All promotion policy: 7.2 lakh enroll for I PUC in Karnataka, 92,000 more than last year

BENGALURU: Karnataka saw nearly 7.2 lakh admissions in I PU this year, one of the highest number of enrollments in recent history. The number was about 92,000 more than last year’s figure of a little more than 6.2 lakh admissions.
The increase was anticipated as the state government had announced an all-promotion policy for SSLC students due to the pandemic, which forced schools to close and classes moved online. As many as 8.7 lakh students had written the SSLC exams, and except for one student who was debarred for impersonation, all the others passed.
However, enrollments in II PU fell below 6 lakh. About 6.2 lakh students had enrolled in I PU last year which means about 24,000 students appear to have dropped out, despite an allpromotion policy in I PU as well. Last year, more than 6.3 lakh students had enrolled in II PU.
“There generally is a dip in second year enrollment every year,” said Snehal R, director, department of PU education. “Students migrate, drop out, or do other courses. We have asked colleges to assess the reasons why they have dropped out this year.”
Meanwhile, there are still over 1.5 lakh students who have completed SSLC but are yet to enroll in PU. Many of them have opted for diplomas in polytechnics and ITIs. As per the department of collegiate education, there has been record admissions to diploma courses this time, with around 85% of seats in government polytechnic colleges being filled.
“There are around 22,000 seats in government colleges and 18,000 have been filled. Last year only around 55% were filled,” said Pradeep P, commissioner, department of collegiate education. “However, the rise in admissions to diploma programmes is not just because of SSLC results; it is also because we revamped the courses and introduced advanced programmes. We also conducted a lot of promotional activities.”
Students can also opt for ITIs after class 10, for which admissions are still under way. According to officials from the skill development department, around 55,000 seats have been filled in government and aided ITIs so far. “This is the same as last year. Unlike PU which is in demand, we have not seen a drastic jump in numbers. PU colleges can increase the seats and accommodate the extra students. ITIs are chosen mostly by rural students,” said an official from the department.
However, experts say there is a need to track dropouts after SSLC and I PU. “One of the reasons could be the pandemic,” said Niranjaradhya VP, educationist. “Many families have lost breadwinners and livelihoods. They would see their class 10 and I PU children as a potential earner for the family. There are also others who simply cannot afford to pay fees.”
Niranjaradhya said the state should plan an elaborate method to trace such children through schools and colleges and handhold them through the open schooling system to ensure they complete their education. “In open schooling they can work and study at the same time. There should be some incentive for them to complete their II PU education,” he said.