This rule gives a pass to the city’s favoured colleges to kickstart FYJC by mid-July. On the other hand, a few colleges may have to wait for subsequent merit lists that are to be announced from July 9 onwards
A prominent junior college in South Mumbai. Pic/Aditi Alurkar
Even though the first merit list is out, uncertainty clouds the calendars of junior colleges thanks to a circular sent out by the director of education, which allows these colleges to commence classes after 50 per cent of each institute’s total admission capacity is filled. The circular reads, “After 50 per cent of the total admission capacity in Std XI is completed or on July 1, 2025, whichever is earlier, the school management can start first year junior college (FYJC) lectures, keeping in mind the educational interests of the students.”
This rule gives a pass to the city’s favoured colleges to kickstart FYJC by mid-July. On the other hand, a few colleges may have to wait for subsequent merit lists that are to be announced from July 9 onwards. One such example is Mumbai’s SNDT Junior College, where 50 per cent admission is generally achieved after the third merit list is out.
A prominent junior college in South Mumbai. Pics/Aditi Alurkar
Contemplating the issue, the college’s Vice-Principal Pradnya Khairmode said, “As the rule goes, students will begin with their FYJC classes by August. Soon after, they will have to start appearing for examinations by September or October. Pupils coming in from Marathi, Hindi, and Gujarati-medium schools need time to get used to the new medium of teaching. Similarly, students from an English background will also need time to understand the unique subjects of their chosen streams. This doesn’t allow them time to strengthen their fundamentals before Std XII.”
While the academic calendar will cope, the students may feel overwhelmed, she expressed. Other colleges with larger first-list intakes are all set to commence lectures by mid-July. “The Narsee Monjee College gets its majority admittance in the first merit list. This allows us to start the academic year for junior colleges right away,” said Dr Parag Ajagaonkar, the principal of the college.
With the Std X board examination results announced by mid-May, institutes across the city were anticipating a timely, more streamlined admission process for their junior colleges. However, after numerous delays and technical snags, the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) finally announced the first merit list for first-year junior colleges on June 28, giving students time until July 7 to secure their admissions across the state. All colleges have been asked to begin their academic activities by August 11 at the latest, confirmed officials.
Weighing in on the circular, which allows colleges to commence classes after 50 per cent admittance, Dr Tejashree Shanbhag, the principal of KC College, said, “With this rule in the picture, the commencement of classes may vary with every college. It also raises the question of separate orientation sessions. The colleges may have to hold an orientation for only half the students if they decide to begin after a 50 per cent intake.”
Expressing the need to ease the junior college students into the new environment, she said, “Unlike undergraduates, JC students are fresh out of school and are exposed to a completely new environment. It’s crucial to allow them time to settle in, which is why orientation sessions matter.”
The student pulse
Riddled with uncertainties, parents and students have remained on the edge for the past month. Right from submission errors to delayed lists, many spent the past week distraught. “The technical glitches and delayed deadlines made us very anxious,” said a parent residing in Dadar, who was trying to enrol her daughter in Mumbai’s junior colleges. “The form submission process wasn’t easy either. Some colleges displayed an ‘error status’, which is why I had to modify the list again. The helplines were difficult to reach, too. We were worried about missing deadlines. However, after all the panic, we found out that the deadline was extended,” she added.
Waiting in queues for college admission, a few students told mid-day that the delays had left them stressed for the past few days. “Our parents are encouraging us to sign up for the college we got in the first list. They don’t want us to wait around and miss out,” said a student hoping to get into a South Mumbai college.
On a less anxious but more cynical note, another student expressed that she was used to such delays, be it lists or results. “On June 26, when the first list was supposed to be out, I was very sure that we would face some error or the list may get postponed. While my parents were stressed, I think I had gotten used to the fact that things were getting delayed this year,” she said, having recently secured admission after the first list.
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