51% degree seats vacant in Telangana as DOST drive ends

Nearly 51% of undergraduate degree seats in Telangana remain unfilled this year, with 1,88,774 of 3,73,149 seats vacant after multiple counselling rounds, the DOST special phase data shows. The latest special drive, announced on August 14, allotted seats to 14,975 students, bringing the total admissions to 1,84,375.

Officials at the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) attribute the vacancies largely to colleges retaining surplus and defunct seats rather than surrendering them. An official said colleges hold on to additional intake sanctioned in the past even for courses with falling demand, and some keep courses with zero admissions for years to avoid fees involved in closing or reopening them. Shifting student preferences towards engineering, medicine, pharmacy and agriculture are also worsening the problem.

A committee has been formed to examine reducing intake or shutting down courses that have had no admissions for three consecutive years. No decision has been taken yet on cutting overall degree-seat intake, TGCHE officials said. Of the latest allotments, 12,069 students got their first-choice course or college, while 2,906 received second or later preferences.