Mangaluru: With barely a week left for the new academic year to commence, government pre-university (PU) colleges in Dakshina Kannada are once again grappling with poor admissions. Several institutions have managed to fill less than 50% of their seats so far, with the situation being particularly alarming in rural and semi-urban areas. Only a handful of urban colleges have reported comparatively better enrolment, raising concerns ahead of the reopening of classes next week.
Mixed Enrolment Figures Across Colleges
Vanitha Devadiga, principal of Government PU College, Balmatta, informed that 400 of its 500 seats have been filled, with commerce witnessing the highest demand. She added that classes will resume next week even though the admission process is not yet complete. However, the Government PU College for Girls in Derlakatte, which became an all-women’s college last academic year, has received only 35 admissions so far in arts and commerce. Principal Satyaprema K stated that the college expected at least 50 new admissions, but the response has remained weak. She attributed the poor turnout to inadequate infrastructure, as the college is currently functioning from makeshift classrooms. Although the government has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for new facilities, construction work is yet to begin.
Challenges in Rural and Semi-Urban Areas
At Government PU College, Shakti Nagar, only 35 students have enrolled so far against an expected 50. Principal Jayanand Suvarna noted that an early academic schedule has affected admissions. He also pointed out that many boys take up part-time work and tend to join only after classes begin. Additionally, several students from north Karnataka have not yet returned from their native places. Since admissions remain open until the end of June, many are delaying their applications.
Overall Scenario
Department sources revealed that Dakshina Kannada has 55 government PU colleges, but only a handful, mostly in urban areas with better faculty strength, consistently attract good admissions. The current trend highlights the disparity in educational infrastructure and accessibility between urban and rural institutions.
