Gauri Rane & Prachi Rege
Mumbai: Admission season makes way for academic session, as freshers across the country gear up for the first day of college. For scores of students who have passed their class X exam, however, the misery is not yet over. As a result of high cut-offs, colleges across the country are closing even their second merit list at over 95 per cent. Many may not even consider putting up a third, leaving thousands of students unsure about the road ahead.
The reasons are not far to seek. There are 92 colleges offering degree programmes in Mumbai. Apart from sports and cultural reservations, there are around 68 colleges with either linguistic or religious minority quota. "It is therefore, the open category students who find it difficult to secure a seat in the college of their choice," says Siddheshwar Gadade, member, Management Council, University of Mumbai.
Besides, the Indian education system requires a graduate degree to pursue a good post graduate course. "Hence, there is immense pressure on a student to secure a coveted seat at a popular college," says Anuradhha Prabhudesai, education counsellor, Disha Counselling Centre, Mumbai.
Sunil Mantri, principal, NM College, Mumbai is hopeful. He observes that with numerous junior colleges it is not difficult for any student to be without admission. However, he cautions students not to have a skewed approach toward the admission process. "It is a student who makes the college what it is. It doesn’t matter where you secure a seat, what is important is that you make the most of it," he advises.
Mantri suggests that class X students who have not made it to any colleges this year, should sign up for the HSC vocational courses like the Minimal Competency Vocational Course (MCVC). They may pursue courses in travel and tourism, marketing and sales, and also account and auditing. These are of two-year duration can be pursued at the junior college level. "Over 20 to 30 per cent colleges across the city offer these courses," informs Mantri. After completing this two year course one has the option of pursuing a full-time or a distance learning degree programme. There is also the option of taking up a job or an internship to get a hands-on experience.
Here is a ray of hope for Class XII students, who may not make it through the cut-off list. There are a number of universities that offer options which can be your plan B. For instance, the Mahamaya Technical University, Noida, has about 358 colleges affiliated to it. These colleges admit even those students coming from other state boards and who may have scored 60 to 65 per cent in their class XII.
SK Kak, Vice Chancellor, Mahamaya Technical University, Noida, says, "Students usually limit their choices based on popularity quotient of a college. Also, the specialisation is chosen as a result of the bandwagon effect or peer and parental pressure." Kak advises students to be methodical while selecting an institution. "They need to focus on choosing a specialization that excites them to pursue a particular career," he says.
Keeping in mind the array of options available in the country, students definitely have a lot to choose from after completing their class X and XII. "Not securing an admission to a college of your choice is certainly not the end of the road," opines Mantri.
"At the end of the day it`s not about where you study but how you study that matters the most," concludes Kak.
Points to remember:
1) Consider tier 2 and tier 3 colleges to acquire the 10 + 2 qualification
2) These should be UGC approved/ NAAC accredited or affiliated to a recognized university
3) Technical education aspirants may log on to:
