CLASSROOM CRUNCH
Few seats, more takers

The dwindling number of seats in government and private academic institutions is making nearly 2.3 lakh higher secondary passouts in and around Delhi struggle continuously for admission to their chosen streams, according to industry body Assocham.

About 3.5 lakh students are estimated to have applied for admissions to Delhi University and other institutions, of which only 1,20,000 students could enroll themselves for academic and other specialised job-oriented courses, the statement said.

“For the 2007-08 academic session, Delhi University colleges could accommodate only 70,000 students from various parts of the country in different branches of academia in its over 80 colleges,” the statement said.

The professional institutions with over 200 branches offering courses in hotel and retail management, fashion designing, courses in leather and textiles and animation, gems and jewellery, ITeS, journalism, travel and tourism and the like could also accommodate only about 50,000 students.

“The private and government institutions that impart knowledge and training skills in rising sectors having a huge potential for jobs could not accommodate a large number of students in view of non-availability of seats within the NCR region,” Assocham president V.N. Dhoot said.

The chamber, therefore, suggested an increase in the number of seats in colleges and institutes in the NCR and setting up of more institutes in B-category cities.

The upcoming sectors with a high rate of employability are retail and hotel management, journalism, leather footwear, textiles and jewellery design, aviation and tourism, the chamber added. — PTI