50,000 Mumbai students yet to get FYJC seat after third list

Of 98,000 students, who had not secured admissions, 47, 956 were allocated seats in the third round

More than 50,000 students still haven’t bagged a seat in first year junior college (FYJC) admissions after the third merit list was announced a day early on Friday. Few seats but more takers in the arts stream drove up its cut-off for the third time. While commerce cut-offs too were higher in some colleges, those of science came down by 2%-3%.

Colleges predicted that the cut-offs for arts may fall in the fourth round. (HT FILE)

Of 98,000 students, who had not secured admissions, 47, 956 were allocated seats in the third round. Commerce stream saw the highest number of allocations (31,745), followed by 12, 285 in science, and a tad more than 3,000 in arts. Around 400 students were chosen for vocational courses.

The cut-off for arts rose to 80% from 78.2% at KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, Vidyavihar. This is the first time that arts saw its cut-off rise with every list as until last year, the marks used to drop in each round. Sudha Vyas, the college’s principal, said, “Arts is in demand this year but there are not enough seats, which is driving up the cut-offs,” said Vyas.

A similar phenomenon was observed in other coveted colleges like Ramniwas Ruia, Matunga, saw its arts cut-off shoot up by a few points — from 93.2% to 93.33%. DG Ruparel’s cut-off increased to 82.83% from 82.6%. Surprisingly, cut-offs in St Xavier’s, one of the most sought after colleges in the stream, dropped from 93.8% to 93.5%.

But colleges predicted that the cut-offs for arts may fall in the fourth round after seats reserved for scheduled castes and schedules tribes are merged with the open seats. “Right now, arts cut-offs are soaring because there are fewer seats,” said Vidyadhar Joshi, principal, Vaze-Kelkar College, Mulund. “The number of seats will increase after the unfilled reserved seats are merged with the general category and this will bring down the cut-offs.”

Commerce saw the cut-offs rise by a couple of points in Vaze-Kelkar College, Mulund, to 80.4% from the last list’s 78.2%. Dips were noticed in Narsee Monjee, Vile Parle (from 91.6% to 91.4%) and Jai Hind, Churchgate (from 89.2% to 89.16%). Whereas, cut-offs remained the same in RA Podar at 91.2% and HR College, Commerce, did not come up with a list as all its seats were filled in the second round.

When it comes to science, the cut-offs saw a substantial fall. At Pace Junior Science College, Andheri, they dropped to 75.4% from 82.33%.

Even in Ruia, the science cut-off dropped to 89% from 90.8% and Sathaye, Vile Parle closed admissions at 84.6%, much lower than its last 87.8%.