Bhubaneswar: In Orissa after the final counseling for engineering candidates has come to an end, it has been found out that a total of20,000 seats from the available 37,893 seats are lying vacant. In addition, from the 3,675 seats available for the MCA programme, around 2000 seats have been left unoccupied.
The figure has become a major concern, as about 90 colleges had participated in the online counseling process, this year. The Orissa state government has requested Orissa Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) to conduct a second Joint Entrance Examination in order to fill up the seats remaining vacant.
Binod Dash, OPECA honorary secretary, had sent a letter to the State Industry Minister recently, saying that if it was not possible for the government to hold another JEE, they should allow OPECA to fill up the remaining seats.
As per sources, on August 31, 2010, during meeting of the Policy Planning Body the issue had been raised by private engineering colleges. Also, the state government had been urged by OPECA to take necessary measure regarding the admission procedure for technical institutions.
In addition, since, the counseling ended, private engineering colleges in the state have been asking for permission from the government to fill up the 15% NRI quota seats left vacant as well as other vacant seats. However, their plea has been opposed by academicians, as according to them, the implementation of their proposal would lower the quality of technical education in the state.
Earlier, the academicians in the state had warned that not all seats in engineering colleges in Orissa would be filled. However, six more new colleges had been set up and the seats in several existing engineering colleges had been increased.
