Kolkata: As the deadline for undergraduate admission applications across state-aided colleges approached, a significant surge was observed, with approximately 23 lakh applications submitted through the centralised admission portal. Over 4 lakh candidates registered for 9 lakh undergraduate seats, and more than 2 lakh of them were female applicants. The portal will remain active until June 1.
Comparison with Previous Year
Last year, the portal closed with 20.6 lakh applications and 3.6 lakh registrations. There was also a two-month delay due to an OBC-related legal deadlock. This year, the portal opened much earlier than in the last two years, and the admission process began within a few days of the higher secondary results being announced.
Female Candidate Participation
Out of the 4.2 lakh registrations received till Sunday, 2.4 lakh are female candidates. Last year, the female candidate count was around 2.1 lakh out of a total of 3.6 lakh registrations. The trend is consistent with data from the last three years, where over 50% of students are female. In 2024, out of 5.3 lakh candidates, roughly 3 lakh were female. A senior official of the higher education department stated, “It has been a trend in recent times that more girls are opting for higher education.”
Reasons Behind the Trend
Several college principals indicated that a major reason for this trend is that female students show more interest in general streams, while male students are more inclined towards technical education. One principal remarked, “It is good that the trend is continuing, but the decreasing interest among boys in pursuing general courses is a concern. Many of them are worried about the future and want job security after completing undergraduate programmes, prompting them to choose job-oriented subjects or technical courses.”
Concerns About Subject Choices
The principal of another city college felt that the higher education department and state universities should collaborate to re-examine subject combinations. “The trend is good, but we are still concerned about how many will continue with these subjects. This year, the admission portal went live on time and a good number of applications have been received. However, there are some subjects where the number of applications is very low, similar to previous years. The exact scenario will become clear only after classes commence.”
