Director Colleges Jammu and Kashmir, Prof Sheikh Aijaz Bashir, on Saturday said the continued preference of students for “legacy colleges” over nearby institutions defeats the government’s objective of taking higher education to the doorsteps of students across Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Prof Bashir said the Higher Education Department (HED) has formally commenced the admission process for the 2026–27 academic session under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP) in Government Degree Colleges (GDCs) across the Union Territory.
“The online registration process has started today for admissions to 142 degree colleges, including newly established institutions across Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The Director Colleges said admissions this year would be conducted purely on the basis of merit determined by Class 12 marks, as the department has done away with the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate admissions.
As already reported by this newspaper, the Higher Education Department decided to discontinue CUET for admissions in colleges following the restoration of the November academic session by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education and the early declaration of board examination results in January.
“Earlier, admissions in 39 colleges were conducted through CUET scores, but this year admissions to all 142 colleges will be merit-based,” Prof Bashir said.
He said the admission portal went live on May 9 and will remain open till May 27.
“Students can fill in their programme preferences online with a nominal registration fee of Rs 200. They do not need to visit DTP centres as facilitation centres have been established in colleges to provide hand-holding support throughout the process,” he said.
According to the Director of Colleges, the initiative aims to bridge the digital divide, particularly for students from remote and underserved areas.
“Students from far-flung areas who earlier depended on DTP shops for online registration can now complete the process directly at facilitation centres established within nearby colleges,” he added.
Prof Bashir said the first merit list would be released on May 30, followed by the second list around June 9, while the spot admission round is scheduled for June 18.
He further said academic sessions in winter-zone colleges would commence from June 15, while classes in summer-zone colleges would begin from July 15.
Highlighting the features of the FYUGP framework aligned with the National Education Policy, the Director Colleges said the programme offers flexibility and multiple exit options to students.
“Students may exit after the first year with a certificate, after the second year with a diploma, after the third year with an undergraduate degree, or complete the fourth year with an honours or honours with research degree,” he said.
He added that students completing the four-year honours with research programme would also become eligible for direct PhD admissions besides pursuing postgraduate studies.
However, the Director Colleges expressed concern over students bypassing nearby colleges in favour of traditional “legacy institutions,” despite the government investing heavily in new colleges and infrastructure.
“Students opting for legacy colleges defeats the purpose of taking education to their doorsteps. Nearby colleges are equipped with modern infrastructure, qualified faculty and almost all major programmes,” he said.
He appealed to parents and students to prioritise accessibility and local infrastructure rather than relying solely on conventional preferences.
“If a student from a far-off area chooses a distant college unnecessarily, it defeats our goal of delivering education locally,” he said.
Prof Bashir also said a grievance redressal mechanism has been integrated into the online admission portal to address issues such as payment failures and programme selection concerns.
“Every seat in every programme will be allocated strictly on merit and with complete transparency. There is no scope for favouritism or intervention,” he said.
He advised students to carefully review programme availability and intake capacities before finalising their choices on the admission portal.
