Newly eligible, 1,024 apply for engineering in Mumbai

Over 1,000 applications were received by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) on the first day of the extended admission schedule for engineering courses, after the eligibility was relaxed by 5%.

Meanwhile, city colleges fear a backlash in the form of several cancellations in BSc (Bachelor of Science) admissions. City college principals believe that pure science courses will have few takers now that even 45% in Std 12 makes a student eligible for engineering.

According to the DTE office, a total of 1,042 candidates applied for engineering admissions on Wednesday, across Maharashtra.

This was following the state government’s approval of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) notification relaxing the eligibility criteria for engineering on Tuesday. More applications are expected to flow in over the next two days.

Dr MB Kenkare, principal of Patkar College, said, “Previously, only really good scorers in Std 12th and CET could go for engineering and BSc was always a backup plan for students who could not get admission into professional courses. Be it family pressure or societal status, everybody wants to pursue engineering.”

“I presume, once these low-scorers get admission into engineering, there will be cancellations in BSc courses. This is a dangerous sign for basic science studies,” said St Xavier’s College principal Fr Frazer Mascarenhas.