Over a month into the academic year, undergraduate admissions in Gujarat remain incomplete, with thousands of seats vacant even in top colleges. The delay stems from the Gujarat Centralised Admission System (GCAS), a digital platform introduced to streamline the process.
This year, 3.65 lakh students registered, but by the 22nd round only 56% of 4.71 lakh UG seats were filled. Despite additional rounds, progress has been minimal due to server crashes, coordination lapses, and confusing rules.
GCAS, now in its second year, was meant to ensure transparency and equal access. But students often receive admission to multiple colleges instead of one, leading to confusion. Rural students, unfamiliar with digital procedures, face greater challenges. OTP-based confirmation adds another hurdle, often expiring before students can complete formalities.
The system has also drawn criticism over fairness, with reports of lower-scoring students securing seats ahead of higher scorers. Even Gujarat University’s vice-chancellor admitted she cannot access real-time vacancy data for her own colleges.
Last year, after eight chaotic rounds, the government handed admissions back to colleges. This year, however, it seems determined to persist, leaving anxious students to turn to private or self-financed colleges. Educationists warn the confusion could spill into the next semester as students seek transfers offline.