Cut-offs rise, high scorers disappointed

Cut-offs for the reserved category higher than that of the regular category in many city colleges.

For Komal Lodaria, 17, the joy of securing 93.80% in the Class 12 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exam was short-lived. On Friday, Lodaria did not find her name on the first cut-off list for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) course at St. Xavier’s College. Admissions to the BA course (open category) at the Dhobi Talao college closed at 95.4%.

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“Though I was aware of the limited number of seats in the general category, I was confident of making it to the first merit list,” said a disheartened Lodaria, a Muscat resident. Lodaria is hopeful to make it through the second merit list, which will be announced on June 12.

With cut-offs rising across courses and colleges, several students, who had scored more than 90 %, were left disappointed. “The percentages have been higher this year with more students scoring distinctions. Students are also getting more and more competitive,” said Ashok Wadia, principal, Jai Hind College.

At HR College, Churchgate, the cut-off for the bachelor of management studies (BMS –commerce stream) course was 94.5%, up from last year’s 92.3 %. “I expected high cut-offs because of the increasing popularity of the BMS course. But with a score as high as 91.60%, I never thought I would not make it to the first merit list,” said Tanees Alamgeer, 18.

Yashwardhan Singh, 17, a state-level shooter, scored 86.80% in Class 12. With his high percentage, Singh was confident he would make it to the first merit list of St. Xavier’s College, his first preference, where the sports quota cut-off is 92%.