The demand for admission to the undergraduate programmes at the Ernakulam Maharaja’s College has soared in the new academic year, with 75% of the total seats getting filled up even before the start of the second allotment.
Official figures showed that over 500 seats out of the nearly 680 for the 20 undergraduate programmes were filled up fast in the first round of allotment. Only 180 seats are available for the second allotment, the list of which will be published on June 27.
“It’s a record of sort for the only government autonomous college in the State. Last year, less than 100 seats were filled up in the first allotment,” said Principal K.N. Krishna Kumar.
College authorities attributed the increase in demand to the academic quality being offered by the prestigious institution. Maharaja’s College also got a boost after the government announced its support for a major infrastructure and academic development plan to be implemented before 2020. Prof. Krishna Kumar said that B.Com. was among the most popular undergraduate programmes in the new academic year. The lowest index marks for getting admission to the commerce course was 94.3 this time. The seats for the B.A. Economic (Hons) programme were also filled up fast, he said.
Some of the other popular programmes included B.A. English; B.Sc. Physics; and B.Sc. Mathematics. The second allotment process for filling up the nearly 180 seats will be held on Friday and Saturday.
₹30-crore plan
P.K. Raveendran, chairman of the college governing council, pointed out that Maharaja’s College would get a major push in its development path, with the approval of the expansion plans using the assistance under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The college was ready with a detailed project report for the ₹30-crore first phase development plan, he said.
Some of the proposed development works include the construction of an auditorium, modernisation of library complex, rejuvenation of heritage buildings, infrastructure development (lab and construction of academic blocks), and digitisation of classrooms. Nearly ₹15 crore had been earmarked for the construction of auditorium and library modernisation.