KU grapples to fill vacant seats

Srinagar, Oct 10: With the Kashmir University celebrating its 20th annual convocation on Wednesday, the varsity seems to be no longer a preferred destination for aspirants of higher education.
The figures furnished by the varsity suggest that the varsity, once a coveted choice for aspiring students, is grappling with an unprecedented crisis as hundreds of seats remain vacant in various Post Graduate (PG) departments across its campuses.
In wake of this alarming situation, the university has kept the admission process open for five months as the seats have remained vacant, deciding to keep the admission process for the 2023 session open and has called students for counseling to fill these vacant seats.
Additionally, candidates are being invited for spot admission in self-financed quota slots in various departments.
Official statistics available reveal that a staggering 124 seats have gone unfilled in different PG departments at the university’s main campus in Hazratbal, Srinagar.
Simultaneously, 45 seats remain vacant at the Institute of Technology Zakura campus. The North Kashmir campus reports 32 vacant seats, while the situation is worse in the South Kashmir campus with 111 seats lying unclaimed in various PG departments.
Even the Government Degree College’s MSc Mathematics program has five vacant seats.
The noticeable increase in vacant seats at Kashmir University has raised concerns among stakeholders as it is for the first time that the admission session has remained open for such a prolonged period.
In the past, the university was a top choice for students, who eagerly awaited their selection in PG departments. However, this year has seen a significant decline in admissions, despite the university’s A+ grade recognition and NIRF ranking within the top 50 institutions.
Officials report that in previous years, the university received between 30,000 to 35,000 applications for various courses. This year, the number of applications was substantially lower, resulting in the surplus of vacant seats across the main campus and its satellite campuses.
In response to the admission crisis, the Directorate of Admission and Competitive Examination (DACE) has issued a notification.
It states that the admission process for the 2023 session is now closed, but vacant seats in various programs necessitate additional counseling. “The final and last counseling session for courses like PG 3-year LLB, 5-year LLB, and 4-year B.Tech programs for the 2023 session is scheduled for October 17, from 10 am to 4 pm at DACE at KU,” the notice reads.
This counseling session will address available seats under the open merit (OM), reserved categories, and self-financed quota that have remained vacant due to incomplete admission formalities or cancellations by selected candidates.
“Eligible candidates are those who appear on the general merit list, available on the KU website, and have secured the required entrance test points for their desired programs,” it reads.
As per the KU notice, the candidates who applied for admission under the self-financed quota will be considered only for vacant seats in their respective programs within this quota. “During the counseling session, candidates will be required to obtain and complete a counseling form,” it reads.
For on-the-spot admission to available self-financed seats, candidates who have taken the entrance test and seek admission in the specified programs must also attend the counseling session. “However, these candidates must deposit a fee of Rs 500 as part of the self-financed application process,” the KU notice reads.