Limited number of government colleges a bane for students in Sikkim

GANGTOK:

Many students in Sikkim are being denied online admission in government colleges, irrespective of marks or percentage, because of the limited number of government-run colleges in the state.

One student, Krishna Rai (name changed) said while the decision to opt for an online admission system may have been wise, it is not without its flaws.

“I belong to a remote area of North Sikkim and my family cannot afford to send me outside for studies,” chimed in another student identified as Tashi Lepcha.

Meanwhile, after taking stock of the situation, the Sikkim Progressive Youth Forum (SPYF) issued a demand to the state government to accommodate such students who could not get admission.

The forum also urged the state government to upgrade the Sikkim State University to accommodate all willing students.

“The irony of our state is that the state university of Sikkim, SSU is languishing with just two Postgraduate Departments. No campus, no permanent statutory officers, no lecturers and dozens of other unfulfilled basic requirements in one hand and hundreds of frustrated students who could not secure their admission in government colleges,” said a member of the SPYF.

With parents hesitant to send their children out for further studies because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the increasing pressure on limited government colleges in Sikkim, many students are now on the brink of losing out this year.