BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Higher Education Department has been opening more and more degree colleges in the State, the additional seats seem to have no takers. This year, over 70,000 seats have remained vacant after all the three rounds of admission.
Consider this: Out of 2,17,973 seats, admission has been conducted for 1,46,778 seats and 71,196 seats are still lying vacant in all the five streams of Arts, Commerce, Physical Science, Biological Science and self-financing courses.While 91,163 out of 1,30,882 seats in Arts stream have been filled up, the figure stands at 22,812 seats out of 34,494 in physical science. Similarly, 16,176 out of 22,578 seats have been filled up in Biological Science and 15,571 out of total 28,701 seats have been filled in Commerce.
Mihir Das, head of an e-admission wing of Higher Education Department, said if the Government allows, they would conduct another round of spot admission to fill up the seats. Classes for Plus Three first year began in 834-degree colleges on Monday. Admissions are continuing in various colleges and the vacancy figure would come down by Saturday, he added.
This year, 34 new degree colleges were opened across the State. While the vacancies have been noticed in self-financing colleges in interior pockets, in popular institutions like Ravenshaw and BJB, the vacancy figure is nominal. The majority of these vacancies have been reported from private or self-financing colleges, informed officials in the department. There are 142 self-financing degree colleges in the State.
Last year, around 34,000 seats had remained vacant in 800-degree colleges with the maximum seats finding no takers in Arts stream.
No takers for seats
39,719
out of 1,30,882 seats in Arts
11,682
out of 34,494 seats in physical science
6402
out of 22,578 seats in Biological Science
13,130
out of total 28,701 seats in Commerce
34,000
seats: No takers last year