CBSE, ICSE students may top merit lists

Large number of non-state board students scoring above 90% in Class 12 means HSC students may struggle to get into chosen colleges

With the number of students touching the 90% mark in Class 12 examinations increasing every year, the competition for degree college admission keeps getting fiercer. This year too, the large number of non-state board students scoring above 90-95% in Class 12 examinations hints towards higher cut-offs. It could now be more challenging for HSC students to get into a college and a course of their choice.

City principals said the cut-off for traditional courses is likely to go up by 1% to 3% as compared to last year. Cut-offs for self-financed courses such as BCom in Accounting and Finance and Bachelor of Management studies could be higher than 2015. Last year, the cut-offs in some colleges had gone up by almost 7%.

“Admissions to self-financed courses will be troublesome, especially as more students seem to be scoring 90 and above. The state board’s 90% scorers seem to be less in comparison with the other boards, which will pose a problem,” said Manju Nichani, principal of KC College at Churchgate. She added that like last few years, there’s a very good chance that the first merit list for self-financed courses will see more non-state board students.

“Unlike traditional courses where first preference goes to in-house students, self-financed courses are purely allotted on the basis of merit and state board students will face tough competition from ISC and CBSE class XII students in the race to bag seats in top colleges,” said Rajpal Hande, principal of Mithibai College in Vile Parle. Many also added how even amongst 90% scorers, students have lost out on colleges and courses of their choice by less than 1%. “Between two of the commerce toppers of my college, the difference was 0.05%, and this .05% can make a huge difference when it comes to admissions. The fight for admission will once again be decided by a few decimals in the final scores,” said the vice-principal of a Thane college.

Colleges feel admissions to traditional courses too might see a struggle this year. “Since the rule is to give first preference to in-house students for vanilla courses (BA, BCom, BSc), I’m worried if I have enough seats to accommodate those from my college itself in degree college,” said Ancy Jose, principal of Nagindas Khandwala College in Malad.