Admissions delayed for over 2.5 million students in state
Confusion over FYJC admissions persists, with a fourth possible delay in the announcement of the merit list. The directorate of education, which was to release the first merit list on June 6, rescheduled its release to June 10. Then it further rescheduled the date to June 26. These unprecedented delays are impacting 1.3 million students, whose Class 10 results were announced more than a month ago.
However, sources in the department say that students will be lucky if the department sticks to this timeline as it is still struggling with software issues. Mahesh Palkar, director of secondary education, said on Wednesday, 'We are making changes in the software and conducting testing on a war footing. We are trying to release the first merit list on June 26 but if that's not be possible, we will come out with a fresh schedule on Thursday.'
The FYJC admission process was first delayed due to a suit filed my minority institutions over SC/ST/OBC reservations announced by the government for the 50% seats outside the institutions' 50% minority quota. The Supreme Court eventually set aside the reservation, paving the way for the much-delayed FJYC admissions to get off the ground.
However, now there's a technical snag. An education officer claimed, 'After the court set aside the social reservations in minority colleges, we had to make changes in the software for the online admission process. This will take at least five to six more days.'
College principals say it's just an excuse for a department unprepared to implement online admissions. Until last year, FYJC admissions were conducted online for colleges only in the Mumbai Metropolitan region (MMR), Pune and Nashik. This year, however, the education department has rolled out the admission process online across the state.
Mahendra Ganpule, former spokesperson of the Maharashtra State Principals Association, remarked, 'They are trying to push this online admission process statewide without proper dry runs or planning. The result is confusion everywhere and students are paying the price.'
Meanwhile, although the Class 12 results were announced more than a month ago, admissions to professional undergraduate degree courses across Maharashtra have not moved forward. This delay – unprecedented for these courses – is impacting 1.2 million students seeking admission to courses such as engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, law, management, BBA and BMS, polytechnic and Industrial Training Institutes programmes.
The Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell conducted more than 18 entrance tests for professional courses between March and April, and announced the results in May and June. However, the cell is yet to start the Centralised Admission Process (CAP), even as June draws to a close.
Sources said the delay relates to policy and procedural changes, which are yet to be sorted out. As a result, a timeline for application, merit lists, or admission rounds has not been announced.
For MBBS admissions, for instance, the approval process for new colleges will be underway till July 31, pausing admissions to undergraduate medical courses.
The situation is especially serious because July and August are typically reserved to complete four rounds of admissions. If the process doesn't begin soon, the start of the academic year may be postponed to August or even September.
'There seems to be no coordination between the CET Cell, the Directorate of Technical Education, and the Higher and Technical Education Department,' said a college principal. 'Each department is working in isolation, and students are suffering due to this.'
He said any further delay in classes would impact exams, which would have a cascading effect on internships, placements, and further education plans for students.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
SC issues notice on plea seeking enforcement of 27% OBC law in MP
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a fresh petition seeking enforcement of a Madhya Pradesh law providing 27% reservation to the other backward classes (OBC) in state employment but refused to pass any interim directions noticing that the matter is already pending in the top court. SC issues notice on plea seeking enforcement of 27% OBC law in MP A bench of justices PS Narasimha and R Mahadevan, sitting during the partial court working days, passed the order seeking response of the Madhya Pradesh government on a petition filed by 18 people belonging to the OBC community, led by petitioner Nishchay Sonbirse. The petition argued by advocate Varun Thakur pointed out that in 2019, the MP government brought amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Lok Seva (Anusuchit Jatiyon, Anusuchit Jan Jatiyon Aur Anya Pichhade Vargon Ke Liye Arakshan) Adhiniyam, 1994, increasing reservation benefits in jobs for OBCs from the existing 14% to 27%. Thakur said that prior to enactment of the Act, the same law was introduced by way of an Ordinance that was challenged before the MP high court by a final-year MBBS student. On her plea, an interim order was passed on March 19, 2019 directing that the counselling for NEET-PG examination of 2019 will be conducted as per the old law providing for 14% OBC reservation. He stated that despite the Ordinance becoming law, the interim order has been continued by the executive arm of the state without there being any stay or interim order passed by either the high court or the top court. The bench said, 'We are not going to grant you any interim order. Very reluctantly we are issuing notice. We will only post the matter along with the batch of matters pending before this court.' In 2022, the state of Madhya Pradesh had filed a transfer petition before the top court. Subsequently by an order of the court, all petitions pending before the high court stood transferred to the top court where the matter is still pending. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta appearing for the state opposed the petition pointing out that already the issue is under consideration in the transfer petition filed by the state. He questioned the need for adding yet another petition to the bunch of cases where the validity of the law has been challenged. Thakur pointed out that the pending batch of cases only challenge the Ordinance. However, the Act has not been challenged so far. However, lawyers appearing in the matter refuted this claim pointing out that even the 2019 Act by the state introducing 27% reservation for OBC in public employment is pending before the top court. Thakur said that the implementation of the 2019 amendment remains uncertain and sought a clarification from the court giving effect to the law. The petition filed by him said, 'The legislation has neither been struck down nor declared unconstitutional by any court of law. In fact, no interim order has been passed by this court or the high court of Madhya Pradesh for restraining enforcement of the law.' He stated that the operation of the statutory provision cannot be stultified by granting an interim order except when the court is fully convinced that the particular enactment is unconstitutional. He questioned the executive for not acting upon the legislation in the absence of any order restraining them from doing so.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
SC to decide validity of Madras HC stay on Tamil Nadu law on University VC appointments
NEW DELHI: The on Friday entertained Tamil Nadu's petition questioning reasonableness of Madras HC's order staying its legislation, which gave the state government, instead of the governor, the power to appoint University vice-chancellors, but refused M K Stalin government's plea for suspending the HC order to re-operationalize the law. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now TN fielded a team of senior advocates – A M Singhvi, Rakesh Dwivedi and P Wilson – to argue that the HC had without considering the urgency to appoint vice-chancellors to universities, recommendations to which effect has been put in cold-storage by the Governor, stayed the legislation. The law giving state govt the power to appoint VCs to universities was stayed along with nine other laws, Bills for which were reserved for the President's consideration by the governor but were regarded as deemed to have been approved by President in a controversial unprecedented ruling by a two-judge SC bench on Apr 8. Three days after the 'deemed to have been approved' ruling by the SC, which now is subject to a Constitution bench's opinion on a Presidential Reference questioning the use of Article 142 power of the SC to virtually obliterate roles assigned by the Constitution to President and Governors on Bills passed by Assemblies, the TN govt had notified the nine bills as laws. The bench refused to stay the HC order but asked the UGC and the public interest litigation petitioner before the HC to respond to TN's petition in four weeks. For UGC, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said the law is palpably contrary to the UGC Regulations which empower only governors to appoint VCs to the universities. When the senior advocates pleaded that they would argue before the HC for vacation of the stay, Mehta said that in that case the TN must withdraw its petition seeking transfer of the PIL from Madras HC to the SC. 'The state cannot have both options open at the same time and be permitted to argue before the HC that the SC is considering transfer of the PIL to itself,' he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Wilson sought expunging of certain 'harsh remarks' against him by the HC merely because he was pointing out the SC's 2-J bench order. Justices Narasimha and Mahadevan said this request would be considered by the SC during the final hearing on the TN's petition. One of the Acts, notified on Apr 11 by the state related to vesting in the state govt the powers of the Governor, as Chancellor, to appoint vice-chancellors of universities in the state. A vacation bench of the HC on May 21 granted stay on this amending provision, holding that UGC Regulations, 2018, would prevail over the state legislation by virtue of doctrine of repugnancy. The state said it had raised the objection to the delay in filing of the PIL but the division bench of the HC 'did not even call for an explanation from the Registry of the HC or the Petitioner but proceeded to hear the case in a tearing hurry.' The HC 'showed undue haste', did not even give a week's time to the state to file its counter affidavit, and passed the stay order 'for extraneous reasons', it said, adding that the impugned order is replete with personal attacks on the senior counsel who appeared for the state.
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
CJI Gavai Stresses Transparency and Inclusivity in Judicial Appointments, Vows to Strengthen Bombay HC
Mumbai: The Supreme Court is trying to infuse more transparency in matters of appointments, said Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai adding that attempts are on to ensure that Bombay high court functions at its full strength of 94 judges. The CJI was speaking at his felicitation ceremony held by the Bombay Bar Association (BBA) at the Bombay HC in Mumbai, on Friday. CJI Gavai said that from CJI Sanjiv Khanna's time, they have tried to infuse more transparency in matters of appointments. "The CJI is only the first among equals, and we have tried to dispel the impression that the SC is a 'CJI-centric court'," he added. "Immediately on my assuming office on May 14, we had a full court sitting, where all judges participated, and we took many decisions in the interest of the institution." You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The CJI said the collegium went through 54 candidates in the last three days and on Thursday recommended 36 appointments. "Pendency (of cases) is a huge issue. We are trying to work on it. One of the reasons is vacancies which are not filled up," said the CJI, adding, "Justice (Dipankar) Datta at a function in Nagpur flagged the issue of interference in the functioning of the collegium. I must assure you that we will adopt a complete process of transparency. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Encontrar estabilidad durante las fluctuaciones del mercado [Aprende todo] eToro Market Updates Más información Undo While ensuring that representation is given to all sections of society, merit will never be compromised (in the appointment of judges)." CJI Gavai also launched a BBA app and AI guidelines for lawyers. BBA Chief Nitin Thakkar said the Bombay HC is the busiest in the nation. It has a vacancy of 29 judges, or over 30 percent. The CJI rose to the exalted position from a humble background on merits, said the speakers, which included Advocate General Birendra Saraf, SC Judge Dipankar Datta and HC CJ Alok Aradhe. Meanwhile, assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday said that CJI Gavai will be felicitated at Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday. Gavai will give a lecture on the importance of the Indian constitution to legislators. Article 226 of the Indian Constitution is not only a power to do justice, but it is coupled with a duty of the HC Judge to do justice. Likewise under Articles 32 and 142, duty of SC Judges to do justice, said CJI Gavai adding, "I have always attempted to do that. ''
