Gujarat’s centralized undergraduate admission system through the GCAS portal has failed to fill even half of the state’s 5.5 lakh-plus UG seats after four rounds, prompting the state government and universities to consider an additional special admission round.
Admission Snapshot
- Total UG seats: 5.5+ lakh
- Final applications submitted: 4.91 lakh
- Confirmed admissions: 2.14 lakh
- Seats filled: Below 50%
The fourth round of admission confirmations concludes on Monday, after which the government is expected to hold discussions with universities on the possibility of a special fifth round. This comes ahead of supplementary examination results, expected around July 10.
Why the Numbers Are Low
Although over 6.10 lakh students registered on GCAS, the admission process saw a sharp drop-off at each stage:
- 5.47 lakh paid the registration fee
- 5.04 lakh submitted college preferences
- 4.91 lakh completed final applications
- Only 2.14 lakh confirmed admissions
Officials believe many students opted for private universities outside the centralized system, while a significant number paid the fee but did not complete their college selections.
Universities Under Pressure
The GCAS platform covers 15 government and 19 private universities, yet several institutions have struggled to fill seats through the centralized process.
At Gujarat University, for instance, only over 24,000 admissions have been confirmed against more than 64,000 UG and integrated course seats, leaving a large number of vacancies across affiliated colleges.
With the academic session set to begin on July 1, authorities are now considering either a special fifth admission round or allowing universities greater flexibility to fill remaining seats independently.