Alarm in colleges over 1.34 lakh vacant UG, PG seats

The staggering number of vacant under-graduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG) seats in government, aided and self-financed degree colleges has not only raised serious concern among stakeholders but also underscored the urgent need to reassess and revamp the existing admission policies and academic frameworks.

Academicians, while citing multiple factors contributing to the current situation, believe that the time has come to reverse this concerning trend by bringing some crucial reforms in the prevailing academic system. Otherwise, it could lead to continued erosion of student interest and the overall credibility of higher education.

According to official data, more than 1.34 lakh UG and PG seats across degree colleges in the state remained unclaimed as of September 30, despite the admission portal being reopened multiple times for the 2025–26 academic session. Of the total 2,30,491 UG seats, 1,07,590 are still vacant. Similarly, 26,532 out of 47,105 PG seats have not been filled.

The state has a total of 377 degree colleges—185 government, 97 government-aided, and 95 self-financed institutions. A closer look at the data reveals a stark contrast in seat occupancy across different categories of colleges. Self-financed colleges are the worst-affected with over 69 per cent of seats remaining vacant. Government-aided colleges follow with a vacancy rate of over 46 per cent. Government colleges fare slightly better with 37 per cent of seats unfilled.

“Though multiple factors appear to be contributing to the current situation, the extent of vacant seats is truly alarming and should serve as a wake-up call for both the academic community and education authorities. This is not a one-off occurrence. The trend of a significant number of seats remaining unfilled has persisted over the past couple of years. It compels us to take a hard look at how the system is functioning and where we are failing to attract students,” said Dr Dayanand Malik, president of the Haryana Government Aided College Teachers’ Association.

He maintained that a thorough study is urgently needed not only to identify the root causes behind this trend but also to formulate concrete steps to prevent a repeat of this situation in the next academic session.

The large number of vacant seats has also prompted the Department of Higher Education (DHE) to reflect on this concerning trend and identify the underlying causes.

“I am proposing to conduct a study on the subject, exploring all the factors involved in the matter including the previous year enrolments, actual number of students passed out in the corresponding year, number of students enrolled in technical, medical and outside the state (both inland and abroad) from Haryana and any representation / grievances received in this regard,” said S Narayanan, Director General (Higher Education).

Prof Aseem Miglani, Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi University (IGU), Rewari, describes the current situation as a transition phase, with the traditional education system gradually shifting to the New Education Policy (NEP).

He expressed hope that the situation would stabilise in the coming days once the NEP is effectively implemented across all higher education institutions in the state. However, Miglani also emphasised the need to identify the factors contributing to the current situation.

When asked about the probable reasons behind the alarming number of vacant seats in degree colleges, experts pointed to several contributing factors. These include the rapid increase in the number of colleges, the rising popularity of online and distance learning programmes offered by universities, a growing preference among students for universities particularly due to the introduction of integrated UG-PG programmes and an overall shift toward professional and skill-based courses.