Parents fume as new bifocal rule puts students in fix

By Vikas Vaidya

Most of the parents expressed anger over the new rule of admission process of bifocal courses of Class XI. When the on-line phase of Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for Class XI began, the parents suddenly realised the problem they would be facing. As per new rule the students willing to take admission to bifocal courses will have to take admission to General Science in a college allotted to them and that particular college would give them admission to bifocal course if it is available there. If they don’t get the admission to bifocal course, then they don’t have a choice than to take admission to General Science in the same college.
The information booklets distributed to students have password, user ID. The students will go to their respective schools and centres to fill  the form. But the students of other than State Board will have to carry their documents which will be verified by the prescribed centres where they go.
In on-line phase they would enter the per centage they scored in Class X examination along with the option of the colleges they want to take admission to.
The list of the colleges be it Science, Commerce and Arts would be available on website from which students can choose as per his or her choice. The parents and students are in fix now about putting the option of college. For example if a student choose Dr Ambedkar College with a wish that he would get bifocal course in that college. During allotment if he gets that college then he has to wait till the allotment of bifocal seats ends. If he fail to get a seat of bifocal then he has to compulsority take admission in the same college for General Science whether he wishes to do General Science or not. If he is eligible to get admission in Shivaji Science in bifocal course he would not be able to do that.
Till last year, Nagpur was conducting Centralised Admission Process (CAP) which was brought by Dr Baban Taywade. Nagpur was the only one city conducting admissions through CAP. These admissions were beneficial to students and parents both. In that CAP, the admission to bifocal courses were held in first phase. The process was conducted in phase-wise manner so that students used to have enough time for choosing college and course. If they don’t get admission in bifocal course then they had a choice of opting science stream in a college where they wished to take admission.
With the entry of new rule the students are finding themselves helpless and confused. The authorities too have less options for students. When contacted Assistant Director Dr Shivling Patwe told The Hitavada, “The uniformity in the admission rule was brought by Directorate as per the orders of High Court. Secondly, Nagpurians became habitual of old rule. In fact the admissions in colleges of Pune, Mumbai were being conducted through on-line process since long. Still considering the grievances of parents at Nagpur, we will be conveying the same to Directorate so that the issue could be resolved.”