Enrolment rises after rollback of CUET-based admissions
Government projects over 55,000 admissions by June-end
Srinagar: Srinagar, June 2: Government Degree Colleges (GDCs) across Jammu and Kashmir have recorded a significant rise in student admissions for the academic session 2026-27, with the Higher Education Department attributing the increase to recent reforms, including the rollback of CUET-based admissions and the return to a merit-based selection process.
Official figures reveal that 49,155 students have secured admission in the first round of admissions, compared to 45,920 in the corresponding period last year, an increase of more than 7%.
Education Minister Sakina Itoo said the improved enrolment reflects the positive impact of government measures to simplify the admission process and make higher education more accessible to students across the Union Territory.
“This year, due to the decisions taken to ease and simplify the admission process in Government Degree Colleges across Jammu and Kashmir, we have witnessed a significant increase in student enrolment, reversing the declining trend in college admissions seen in recent years,” Itoo said in a social media post.
She said the government expects total admissions to cross 55,000 by the end of June, which would represent nearly a 20 percent increase over the previous year.
The rise in admissions comes months after concerns were raised over declining enrolment in several government colleges across Jammu and Kashmir. Official data had earlier revealed that many institutions were functioning with extremely low student strength, while some colleges had reported negligible or no active enrolment.
In a major policy decision earlier this year, the Higher Education Department discontinued the Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-based admission process for undergraduate courses in Government Degree Colleges and reverted to admissions based on Class 12 examination merit.
The move was taken after repeated concerns that the CUET system had adversely affected admissions, particularly in colleges located in rural and remote areas where student participation remained low.
Officials believe the return to the merit-based system has encouraged more students to seek admission in government colleges, leading to the increase witnessed during the first phase of admissions.
The Higher Education Department has maintained that making college admissions more transparent, accessible and student-friendly remains a key priority. The government has also expressed confidence that the ongoing admission process will further strengthen enrolment figures across colleges in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
