The best of the rest

It's that time of the year again!

Insanity received a new definition when Delhi University's Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) came up with its cut-off for its B.Com (Honours) course earlier this month. The college decided that a non-commerce student would need 100 per cent marks, no less, to qualify for the course. The unprecedented move left parents and admission-seekers shell-shocked no doubt, but even the human resources development minister Kapil Sibal couldn't but gasp in disbelief.

Where are we headed? Who on earth ever scores 100 per cent in a school-leaving examination? To put things in proper perspective, it would suffice to point out that even the all-India CBSE topper for this year, Dravyansh Sharma, secured 99 per cent marks — a full one per cent less than the SRCC cut-off.Nishtha Midha, who scored a perfect 100 in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and whose best of four subjects (including English) percentage was 98.75, had to settle for Economics (Honours) at SRCC for which the cut-off was 96.25 per cent for Science students. Beat that!

The SRCC cut-off might have come as a shocker for many but actually it's the culmination of a long-running trend of rising percentages. Those watching the trend — with some concern, of course — had known that it was bound to happen sooner than later. Trends in Delhi University can serve as indicators of the trend across the top universities in India as it is Delhi that students from all across the country — and abroad — pour into to realise their academic dreams.

Where does all this leave students who fail to cross 90 per cent? Fortunately, no matter how high the cut-offs may rise and how short you may fall of the mark, it isn't the end of the road. Now that SRCC has touched the 100 per cent cut-off peak, it can't go any higher. So, what's in store for the future crop of admission-seekers? Entrance examinations for all courses, maybe.

But before that happens, let's focus our attention on the condition of students who have not crossed the 90 mark. Not getting the desired course in your desired college just because you missed the qualifying mark by a whisker — or inversely, because you failed to make it to the big league — can be disheartening, but surely it's not reason enough to sink into depression. There is no dearth of options and opportunities.

Based on a perception survey conducted by Indian Council for Market Research (ICMR), TSI has compiled a list of top colleges and courses for students who 'fail' to break into the 'top' colleges. The survey, conducted in the metros as well as other education hubs (Bhubaneswar, Pune, etc), covered students, parents and faculty members. Their responses helped us draw up lists of colleges that they would have applied to had they secured under 90 per cent marks.  

The listing on the following pages is by no means comprehensive but it might help you look at things from a different, more enlightened, perspective.