After higher cut-offs to degree colleges left many aspirants without a seat in their preferred college, the University of Mumbai (MU) has allowed its affiliated colleges to add five % extra seats for first-year degree courses, including those in the competitive self-financing courses.
The university had decided not to allow colleges to add extra divisions this year, but a circular on Monday said that colleges can add more seats provided they meet conditions such as adequate infrastructure facilities and permanent principals.
In July, like every year, the university permitted colleges to add up to 10 % extra seats in a division with 120 students, which translated to an additional 12 seats. This was for regular aided courses such as BA, BCom and BSc. While for self-financing courses such as BCom (Accounting and Finance), BCom (Banking and Insurance), Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) and Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM), a maximum of 20 % extra seats could be added to a division with 60 students, which means 12 extra seats. University officials said that around 20 colleges, including Jai Hind, KC, Hinduja and Ruia College were allowed to add seats.
However, all colleges could not apply for the maximum possible extra seats in July because colleges were not sure about filling the extra seats. Considering an increase in demand now from the colleges, the deans of faculties of varsity last week suggested five % more extra seats in both traditional and self-financing courses. This means that, now all colleges can apply for more six seats for regular aided courses and three seats for self-financing courses per division. So a division for an aided degree course can now have up to 138 students and aided courses up to 75 students.
{{/usCountry}}However, all colleges could not apply for the maximum possible extra seats in July because colleges were not sure about filling the extra seats. Considering an increase in demand now from the colleges, the deans of faculties of varsity last week suggested five % more extra seats in both traditional and self-financing courses. This means that, now all colleges can apply for more six seats for regular aided courses and three seats for self-financing courses per division. So a division for an aided degree course can now have up to 138 students and aided courses up to 75 students.
{{/usCountry}}Madhu Nair, dean of commerce faculty, MU said, “Several students are still waiting to secure an admission for degree courses due to higher cut-offs. We suggested varsity to grant extra seats for colleges so that no eligible student would remain without an admission. However, around seven colleges in the city still have vacancies.”
According to varsity officials, around 50 colleges have applied for 5 % extra seats so far. Colleges can apply for extra seats till Friday, August 14.
M A Khan, registrar, MU said, “Considering higher cut-offs and increasing demand from the colleges, we have decided to grant 5 % extra seats for all colleges completing the conditions, instead of granting it for few of them. The varsity is still scrutinising the remaining applications.”
However, several popular colleges said they are not going to apply for more seats as it would put extra burden on colleges as the class with capacity of 60 students will bear 75 students which means almost 25 % extra students.