Bhubaneswar, June 23: At least 46 junior colleges of the state will see single-digit enrolments in the first phase of Plus Two admissions starting June 26. The list features 17 institutions in the capital, of which four will not even get a single student.

Four self-financing science colleges involved in the Plus Two question paper leak incident earlier this year will also witness less than seven enrolments in the first phase.

The beleaguered institutions are Sandilya College of Science and College (Sambalpur), Chaitanya College of Education (Rourkela), Om Maa Saraswati Institute of Science and Technology (Rajgangpur) and Lambodar College of Science (Kalahandi).

Similarly, 22 colleges, including two in Bhubaneswar and three each in Balasore and Ganjam districts, have registered zero applications.

Most of them are science colleges. This means no candidate showed preference for any of these colleges even though the facility of “multiple options in a single form” was kept open.

More than 2.59 lakh students have been invited for admissions on the basis of the first selection merit list.

However, the colleges are not out of the Plus Two admission race yet. “They can hope to get students during the vacant seat admissions,” said nodal officer for e-admissions Mihir Das. Higher education secretary Gagan Kumar Dhal said appropriate action would be taken against the colleges that have fallen out of favour with students.

“After the admission process is over, we will analyse the reasons why the colleges have received low applications. Their performance over the last few years will also be taken into account before we initiate action,” said Dhal.

This year, over 4.79 lakh students had applied for Plus Two admissions.

The state has 1,387 junior colleges with a total strength of 3.26 lakh seats.

Unlike the previous years, the higher education department will not send intimation letters to the short-listed candidates this time.

They are required to download the letters from www.dheorissa.in, the department’s official website. They will also be intimated through text message and e-mail about their selection.

The second selection list will be out on July 5 and admissions will be held on July 8 and 9.