No takers for 1.24L Plus II seats in Odisha this year

BHUBANESWAR: A whopping 1.24 lakh Plus II seats have remained vacant after admissions to the higher secondary schools this year.According to the statistics available with the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), around 28 per cent (pc) seats of the total 4,42,782 have found no takers after completion of the admission process last week. 

Despite reduction of seats by around 8,000 this year, the vacancy is more than four pc compared to the 2019-20 academic session. The total seat strength in Plus II streams in the 2019-20 session was 4,51,147 of which 3,43,940 seats were filled up and 1.07 lakh remained vacant. 

The admission process for the 2020-21 academic session began in September last week and continued till mid-October. Interestingly, the number of students who registered for admission was around 28,000 less than the total strength. 

Only 4.15 lakh students registered for admission at the time of form fill up, 3.79 lakh students paid the fee of whom, 3.17 lakh have enrolled in the streams of Arts, Science, Commerce, Sanskrit and Vocational Education. 

Of the three main streams - Arts, Science and Commerce - seat vacancy in Arts is lower than Science and Commerce. Around 12.5 pc of seats have not been filled up Arts, while both Science and Commerce streams registered around 48 pc seat vacancy. 

Of the 2.39 lakh seats in Arts, students enrolled in 2.09 lakh seats. Similarly, the enrollment in Science is  72,703 against 1,39,968 seats and 22,929 seats against 41,144 seats in Commerce. 

There are 2,028 higher secondary schools in the State. Officials of DHSE, however, said the number of vacancies may reduce further after SC/ST seat extension admission. Students’ enrollment is also expected to increase marginally after enrollment of students post matric supplementary examinations.

School and College Lecturers’ and Employees’ Association secretary Golak Nayak said enrollment of more number of students in private schools is the main reason behind such large scale vacancies in Plus II seats in Government higher secondary schools.

“The issue can be addressed if school infrastructure and faculty strength is improved as there are schools where more than 60 pc teacher posts are vacant. Making things worse, the regular teachers are assigned Government duties,” he said.

LOW DEMAND

Only 4.15 lakh students registered for admission at the time of form fill up
While 3.79 lakh students paid the fee, 3.17 lakh of them enrolled in the streams of Arts, Science, Commerce, Sanskrit and Vocational Education
Of Arts, Science and Commerce streams, the percentage of vacancy was less in Arts compared to Science and Commerce