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Schools told to set up guidance centres ahead of FYJC admissions
Schools have also been directed to organise counselling and awareness sessions for students and parents after SSC examinations
As Maharashtra gears up for the First Year Junior College (FYJC) admissions for the 2026–27 academic year, the education department has begun preparations to ensure a smoother and more transparent Centralised Admission Process (CAP), building on lessons learned from last year’s challenges.
The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has instructed all government and aided schools to establish ‘guidance centres’ to assist students in filling out online application forms. Schools have also been directed to organise counselling and awareness sessions for students and parents after the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations.
According to officials, the FYJC admission process will continue to be conducted entirely through a centralised online system. Students will be able to search for colleges, check streams, medium, intake capacity, and available seats, and submit their preferences through the portal. Admissions will include various quotas, such as in-house, management, and minority quotas, along with constitutional and parallel reservations.
Mahesh Palkar, director of Education (Secondary and Higher Secondary), issued a circular on March 20 directing education officers to ensure that schools are fully prepared before the admission process begins. This includes completing institutional registration, verifying intake capacities, and setting up support systems for students. Schools have also been asked to help students verify and submit their forms, preferably through their SSC schools, to minimise errors.
A key focus this year is ensuring that students have all the necessary documents ready in advance. These include SSC mark sheets, school leaving certificates, domicile certificates, caste and non-creamy layer certificates, EWS certificates, and relevant documents for special categories such as special students(PwD), sports, and orphan students.
The department has also urged coordination with revenue authorities to facilitate the timely issuance of these documents.
The move comes in response to widespread confusion and technical issues reported during last year’s first-ever statewide CAP rollout. Students faced repeated portal crashes, login failures, and incomplete submissions due to heavy traffic and lack of clarity in the application process.
Palkar said, “Last year, the confusion arose primarily because the CAP was being implemented for the first time. This year, we have taken comprehensive measures to ensure a smooth execution. We have instructed all education officers and schools across the state to complete pre‑admission preparations and ensure that students have all the required documents ready. Additionally, we have instructed to provide structured counselling to students after the SSC examinations, which we believe will assist them in navigating the admission process effectively.”
Taking these issues into account, the department has emphasised structured counselling, better communication, and technical preparedness this year.
Officials have indicated that the first phase of the CAP is likely to begin in April, soon after SSC exams conclude, with results expected in early May.
