Srinagar: Cluster University, Srinagar (CUS) has put a cap on the intake capacity of students for undergraduate courses at its colleges from the upcoming academic session in the face of limited infrastructure.
Kashmir Reader has learnt that the varsity will admit only 6,500 students for undergraduate programmes at its five constituent colleges in the coming academic session in accordance with the existing infrastructure.
Since its inception in 2017, the intake capacity for integrated and professional degree courses stood above the fresh cap imposed by the varsity. Last year, the university admitted close to 8,000 students in the undergraduate courses.
At Amar Singh College, Gogji Bagh, the lead college of the CUS, 2,352 students were enrolled for various UG programmes last year. But this year, the administration has fixed the intake capacity at 1400 in view of scanty infrastructure there.
Likewise, at Government Women’s College, MA Road, SP College and Abdul Ahad Azad Memorial College, Bemina, the varsity has fixed an intake capacity at 2200, 900 and 1,700 respectively for various UG programmes offered there.
Government Women’s College M A Road and Bemina College had enrolled close to 2500 and 2100 students in the UG first semester, college sources informed. However, SP College, where the varsity administration has allotted 900 seats this year, had enrolled only 850 students in first semester last year.
The intake capacity of 6,500 this year also includes the 300 seats for B Ed programme offered at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (IASE) M A Road.
The 300 seats for B Ed programme comprising 200 students selected by the Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) and 100 teachers deputed by the School Education Department have remained constant over the years, said Principal IASE, Dr Seema Naz.
The admission to UG programmes from the coming academic session in order to maintain standard of education will be based on entrance examination.
The varsity has fixed 60 percent marks in class 12 as eligibility for sitting in the entrance examination. Apart from it a student has to secure 40 percent marks in the entrance for securing place in the UG course.
The CAT shall consist of 40 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with 15 marks each for General Reasoning and General English and 10 marks for Mathematics. Questions based on General Reasoning and General English shall be of class 11 and 12 level and those from the Mathematics section shall be of class 10 level.
Registrar CUS, Prof Abdul Hamid Sheikh expects that the test-based admission for UG programmes and the cap on the intake capacity of seats will ensure quality of education.
He said that it would also ensure no late admissions which puts pressure on the varsity infrastructure.
The cap on the intake capacity of UG seats has been done keeping in view the insufficient infrastructure including classrooms and laboratories for students, Prof Sheikh added.

Irshad Khan