A worrying trend has emerged in Karnataka's pre-university education sector: 37 government Pre-University (PU) colleges have zero admissions for the current academic year. Meanwhile, 57 government PU colleges have only enrolled one to ten students, highlighting declining student preference for government institutions despite efforts by the state government to boost enrolment.
According to official data, this year the Department of School Education and Literacy also put forth several measures to promote admissions. The Department of School Education and Literacy waived the late admission fee and extended the admission deadline to 31 July. However, these measures seem to have had little effect on student enrolment.
Mandya and Tumakuru Lead in Zero Admissions
Among the 37 government PU colleges that did not admit a single student, Mandya and Tumakuru districts have the highest numbers, with five colleges each with zero admissions.
Shivamogga and Bengaluru South followed with four colleges each, while Belagavi, Chikkamagaluru, and Davangere reported three colleges each with no admissions.
Other districts affected include:
- Bengaluru North, Chikkaballapur, and Hassan – two colleges each.
- Udupi, Mysuru, Dakshina Kannada, and Bengaluru Central – one college each.
We particularly noted Udupi, a district which has been known to produce excellent performance results.
57 Colleges Record Single-Digit Enrolment
Apart from colleges with no admissions, 57 government PU colleges across Karnataka have enrolled only between one and ten students.
Hassan district tops this list with seven colleges that reported single-digit admissions. It is followed by:
Udupi – six colleges
Bidar – six colleges
Kalaburagi – five colleges
They show that despite offering affordable education at government colleges, many government colleges do not attract students.
New Colleges Also Contribute to the Numbers
According to the publication, 15 of the 37 colleges with zero admissions are newly sanctioned institutions that began operations this academic year.
These colleges may take longer to establish themselves as institutions that draw students from nearby areas, they say.
Department Explains the Decline
Bharath S., director of the Department of Pre-University Education, said that although the number of colleges with zero admissions remains a concern, the situation has improved compared to the previous academic year.
He said that in regions, there are rather many government PU colleges in a short distance from each other. So students tend to prefer one institution, and other colleges get very few or no admissions.
Rise of Private Colleges a Key Factor
Education department sources also believe that the rapid growth of private PU colleges has significantly influenced student choices.
Private institutions attract students because they have better infrastructure, modern classrooms, competitive coaching for entrance exams, and more academic support. These factors have led to a growing popularity among parents and students looking for better educational opportunities.
Need for Stronger Measures
Education experts think that just prolonging admission deadlines or waiving fees may not be enough to increase enrolment in government colleges. They recommend that infrastructure be strengthened, new academic programmes introduced, career advice improved, and better teaching quality be brought about, and the public be more aware of government institutions.
The admission data again has raised questions about the prospects for government PU colleges in Karnataka, and reform needs to be done for them to become more attractive and competitive.
