By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 24, 2016 : Private engineering colleges face dearth of students with only 11,029 seats being filled up out of 45.000 seats after the first phase counselling of the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE).

Incidentally, not a single student has taken admission in two engineering colleges in Bhubaneswar and one in Rourkela.

Besides, less than 10 students have taken admission in eight colleges, while less than 30 students have taken admission in 20 colleges. Out of a total of 515 technical branches in civil and mechanical streams, there has been no admission in 123 streams while less than eight students have taken admission in 315 branches.

OJEE chairman Dr Tushar Kumar Nath says the seats will continue to remain vacant since the number of seats in these private engineering colleges is much more than the number of candidates available in the state.

However, he hopes that some students will take admission in private colleges this year as per the revised conditions. “Apart from this, there will be a special OJEE as per the directive of the Orissa High Court after which a detailed picture will emerge”, he explains.

Educationists attribute lack of proper infrastructure and poor teaching as the major factors for the sorry state of affairs in technical education in the state. Absence of campus selection and exorbitant admission fees have been cited as the other two reasons for students not keen in pursuing technical courses.