There is a deficit of seats in Plus II courses in different colleges of south Odisha vis-à-vis the number of candidates who passed in the HSC examinations in the current academic session.
According to an estimate, there is a deficit of more than 22,000 seats in Plus II courses for which thousands of meritorious HSC passouts are likely to be deprived of higher studies.
Notably, seven districts, including Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkanagiri are under the academic and administrative control of the Regional Director of Higher Education, Brahmapur. A total of 66,323 candidates have passed the HSC examinations this year, while the total number of seats available in all colleges in the seven districts together stands at 44,076.
As a result, the fate of about 22,247 pass-outs hangs in balance as far as their admission into higher courses is concerned. There is a requirement of 12,957 Plus II seats in Ganjam district alone in the current academic session, followed by 2,803 seats in Gajapati district, 2,199 seats in Nabarangpur, 2,012 seats in Kandhamal, 1,289 seats in Rayagada, 589 seats in Malkanagiri and 408 seats in Koraput.
According to Regional Director of Higher Education Dr Prabin Kumar Tripathy, there is nothing to worry as the State Government recently has increased the seats in Plus II courses both in block grant, aided as well as Government colleges and steps are being taken to accommodate maximum number of students. However, the picture of the estimated deficit of seats will be clear only after the first selection list is out, he added.