Former chief minister and Sikkim Democratic Front president Pawan Chamling has demanded that all students who passed their Class XII examinations earlier this year be accommodated in different colleges of the state following reports that scores of them have failed to secure admissions despite securing good marks.

The plight of the students was flagged by the Sikkim Progressive Youth Forum (SPYF) who alleged students were being left in the lurch by the state government.

“Every student has the right to go for higher studies if they have passed Class 12 board examinations successfully. By denying them this fundamental right, the state is doing gross negligence to the lives and careers of the students,” the forum said.

Taking up cudgels on behalf the students, Chamling said he was saddened to see so many students being deprived of their right to higher education.

“It is the prime duty of the government to protect the rights of students to education. All students who passed out of Class 12 this year must get admission into colleges in Sikkim. There are numerous colleges and universities in Sikkim today,” he said.

The forum and the SDF said they were informed that some students securing 70 and 80 per cents were also unable to find admission to any of the colleges in Sikkim.

“There are 28 colleges, six private universities, one central university and one state university in Sikkim. All these institutions of higher education, barring two, were established during my government… Today, I am very disappointed to know that a number of students were unable to get admission into college. Let the future of our students not be jeopardised,” said Chamling.

Some of the students The Telegraph spoke to said they were indeed frustrated at not being able to secure admission to any college in Sikkim. “I had first applied to study at the Sikkim Government Law College, Burtuk. After failing to get the admission there, I wanted to take up political science at Namchi Government College, but was not successful there either. I want to pursue higher education in any government college in our state,” said Melli-resident Dinesh Chhetri, who had secured close to 66 per cent in his Class XII exams.

Prayash Rai, who passed Class XII from Tadong Senior Secondary School, Gangtok with 72 per cent in humanities, said he, too, had failed to secure admission to the undergraduate course.

“I tried in both the government colleges based in Gangtok, but was unsuccessful. I am yet to apply to other colleges,” he said.

The SPYF demanded immediate response from the state education department. “There are many options open for the department. We want quick decision in favour of the aggrieved students. We demand the education department to resolve this urgent issue of the students immediately,” it added.

G.P. Upadhaya, additional chief secretary and secretary-in-charge of education department, said the Covid-19 pandemic was partly responsible for the upsurge in the number of applicants, but the government was in a position to accommodate all the students in colleges, both government and private, within Sikkim.

‘We have 12 colleges (government) and about 5,000 seats. The number of applicants is roughly about 6,000… I am very confident, more than 100 per cent, we will be able to adjust each and every student according to his or her choice of subject, but not according to the choice of college and we will support them through scholarships if they are not able to get admission to government colleges,” he told The Telegraph.