Colleges under Patna University are not getting enough students to fill up their seats.

Over 25 per cent of the seats at a number of colleges affiliated to Patna University are yet to be filled despite extending the deadline for admission. The situation in some other colleges is even more dismal with only 50 per cent of the seats filled so far. (See graphics)

Of the 126 seats in the biology group — botany, zoology and physiology — at BN College, 97 seats are yet to be filled up. Only 178 students have taken admission in the mathematics group, which has 220 seats. The institute closed the admission process on Tuesday, after an extension from its earlier July-end deadline.

The scenario in the humanities department is as bad. Around 200 seats of the 600 are vacant.

BN College principal P.K. Poddar said barely one or two students have taken admission to courses such as Urdu, Sanskrit, Maithili and Bengali. “In subjects like psychology and Persian, around 30 to 40 per cent of the seats are vacant. All the seats in subjects such as history, economics and political science have been filled,” he said.

The situation at other premier institutions such as Patna College and Patna Science College is as bad.

In Patna College, considered as one of the best colleges in Bihar for arts subjects, has also not been able to fill up its seats. Only 488 students have taken admission against its total strength of 600.

Patna College admission in-charge Randhir Kumar Singh said: “We have extended the dates for taking admission and brought down the cut-off marks, but a number of seats are still vacant. The admission process will continue till August 13.”

The situation at Magadh Mahila College is a tad better. Dolly Sinha, the principal the college, said: “The seats in our college are almost filled. Few seats in sports and fine arts are vacant, but they would be filled up soon.”

Ujjwal Yadav, a student of Patna College, said: “My name figured in the lists for the BA and BBA courses. But I have opted for the BBA course as it is more job oriented.”

Some teachers attributed the scenario to the falling standard of education of the university, while others said bright students were opting to move out of the state for a better career.

Sources told The Telegraph that several colleges, including Patna Science College and BN College, have written to Patna University for a further extension in the admission dates.