39 per cent candidates did not turn out for Odisha JEE exam this year 

Sources said that at least 14,390 candidates had enrolled for BTech but only 6,280 appeared for the test.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

BHUBANESWAR: MORE than 31,000 candidates have skipped the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) 2020 which concluded on Monday.Of the total 79,788 students who enrolled for the examination, only around 48,600 (61 per cent) turned up for the test between October 12 and 19.

Sources said that at least 14,390 candidates had enrolled for BTech but only 6,280 appeared for the test. Similarly, the number of students who took the OJEE in MBA, MArch, MPlan and BPharm was relatively low. 

While the COVID-19 crisis is being attributed as one of the main reasons of such large-scale absence of candidates, thousands of students also skipped the examination as they couldn't get the centre of their choice. An official from the OJEE committee said that they will have to check if there was any other reason for which the turnout was poor. 

The number of students enrolled for the test this year was around 12,000 more than the last year. More than 65,242 students were allotted ranks for admission into various government and private institutes in the OJEE last year. 

OJEE Committee officials, however, said the percentage of candidates who appeared for the test is expected to increase as candidates in BTech, BTech (lateral entry) and BPharm, who skipped the exams for not being able to get the centre of their choice, will be allowed to appear in one of their preferred centres on October 22. 

The poor turnout of students, meanwhile, has raised concern for private engineering colleges as around 40 to 50 per cent seats are lying vacant in recent years. Of the 34,000 engineering seats in the State, around 30,000 are with private institutions. Around 15,000 seats remained vacant in these colleges last year, said Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) secretary Binod Dash. 

Dash, however, hoped that the growth in the digital market and IT sector after Covid outbreak is expected to attract more students to pursue engineering this year. Counselling for engineering admission has also been extended till November end, he said.

The OJEE committee plans to complete the BTech counselling in engineering institutes by November 15. Counselling started from October 12 and registration and choice locking for the first phase admission will end on October 26, said OJEE committee chairman SK Chand.

LOW TURNOUT

  • Of the total 79,788 students who enrolled for the examination, only around 48,600 (61 per cent) turned up for the test between October 12 and 19

  • COVID-19 crisis is being attributed as one of the main reasons of such large-scale absence of candidates

  • Students also skipped the examination as they couldn’t get the centre of their choice

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