Teachers’ body wants an end to Std XI CAP

NAGPUR: The centralized admission process (CAP) for Std XI has come under attack from Vidarbha Junior College Teachers Association (VJUCTA), which has demanded that the entire process be scrapped as it has become futile, especially in Nagpur. The online CAP is completely governed and conducted by the state education department and is mandatory for all junior colleges located within city limits.
On Friday, VJUCTA office bearers met with officiating deputy director of education (DDE) for Nagpur division, Satish Mendhe, and urged him to reconsider the CAP 2019. Ashok Gavhankar, general secretary of VJUCTA said the centralized system had outlived its purpose.
“CAP works best when the demand-supply situation is skewed against students. Online CAP ensures there is transparency and that seats are allotted based on merit only,” said Gavhankar. “In the last decade, many junior colleges have opened up thus increasing the supply of seats. Now every year seats go vacant because we have breached the demand territory,” said Gavhankar.
VJUCTA also said the online CAP took too much time due to which students lose out. “The process starts in June and goes on till almost July end and that results in delay in start of next academic session. Had it been done at junior college level, it would have been over in three weeks. As of now, in Nagpur it makes no sense of have CAP for Std XI admissions,” said Gavhankar.
The association also expressed concern over ‘commercialization’ of Std XI admissions. “The current scenario is controlled by coaching classes who tell their students which college to take admission in. The quality of college is not a factor anymore, rather what kind of tie-up does the institute have. Such colleges are waiving off attendance requirements for students so they can go and attend coaching classes,” said Gavhankar.
The association has demanded a crackdown on colleges that enter into such tie-ups with coaching classes. “It is an unholy nexus which needs to end. And the education department has to come down heavily on such institutes so the reputation of state board colleges is not tarnished because of a handful of such places,” said Gavhankar.