Students throng Marwari College for admission forms. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, May 26: Serpentine queues in front of colleges are a common feature these days with the results of the matriculation examination being declared.

Students are thronging the college campuses in the city, as the admission fever reaches its peak. For many, life starts at this level and grabbing a seat in a good college for the desired course gives one?s career a boost.

While St Xavier?s is the most sought-after institution in the state capital, others like Ranchi Women?s, Marwari and Doranda colleges are also having a tough time tackling candidates seeking admission to different courses.

Students as far as from Garhwa are coming to get forms at St Xavier?s College. Mukesh Kumar, who scored 81 per cent in matriculation said: ?My first choice is St Xavier?s since it is an autonomous college. If I do not get a chance here then I would think of joining elsewhere.?

Vikas, standing at the end of a queue at St Xavier?s College, said: ?I have got 76 per cent and hope to grab a seat in science stream in this college. But since the cut-off marks in science is 80 per cent, I may not stand a chance. Still I am keeping my fingers crossed for an admission test.?

Forms for applying into intermediate courses are available till May 31 at St Xavier?s College. So far, the college has sold 2,500 forms for 320 seats in I.Sc, which is 80 less than what was in the last session.

Similarly, Marwari College has decided to reduce the number of seats in each of the streams. Last year, the number of seats in each stream was 640 but this year the college has reduced the number of seats to 300 in I.Sc and 400 each in IA and ICom.

Ranchi Women?s College, too, has reduced intake capacity. ?We can take only 640 students in each of the streams,? said Zeenat Kaushar, vice-principal of the college.