Students find online process for junior college admission confusing

The state government’s claim that its online admission process for junior colleges is the most hassle-free method appears to be falling on its head. College principals say that it creates more confusion and students prefer the offline method. The online process is managed by the state education department, while the offline one is overseen by individual colleges.

While most students were allotted seats for first-year junior college (FYJC) courses through the online admission process, which ended on August 8, many are unhappy with the allocations and are now scrambling to secure seats directly. Principals say that this is resulting in many students cancelling their provisional online admission after they secure a seat of their liking, delaying the entire process.

Kavita Rege, principal of Sathaye College, Vile Parle, said, “Once the offline admissions begin, even students who have a seat in the online process start looking for betterment. The provisional admission makes it easy for them to cancel their seats once they get a more suitable one. It becomes hard for colleges to keep track of the admission process.”

Echoing her views, Marie Fernandes, principal of St Andrews College in Bandra, said that online admissions are pointless since students go seat-shopping again through the offline process. “It would be better that admissions are given back to the colleges. We can finish the entire process in 15 days and there will be no waste of time or effort,” she said.

“It is better when students apply on their own — only to those colleges that interest them. In the online process, they are forced to choose many options, not all of which are their preferences,” said Frazer Mascarenhas, principal of St Xaviers College, Dhobi Talao.