96% marks, but yet to get a college seat

Even as students complained of just a marginal dip in cut-offs on the second merit list, a 16-year-old was yet to get a college seat despite scoring an impressive 96.5% in his board exams.

"When the first list was announced, we got a message saying my son hasn't been allotted a seat in the first round and we should wait for the next round. Again, on Wednesday, we got the same message," the boy's father said. "I met education (department) officials, who said my son's form might be incomplete. However, when I checked with the guidance centre, they said the form was complete and had been accepted online," he added.

Interestingly, all the colleges where the boy had applied, including Ruia, Ruparel and Khalsa, had cut-offs lower than his percentage on the first list itself. Education department officials said they would look into this matter.

Meanwhile, close to 51,000 students were allotted seats in the second round of admission on Wednesday, of whom 32,758 got the betterment option. "In the fresh allotment, 8,425 students got the college of their first preference," said a senior education official from the office of the deputy director of education (schools).

Several top colleges in the city had very few seats to offer in the second round of admission. They were also not sure if they would have any seats left for the third round.

Manju Nichani, principal of K C College, said: "The possibility of a third list will obviously depend on students claiming their seats tomorrow. But I believe there is a bleak chance of a third list."

There are approximately 30 seats available for students applying for the commerce stream in the college. Moreover, there has been only a marginal dip in the cut-offs. The science and commerce cut-offs in the college fell by less than a per cent. At N M College, the cut-off dipped by less than 2%.

The principal said there might not be a third merit list in the college.

DU cutoff 2: Hope still floats

The second cutoff list released by Delhi University on Thursday night brought hope for admission seekers. Though seats for BCom (honours) are already taken in 36 colleges, 15 other colleges will still admit aspirants in the course starting Friday. Lady Shri Ram, Kirori Mal, Hindu and Sri Venkateswara have decreased their cutoffs for BCom (honours) by up to 0.5%.

Though not specialized, BA Programme too has been a popular course with students. The good news is that only six colleges have closed admissions in the course so far. Some colleges like Delhi College of Arts and Commerce and Shyam Lal (evening) have dropped their cutoffs by as much as 10%, making a large number of candidates eligible for admissions in the list.

Commerce students hoping to pursue BCom (H) may just have to opt for BCom now, considering that the dip in BCom (honours) cutoff is not too significant. BCom admissions have been closed only in three colleges, while colleges like Kirori Mal, Sri Venkateswara, Ramjas, Gargi, Kamla Nehru and SGTB Khalsa are going to continue admission with a marginal dip of 0.25% to 0.5%.

It's probably after a long time that Shri Ram College of Commerce has come up with a second cutoff list for general category candidates. Admissions in BA (H) economics are still open in SRCC with a drop of 0.25%. There are 12 other colleges like Sri Venkateswara, Ramjas, Miranda House, Lady Shri Ram, Hindu and Hans Raj where the course is open for admissions.

Though admissions are open in the sciences, the cutoff continues to be on the higher side with a marginal drop in most college. The maximum decrease in BSc (H) physics is 3% at Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences. In more popular colleges such as Hans Raj and Hindu, the decrease is less than 1%. Admissions are closed in 16 colleges for BSc (H) mathematics, but are open in as many.

For BSc (H) chemistry, admission is open in 13 colleges. But cutoff marks haven't gone down significantly. Maximum decrease in cutoff is 3% at Moti Lal Nehru. BSc life science is closed only in Gargi and Miranda House. Gargi College has closed admissions in all science courses.

English aspirants still have many options at hand. There is a dip of up to 8% in the CATE cutoff, while candidates can expect the general cutoffs to go down by 1-3%.The course is open at Hindu, JDM, KMC, Miranda House, Ramjas, Daulat Ram and SGTB Khalsa.

BA (H) history is closed in eight colleges. However, some colleges like Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Kalindi and Ramjas are offering admission in the course at cutoffs lower by up to 6%.

Cut-offs to go up

With the number of students scoring high in class XII CBSE this year, in almost all the streams, it is likely that the cut-offs will go up. It became a topic of national debate last year, when the cut-off for BCom went up to 100% at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC).

However, PC Jain, principal, SRCC, assures that the cut-offs will not be as high this year. "The cut-offs for BCom (Honours ) have been increasing in the last few years. This year we will make sure the cut-off does not reach as high as 100%. Also, for economics, we will ensure the percentage is realistic. Yet, cut-offs are likely to remain high as the overall class XII scores are rather good this year too."

Since a good number of students have scored well in subjects like psychology, economics, business studies, physics, and even in humanities, colleges across the university believe the first cut-off list released will be high though the percentages will come down with the second list.

According to JM Khurana, dean, students' welfare, with students performing well in CBSE again this year, the cutoffs are bound to be higher, but nothing can be said before the registration begins . Also, since many students these days go for professional courses, aspirants must not panic and wait for the cut-offs to be released. At Hans Raj College, the cut-offs are likely to be highest in computer science, economics, electronics, physics and the biological sciences. "The cut-offs are not going to drop in any case in the popular colleges. Subjects like computer science, electronics and the sciences will see a high percentage. We will have to be cautious while preparing the first cut-off list," says VK Kawatra, principal, Hans Raj College.

Colleges including Hindu and Lady Shri Ram (LSR) maintain that the first cut-off list will be high as they will be playing safe. However, Pratibha Jolly, principal, Miranda House, believes it is too early to say how the cut-off lists will turn out. "Only once we have the pre-admission forms data available with us, the picture about the cut-offs will be clear," she says.

Registration

June 4, Monday

The forms will be available at 12 head post offices and eight colleges - Miranda House in north campus, Atma Ram Sanatam Dharam College near Dhaula Kuan, PGDAV College and Gargi College in south Delhi, Bhagini Nivedita College near Najafgarh, Rajdhani College at Raja Garden, Swami Shradhanand College in Alipur and Shyam Lal College in east Delhi.

Online

Students wanting to apply online will have to log on to the university website - www.du.ac.in. After that they will be given a unique password, using which the centralised online form can be accessed. The online form will be a copy of the over-the-counter OMR form

MBBS cut-off marks may go down

The cut-off marks for MBBS admissions are likely to go down this year, giving higher chances of admissions to students from the previous batches, academicians say. The sale of applications for MBBS will begin on May 15 and the counselling will start on July 2.

On Monday, health minister V S Vijay said students will be able to download MBBS application forms or buy them from May 15 and submit them till June 2. Random numbers will be declared on June 15 and the merit list will be released on June 20. The first phase of counselling will begin on July 2, he said.

Educational consultants forecast the scores in Physics and Biology to be lower this year as the papers were tough. "This is likely to bring down the cut-off by 0.5 to 1.25 marks. It will give an edge to students of previous batches," said educational consultant Jaya Prakash Gandhi.

Tamil Nadu government allows students of previous batches to apply for the courses this year and there are no limitations on the number of seats that can be granted to students of previous years. In the last three years, the cut-off for MBBS admissions has been increasing by 0.5 to 1 mark, making it tough for students of previous batches.

This year, the state is likely to add 285 seats in the government medical colleges. Vijay said MCI permission was likely to come for a new medical college in Sivaganga. The state has asked MCI to increase seats in four medical colleges, including Madras Medical College and Stanley Medical College in Chennai. At the Madras Medical College, the seats are likely to increase from 165 to 250 in Madras Medical College and at Stanley Medical College, it may go up from 150 to 250. There will be 50 seats each in Chengalpet and Kilpauk Medical College.

Tamil Nadu has 17 government medical colleges with 1,945 seats. "Once the MCI gives the permission, the student intake will be increased in these colleges," the minister said. The state government was taking all steps to upgrade the infrastructure facilities before increasing the number of seats in medical colleges. Apart from improving infrastructure, steps are on to increase faculty strength and procure modern medical equipment, he added.