Severe Seat Shortage in Malabar Plus One Admissions Sparks Crisis

Thousands of students are facing an uncertain future as the first two allotments for Plus One admission have left them without a seat in their preferred subject and school. The crisis stems from a severe shortage of seats in the Malabar region, leaving even high-achieving students unable to secure admissions.

In Malappuram district, the situation is particularly dire, with only 34,183 out of 81,022 applicants receiving allotments so far, leaving 46,839 candidates without a seat, including those with outstanding grades. The lack of seats persists even when considering management and community quota seats in aided schools and unaided school admissions. Palakkad, Kozhikode, and Kasaragod districts are also grappling with similar challenges.

Despite the upcoming third allotment on July 1, Minister V Sivankutty’s assurances of resolving the seat shortage afterward, and the possibility of students seeking admission in unaided schools, the situation remains concerning. The rearrangement of temporary batches and the transfer of 14 vacant batches from southern districts to Malappuram have only resulted in a modest increase of 910 seats. The government has not taken action on the recommendation to shift 150 batches from districts with lower student enrollment to Malabar, exacerbating the problem.

The admission criteria themselves have faced criticism for their lack of scientific basis. Many students in the southern districts have been unable to secure admission in their preferred streams and schools. The continued reliance on unscientific criteria, such as date of birth and the initial letter of the candidate’s name, along with the increasing number of students achieving A+ grades, have further complicated the situation. Suggestions have been made to prioritize marks over grades and eliminate the existing weightage for admission to the same school where a child has studied. Despite a High Court order to consider entering marks alongside grades in the SSLC Certificate, the government has yet to take decisive action, citing the need for careful consideration.