Chaos prevails as students still struggle with technical issues

The centralised admission process (CAP), which was initially scheduled to begin on May 21, was postponed after students encountered issues accessing the portal

FYJC admissions

Following these disruptions, the website was temporarily taken down for maintenance, with the system being brought back online on Monday.  (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Despite the State School Education Department delaying the first-year junior college (FYJC) online admissions for 2025-26 for site maintenance, students still faced technical issues when the process resumed on Monday.

The centralised admission process (CAP), which was initially scheduled to begin on May 21, was postponed after students encountered issues accessing the portal. Following these disruptions, the website was temporarily taken down for maintenance, with the system being brought back online on Monday.

This year, Maharashtra has introduced its first-ever centralised online admission system for Class 11 students. The new digital initiative spans 9,281 junior colleges across the state, offering more than 20 lakh seats to students.

However, students argue that the admission process has been rushed, leaving them with little time to prepare for the various steps involved.

Vedika Bhingare, a student from Vidya Vinay Niketan School, expressed her concerns: “I am stressed about admission as I won’t be able to fill the form till May 31, when I will receive the school leaving certificate.”

The state’s sudden switch to a fully online, single-window allotment system has faced significant challenges. Many students claim that internet connectivity issues and slow speeds are hindering their ability to complete the process. Technical problems, including incorrect fee payment reflections persist even after the website’s reopening.

Vinayak Madbhave from New English School shared his difficulties: “I’ve been trying to complete the admission form since this afternoon, but I’m facing multiple issues. First, I can’t lock Part 1 of the form because it keeps showing ‘missing registration details.”

The digital divide, particularly in rural areas, is also a major concern. As per data, over 54 per cent of Maharashtra’s population resides in rural areas, where access to reliable internet and digital devices is limited. This creates a serious obstacle for many students who are unable to navigate the online system effectively.

Sakshi Chintal from Seva Sadan School expressed her frustration with the OTP system: “Even though I’ve entered the correct mobile number, I’m not receiving the OTP. This whole process is extremely frustrating.”

Under the revised schedule, the application process will close on June 3, 2025, and the provisional merit list is expected to be published on June 5, 2025. However, there is growing demand from teachers, students, and parents for the option to conduct the admission process offline.

Ganesh Samant, a software professional and parent, shared his frustration: “I started the online application process today (Monday) and as I selected ‘Pune City,’ all the colleges did not appear in the drop-down list.”