Filling Online Junior College form from 22nd June 2011
Most SSC students have scored in the 35-65% range and are
likely to take up arts, but reduction in seats will cost them dear, say experts.
While students seeking admission to first year junior college (FYJC) will start
filling out the online forms from today, 22nd June 2011, those interested in taking
up the arts stream are in a fix. This year, many colleges have surrendered their
arts seats as, they feel, the stream is falling out of favour with students and
they do not believe there will be enough students to occupy the seats they have.
The total number of arts seats in the city has gone down by nearly 2,500 for admissions
for the 2011-12 academic year.
However, most students have scored between 49% and 65% in this year's Secondary
School Certificate (SSC) exams. With cut-offs for the commerce and science streams
expected to touch the skies, most of these students will have no option but to take
up a seat in the arts stream. Experts fear that these students will be faced with
a shortage of seats.
"Colleges have surrendered arts seats under the assumption that they will not get
enough students. But the results have indicated that many students may be forced
to take up arts if their scores do not match the high cut-offs in colleges. In this
scenario, if the colleges do not have enough seats to accommodate these students,
cut-offs may shoot up for arts as well, creating a problem," said a senior education
official.
Marie Fernandes, principal of St Andrews College, Bandra, said: "Arts
is a popular stream. But in the last few years, commerce has superseded
other courses in terms of popularity. Colleges tend to slash the number of arts
seats, because the demand is not in keeping with the seats available."
The reduction in the number of seats may seem marginal right now but colleges may
continue surrender seats for various reasons-like minority and management quotas-once
the college admissions begin. This may significantly reduce the number of arts seats,
added the official. "We are on the verge of an arts disaster. We advise colleges
not to give up arts seats even if they do not see the demand for them," said the
official.
Tarini Mehta, a student who wants to take up arts, said: "I have scored in the 50-60%
range. For me, arts are the best option because it generally has the lowest cut-off.
But if the cut-offs increase, I may not get admission to any good arts college."
Meanwhile, students will fill start filling their option and admission forms from
today, June 22. Students from other boards like CBSE or ICSE can even start taking
admission as they have got their mark sheets. SSC students can start taking admission
once they get their mark sheets from their schools on June 27.
Courtesy: DNA India
