The first round of First-Year Junior College (FYJC) admission allotments, announced on Friday, revealed a strong dominance of science stream seats across Maharashtra. Latur's Rajarshi Shahu Junior College topped the state with its aided science stream closing at a perfect 500 marks (100%).
Science Stream Leads in High Cut-Off Bracket
Across Maharashtra, science courses accounted for the majority of colleges in the 95% and above cut-off bracket. Among reservation categories, the highest cut-off scores were observed under the women's quota. Notably, many colleges with cut-off scores of 98% and above were located outside major urban centers like Mumbai and Pune.
Principal Highlights Consistent Performance
Mahadev Gavhane, principal of Rajarshi Shahu Junior College, stated that the institution has consistently recorded near-perfect cut-offs due to its strong track record of students securing admissions in government engineering and medical colleges. “We have an intake of 1,080 students in Standard XI (First-Year Junior College), of which 902 were allotted seats in the first round. Around 850 have already confirmed admissions. We expect all seats to be filled within two to three rounds because of the quality of education and focus on national-level competitive exams. The Latur pattern originated and developed in our college,” he said.
Stable Cut-Offs Despite Lower Board Performance
Despite a lower board pass percentage and fewer students scoring above 90% this year, FYJC cut-off scores remained largely unaffected. Pune colleges reported either stable cut-offs or only minor changes. For instance, BMCC’s aided commerce stream closed at 490 marks, while Fergusson College recorded 482 for arts and 478 for science in its aided streams.
Legacy Institutions Focus on Holistic Development
Anand Katikar, a governing body member of the Deccan Education Society, which runs Fergusson College and BMCC, emphasized that legacy institutions continue to prioritize holistic development rather than purely exam-oriented learning. “While newer institutes may offer integrated coaching, established colleges provide broader exposure through clubs and activities. If the government reduces sole reliance on entrance exams and considers Std XI-XII performance and student aptitude, it could help create more well-rounded graduates,” he said.
Other Institutes with Strong Science Cut-Offs
Other institutes across the state also posted strong science cut-offs in the first round, including Nivrutti Dhas HS Jamgaon (491), Nutan Bharat Vidyalaya and Junior College (487), Padali High School (486), and Brahman Shiksha Mandal’s junior college (484). While commerce and arts streams had fewer entries among the top cut-offs, they remained highly competitive in leading colleges.
Confirmation Status and Deadlines
By Saturday afternoon, over 1 lakh of the 5.74 lakh students allotted seats in CAP Round 1 had confirmed their admissions. The deadline for confirmation is June 3, though students are advised to regularly check the official website for updates.
