Patna College and BN College, two premier institutions under Patna University, witnessed a sharp drop in the number of girls taking admission in different courses compared to previous years.
Sources said less than 40 girls had taken admission in regular courses in Patna College this year, whereas in BN College the number is more or less the same. The admission process of two colleges concluded last week.
Sources attributed girl students giving low preference to these co-educational institutions to the poor law and order situation and lack of academic interest. However, in women's colleges - Patna Women's College and Magadh Mahila College - the seats are full.
Randhir Kumar Singh, a teacher and the admission in-charge of Patna College, said: "Of the 510 students who took admission in different undergraduate courses, the number of girls is less than 40." Though Singh declined to comment on the trend, college sources cited regular clashes among different groups of students at Patna College as the main reason behind it.
A college teacher, preferring anonymity, said: "Group clashes among students, especially between boarders and day scholars, has become routine in Patna College. The setting up a police picket hasn't prevented the incidents. So, parents feel insecure in sending their wards, especially girls, to college."
Echoing the teacher, Sneha, a BBA student of the same college, said: "Girls don't feel safe studying in Patna College, as group clashes between boarders and day scholars or outsiders turn ugly at times." In Patna College, 90 of 600 seats in different undergraduate (traditional courses) have remained vacant.
BN College faces a worse predicament. Of 900 seats in different undergraduate courses (arts and science), less than 50 girls have taken admission.
Raj Kishore Prasad, the principal of BN College, said: "Here, the number of girl students taking admission is less than 50 this session. It has been observed that parents don't feel secure in getting their wards admitted in co-educational institutions."
On July 14, some students beat up a youth, who had gone to BN College for his sister's admission, over some trivial issue. He had to be hospitalised.
