Bhubaneswar, Aug. 3: The e-admission process for junior colleges is well into its third year, but it has proved to be quite nerve-racking for a significant section of the state’s students.

No doubt the online process has spared students the trouble of standing in serpentine queues to buy separate application forms of different colleges.

However, the drawbacks easily outnumber the advantages of the system.

Anup Kumar Barik has been running from pillar to post to ensure that his adopted daughter, Nishi Nag, does not miss out on the junior college admissions.

“We had no idea that a copy of the online application form had to be submitted at some place called Sams resource centre, failing which the application would not be considered valid. Some leaflets on e-admission had been distributed at her school (in Kankadahada block of Dhenkanal district). But, the headmaster could not guide her in this regard. When the school does not have equipped teachers or electricity for months together, how can you expect students to be able to use a computer and internet,” said Barik.

Many students and their parents are at their wits’ end, trying to figure out the “complicated” procedure. They argue that the online system is neither simpler nor faster. Last year, classes in all junior colleges began on August 16, but this time around, it would commence a week later. The server was patchy on the past few days of application and went dead for hours, when the first selection list was announced.

“My brother had secured more marks than the cut-off marks fixed by Ravenshaw College, his first preference, for admission into science. But, when the merit list came out, we were shocked to find out that he had been selected for another college.

“This bears testimony to the fact that the computers also make errors. He and many of his friends did not even receive their intimation letters by post and had to download it. These problem should be brought to the notice of the authorities for necessary modification,” said Smruti Rekha Das, an engineering student.

Teachers are also unhappy with the online process, as it is “full of silly rules and restrictions”.

“One has to apply online and again submit a copy of the form at some college which doubles up work. And why can’t a candidate be selected for at least three colleges if he has marks to match? The system also forecloses the option of downward movement for students who might want to change and go lower down their order of preferred colleges which is unfair,” said a lecturer of a Bhubaneswar college.

“There are other problems too. For instance, an ST candidate was included in general category and therefore, not eligible for availing certain facilities. But, due to the online process, we cannot change it manually and have to write to the people managing the software. Moreover, all the Plus Three teachers have been put in charge of admission and classes are being hampered. People vouching for e-admission don’t understand the ground realities,” the lecturer said.

E-admission helpline executives at the Orissa Computer Application Centre here, which has developed the admission software, said that on a daily average, they used to receive around 2,000 calls when the online application was open. “Several students failed to understand the process and we used to explain it to them step by step. Even now we are answering 600 to 700 calls everyday. Students from the rural areas, who have never ever used a computer, are obviously confused about filling in an online application form,” said an executive.

However, officials of the higher education department said e-admission had been a tremendous success in both the junior and degree colleges. “From next year, we have decided to conduct admissions and publish results of all the junior and degree colleges on the same day,” said department joint secretary Anirudha Rout.

However, many apprehend that this single calendar system would lead to further chaos in admissions. “As of now, students and parents want to log out of this online system. I don’t see Orissa prepared for e-admissions at least in the next five years. The option of offline admission should also be kept open,” said a college principal.

Arguing in favour of online admissions, BJB (Junior) College principal S.N. Mohanty said: “Due to this e-admission process many dubious colleges have been exposed. It is a transparent system. Every college would have the details of all students admitted. The government officials can call students up and get first hand information about academics and other activities.”