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FYJC admissions flout Apex Court norms

Mumbai: Admissions to first year junior college (FYJC) in and around Mumbai are likely to fall foul of prescribed norms this academic year as the state education department seems to have given schools--particularly minority run--a free hand on the issue of in-house, minority and management quota seats.

Since 2003, admissions to the eleventh grade have been based on a Supreme Court (11-judge bench) order, which was followed by a government resolution (GR), stating that all in-house, minority, management quota seats need to be filled up 15 days prior to the general admissions process begins.

However, it is unclear if the GR is still in place, given the gaps in implementation.

As Vaishali Bafna, director and education head of non-governmental organization SYSCOM, explains, “There are two GRs--issued on June 27, 1997, and May 27, 2003--which have a bearing on admissions. These state that admissions to seats based on sports and cultural quotas, transfer students, as well as inhouse minority and management quotas have to be completed before regular online admissions for the remaining seats begin.”

However, she says, this system has been brazenly flouted since 2013. “For the 2021 academic year, quota seats continued to be filled up right up to Novemberend as was the case,” she added.

For instance, last year (2021) a total of 3,20,233 FYJC seats were available in Mumbai, and several new colleges were given recognition adding more seats. A total 2,02,069 applications were received, meaning 1,18,174 seats remained vacant. Yet, students were unable to procure admissions to colleges of their choice.

However, the Department of Education has mandated online admissions for just 35% of seats, against the usual 50%, this year. This has led to fears that a huge clandestine market will be created for the remaining seats.

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