The exorbitant fees in the range of Rs 25,000 to 30,000 per annum for bifocal courses has had its impact on the admissions to Class 11 courses. For the 3092 seats available for admission to bifocal courses, 4495 applications were received as there is huge demand for the course. However, only 2141 students took admissions, as the fees were “very high.”
This year the education department increased around 1,000 seats for the bifocal courses, as the courses are in demand. The students choose the bifocal courses such as computer science and electronics as they are considered the stepping stones to engineering courses. However, most of the seats that are increased are unaided and thus have higher fees.
According to the deputy district director of vocational education and training, D C Nevse, of the total seats available for bifocal courses only 600 seats are aided. He said, “When a student takes admission to a bifocal course, he/she has to pay the fees for the bifocal course as well as the science stream as the bifocal course is a part of the science stream. Thus, they have to bear the fees for both. This year most of the science stream seats are also unaided. Hence, in colleges where both the courses are unaided, the combined fees are in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per annum.”
Nevse admitted that many students failed to take admission due to “very high fees.” “Seats are not vacant in the colleges where the seats for either bifocal courses or the science stream are aided. The problem is with the colleges where the fees are high. We haven’t expected such a low response as there was a demand for bifocal courses,” he said.
This year the education department increased around 1,000 seats for the bifocal courses, as the courses are in demand. The students choose the bifocal courses such as computer science and electronics as they are considered the stepping stones to engineering courses. However, most of the seats that are increased are unaided and thus have higher fees.
According to the deputy district director of vocational education and training, D C Nevse, of the total seats available for bifocal courses only 600 seats are aided. He said, “When a student takes admission to a bifocal course, he/she has to pay the fees for the bifocal course as well as the science stream as the bifocal course is a part of the science stream. Thus, they have to bear the fees for both. This year most of the science stream seats are also unaided. Hence, in colleges where both the courses are unaided, the combined fees are in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per annum.”
Nevse admitted that many students failed to take admission due to “very high fees.” “Seats are not vacant in the colleges where the seats for either bifocal courses or the science stream are aided. The problem is with the colleges where the fees are high. We haven’t expected such a low response as there was a demand for bifocal courses,” he said.