Junior colleges, coaching classes jostle for space

Updated on: Tuesday, December 13, 2011

With an increasing number of students focusing on post-HSC competitive exams, the role of junior colleges, especially the ones offering science, has become redundant. Junior colleges in the city have to compete with coaching institutes. With one of the popular coaching institutes already running three junior colleges and others seeking permission, the city’s junior colleges have to be on their toes.

But, students still vie for places in the top few junior colleges. Every year, there is a mad rush to get seats for arts, science and commerce. While suburban colleges offer the same programmes with better quality, a handful of city colleges still rule, and they are not popular just for their academics.

However students, especially the ones aspiring to get into IITs or the best medical colleges, are looking at options closer to home and focusing on preparing for entrance exams. A lot even relocate to be close to their coaching institutes. There have been several instances of students moving to Kota in Rajasthan or Hyderabad for those two crucial years.

Several colleges in the city are tying up with coaching institutes to help students cut down on the daily commute. T P Bhatiya College, Kandivli, tied up with an institute coaching IIT aspirants. This year, it has even started conducting integrated coaching in college for students attempting the state and national engineering entrance exams. “The needs of students have changed. They are now more focussed on competitive exams. They would rather study in a college closer to home than spend hours commuting to far-off places,” said principal Sangeeta Srivastava.

While in other states, schooling is up to class XII, in Maharashtra the concept of junior colleges is totally different.

Educationist R T Sane, currently associated with Khalsa College, said there is a fundamental difference in the makeup of colleges around the country. “To attach junior colleges to our colleges has been a policy mistake. So many of our teaching posts are unfilled and the funding has been pathetic. How can a college grow without nourishment?” he asked.

But T A Shiware of Hinduja College said the exposure junior college students get in colleges is important and helps the students.

“Look at all the IB, IGCSE and CBSE schoolchildren. They all come to the junior colleges as there is an allround development in colleges. Also, with junior colleges attached to senior colleges, it gives teachers a lot more time with their students through their development years,” said Shiware.

Junior colleges, coaching classes jostle for space

More Education news