like Engineering, students also seem to be getting increasingly disinclined towards the Science stream. This is noticed from the admission trend in Science stream in Plus II colleges of Sundargarh district.
After the third round of e-admission for Plus II First Year classes, a total of 6,079 seats are vacant in all the three streams, Arts, Science and Commerce, in 71 junior colleges, including residential ones, in the district.
While in Science, 3,608 seats are lying vacant out of 6,660, in Arts out of 9,076 seats, 1,183 vacant and, in Commerce, 1,288 of 2,720 seats are vacant.
The last hope for many colleges was the spot admission. But the spot admission was not at all encouraging for many colleges. According to the final tally, while in science stream 2595 seats are lying vacant, it is 558 in Arts and 554 in Commerce.
Out of total 71 junior colleges, 54 have Science stream, 52 have Arts stream and 20 have Commerce stream.
Interestingly, in all the three Ekalavya Model Colleges in the district, not a single admission was held. A similar situation has arisen in the Veer Birsamunda Simanta College where all the 77 seats are vacant.
Above 60 per cent of the science seats in many colleges of Sundargarh still lying vacant and the worst affected among them are the residential colleges. More interestingly, many institutions which had recorded 100 per cent results in 2015-16 are worst affected so far admissions figures are concerned.
In the Chinmaya Vidyalaya (Junior) College, 85 seats are lying vacant out of 128 seats. Similarly, in the Naidu Science College, 65 out of 128 vacant, in the Prakruti Science College 98 out of 128 vacant, in NM Junior College, 52 out of 64 vacant, in Dr Ambedjar Science College, Jagda 72 out of 96 vacant, in Om Maa Saraswati Institute of Science and Technology, Rajgangpur 77 out of 128 vacant, in Sai Valley, Kuarmunda 62 out of 64 vacant, in Gandhi Mahavidyalaya, Deogaon 75 out of 128 vacant, in HK Ray Mahavidyalaya, Chhend 84 out of 128 vacant, in Kalyani Ray College, Hamirpur 95 out of 128 vacant, in Neelasaila Mahavidyalaya 106 out of 164 vacant, in the Vesaj Patel College, Hemgiri 94 out of 128, in Vedavyas Junior College 63 out of 128 vacant and in RIT Kuarmunda 82 seats are lying vacant out of 96 seats.
As classes have begun from 14 July, there is little hope that the Government would give any further scope to fill up the seats. Even if the Government gives another chance for admission, it would be difficult for the students to complete the courses in time. So many institutions are in a dilemma over their future.
The experts and educationists say the principal reasons for disinclining for science stream is the less scope of employment for engineering and technical students. Secondly, without verifying infrastructure and staff strength, the Government has given permission to run Science colleges.
Similarly, many lecturer posts in both Government and private leading colleges are lying vacant for years. So pupils prefer Arts to Science now.