top colleges, only a 100 per cent in the core subjects seems to ensure students a seat in the B.Com courses. The MoP Vaishnav College where the B.Com course is much sought after, at least 40 students with centum in the three core subjects had applied and around 20 students turned up for the interview.
“B.Com for students from the commerce stream is like a medical seat for science students,” says Nirmala Prasad, principal, MoP Vaishnav College.
“The cut-off for the first list has 798 on 800. Parents of students who had scores 780 were getting agitated when they realised their children did not stand a chance. We are getting worried on how to bring the list out,” says Ms. Prasad. An eighty or eighty-five per cent marks seems to have become a mediocre score to ensure a seat to one of the top city colleges. In most colleges, for courses that are highly sought after the cut-offs are as high as 98 to 99 per cent.
“Admission is given to students with at least two or more centums. We are not able to consider a student with one centum, with the limited seats,” says Margaret in charge of admissions in the self-financing stream in the Women's Christian College. From 780 marks for the top three courses the marks has increased to 790 this year, in the main subjects. Similar is the situation in the Madras Christian College where the B.Com course has high demand.
The colleges also note that the cut-off in categories such as MBC, SC and ST have also significantly increased. While for MBC students it is around 97.5 for SC/St students it has become 90 per cent.
The high cut-offs are bringing jitters to students 'average' academic performers and students from the Central Board of Secondary Education. “I was very worried when the state board results were brought out. Our results were delayed. I know that though they can score, our understanding of the subject is better,” says Keerrthanaa Guptha a CBSE student who scored 94 per cent in the core subjects.
While some colleges have a common list that gives the same weightage to students from the state board and CBSE, certain other colleges have set aside a few seats for the CBSE students. The Stella Maris College and MoP Vaishnav have brought out a provisional list and are waiting for a few more days, to give time for students from the CBSE stream to apply.
However, Loyola College is yet to bring out its list. “As per the government guidelines, the list will be announced only ten days from the date the Class XII results are announced. So we are yet to bring out the first list,” says B. Jeyaraj, principal, Loyola College adding that the cut-offs will be known only after all the applications are received and their scrutiny begins.
