Premium

Mumbai colleges declared second merit list for UG admissions

Colleges are also seeing a smaller number of applications this year, which according to some of them has resulted in lower cut-offs in second merit list for a few

Principal of St Xavier’s College Dr Rajendra Shinde, said, “There’s been very little movement in the cut-off for Arts courses–the list has barely dipped (File)

Most city colleges declared the second merit list for undergraduate (UG) degree courses on Saturday. Cut-offs of popular courses offered by sought-after city colleges have seen only a marginal drop, except in case of science stream.

In Ramnarain Ruia College, BA course, which closed at 94.33 per cent in the first merit list, dipped to 92.83 per cent in the second merit list.

But the cut-off for the BSc course dropped to 58 percent from 60 percent in the first merit list.

At St. Xavier’s College, the cut-off for BA stream is 89.83 per cent in the second merit list, marginally lower than 90 per cent in the first merit list. But for BSc, the cut-off has dropped to 50.17 percent.

According to colleges, traditional science is majorly hit with a smaller number of students applying for it. Principal of St Xavier’s College Dr Rajendra Shinde, said, “There’s been very little movement in the cut-off for Arts courses–the list has barely dipped. Only the traditional BSc programme has seen a noticeable drop. The number of applications we receive for BA remains very high, which explains the minimal change in cut-offs. However, the trend in Science stream is concerning. Our new self-financed courses are seeing significantly higher demand compared to traditional BSc programmes. This pattern is emerging across many autonomous colleges, where innovative, self-financed courses have started and as a result traditional courses are facing the hit.”

Colleges are also seeing a smaller number of applications this year, which according to some of them has resulted in lower cut-offs in second merit list for a few. While generally popular city colleges see seats getting filled by the end of the second merit list, some of them are expecting the third merit list to see further drop.

Principal of Ramnarain Ruia College Dr. Anushree Lokur said, “The second merit list reflects an inconsistent shift in cut-off scores across various courses, with most cut-offs seeing a decline. Several factors are contributing to this trend. A major reason is the wide range of options now available to students—not only in terms of courses but also due to the growing presence of private institutions. Additionally, the early declaration of results this year means many students are still in the process of deciding or initiating admissions. To complicate matters further, a significant number of students remain unaware that undergraduate admissions require separate registrations with both the university and individual colleges, which has led to some being left out of the process entirely.”

Story continues below this ad

While most popular city colleges affiliated to Mumbai University declared their second merit list on Saturday, K C and HR College which are under HSNC private university declared their second merit list on Friday.

Pallavi Smart

Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More