11,570 last year to 8,980 this time: Queue for JU arts, science shortens
The JU English department, which has been topping the list of arts subjects for the highest number of applications in recent times, received 1,756 forms this year, 700 fewer than 2,456 last year.
Among science subjects, physics and chemistry usually invite more applications than others though last year, mathematics had topped the list with 1,835 applications, possibly because there was no entrance test. But this year, the number of forms for the maths department has come to 954 so far. While arts department's applications ended at Friday midnight (June 3), that for science will end at Saturday midnight (June 4).
JU opened its admission portal for UG arts and science courses on June 20 with a 7% reservation for OBC, following the Calcutta High Court's order of May 2024. The university was to start the process on May 19 but had put it hold over OBC-reservation disputes. The next date of inviting applications was set for June 18, but the university again pushed it back after the HC stayed the gazette notification on OBC till July 3.
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English department professor Sonia Sahoo confirmed the drop in number.
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"Several factors may be behind the dip. First, students do not like uncertainty, and the delay in opening the admission portal may have prompted this dip in applications. Another reason could be that students nowadays prefer professional courses rather than spend four years for a traditional undergraduate degree, according to the NEP curriculum," she said.
A university official pointed out that the number of applications in other arts and science subjects, too, such as Bengali, comparative literature, international relations, history, maths, physics and chemistry, saw a dip.
For example, the Bengali department received 290 applications this year, while the figure was 406 last year. The chemistry department received 1,286 applications last year and 926 this time.
Pointing out that the drop was an alarming trend, Bengali department professor Rajyeswar Sinha said, "Lack of job opportunities by studying these traditional subjects, coupled with the four-year course under NEP, is probably discouraging students from opting for these subjects."
Physics professor Partha Pratim Ray maintained that the delay in opening admission portal led to the decrease in applications. "JU has the autonomy to make its own decisions but the higher education department interfered and told us to keep the admission process in abeyance," said Ray, also JUTA general secretary. Maths professor Abhijit Lahiri said, "Fewer students have applied to maths as there are very few jobs in schools, especially govt jobs secured through SSC.
Students consider going in for BTech more beneficial than studying maths honours. It will fetch them a decent job."
All arts and science subjects, except Sanskrit, philosophy and geology, will admit students based on Plus-II scores and entrance test results.
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