Applied comm rules roost, Sci dips in first list cutoffs

Time of India

27-05-2025

M
umbai: The first merit list cutoffs for this year's UG admissions, released Tuesday, saw professional commerce courses retaining their high ground in colleges across Mumbai.
At the same time, basic science courses in some colleges saw a downturn compared to last year's benchmarks. The preference for career-based courses, which colleges have rolled out in recent years, is seeing a rising trend too.
"There's a clear shift toward professional programmes," said Vijay Dabholkar, principal, Jai Hind College. "Science courses have seen declining interest across MU." He said students prefer shorter instruction hours and quicker career pathways offered by BMS and BBA, which allow time for internships, part-time jobs, or even entrepreneurial ventures.
Vijay Dabholkar, principal, Jai Hind College, said over 40% of applicants this year came from outside Mumbai, pushing up self-financed and entrance-based courses' cutoffs.
R A Podar College saw minor increases in most cutoffs, with accounting and finance receiving over 800 applications for 60 seats. "More parents are inquiring about pairing professional courses like CA or ACCA with degree programmes," said Dr Vinita Pimpale.
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Electives such as behavioural economics are also seeing higher uptake, she said.
Mithibai College which introduced a BSc in Health Sciences this year has received around 250 applications for 60 seats, said principal Krutika Desai. K P B Hinduja College academic advisor Minu Madlani highlighted a rising trend in students seeking real-world application and skill-based education. "The 90% cutoff reflects this demand," she said.
Parag Ajagaonkar, principal of N M College, noted a rise in demand for all commerce-related programmes including BAF, management and finance.
Science cutoffs were spread across newly-minted programmes. At Ramnarain Ruia College, biochemistry cutoff, for instance, closed at 64%, down from 74.3% last year. Principal Anushree Lokur said science cutoffs, especially for courses such as biochemistry and computer science, have dropped.
"Science students focus on entrance exams like JEE and NEET, so their board marks aren't always high."
New-age programmes at Jai Hind College such as Bachelor in Digital Strategy (BDS) and International Accounting (BIA) saw high competition, with over 400-600 applications for just 60 seats.
However, biotechnology continued to attract top scorers, with the first list closing at 94.6% at Ruia college. Psychology, microbiology, and statistics were popular too.
"Students are increasingly moving away from traditional courses to self-financed programmes," said St Xavier's College principal Dr Rajendra Shinde. He pointed out the BA cutoff dipped from 92.33% to 90% while BA in Psychology-English rose from 91.83% to 93.33%.