Shimla, October 1
While private universities have been seeking increase in number of seats, the admission data for the academic session 2012-13 reveals that 55 per cent of total seats sanctioned by the government are vacant.

As per data uploaded on the websites on the direction of the State Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission, out of total 11,592 seats, only 5,329 seats have been filled. Out of the total 16 private universities, the ICFAI University and Maharaja Agrasen University have not admitted any students for the session, while the Manav Bharati University has not uploaded the details of students admitted to various courses.

The highest 96 per cent seats were filled in J P University of Information Technology, which was set up under a Central Act in 2002. The remaining 15 universities were set up under the state legislations over the past five years.

Among the private universities, Chitkara University had the highest 90 per cent of the seats filled followed by Eternal University (80 per cent), Shoolini University and Bahara University (both 58 per cent), APG University (46 per cent), Baddi University of Emerging Science and Technologies (44 per cent), Indus International University (33 per cent), Arni University (25 per cent), Sri Sai University and Maharishi Markandeshwar University (both 22 per cent ), Career Point University (21 per cent) and IEC University(12 per cent ). The last two have become functional only this year.

Key reasons for a majority of seats remaining vacant is that the government has opened too many universities in the state and sanctioned a large number of seats to all in the same streams. Further, these universities were mostly running engineering and management courses, which accounted for almost 80 per cent of seats. The maximum seats were lying vacant in engineering courses which was not surprising as a majority of seats in the engineering colleges affiliated to the Himachal Pradesh University, which has much higher credibility, have also failed to attract students.

The image and the credentials of private universities took a severe beating after some of them admitted students just after Class X and started various sort of courses, including unrecognised diplomas, throwing UGC norms to winds.

The initiative taken by the commission to enforce the UGC norms, regulate and bring transparency in the admission process will go a long way in restoring their credibility but it will take some time. 

There are no takers for 55 per cent of sanctioned seats

Out of 11,592 seats, only 5,329 have been filled 

ICFAI University and Maharaja Agrasen University have not admitted any students for the session