VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, July 17: About 27,500 seats have been left vacant in engineering colleges across the state with the final allotment of BTech seats coming to close today.

The number of vacancies this year went up by 5,000 as compared to last year. Around 23,000 seats remained vacant in 2012.

At least 1,500-odd students, allotted seats in the provisional list, have withdrawn during the final allotment adding to the vacancies.

The students, who have been allotted seats, will be required to report at their respective colleges between July 18 and 20.

There are a total of 45,467 BTech seats in 98 engineering colleges in the state.

Promoters of private engineering colleges have already approached the technical education department urging for a second counselling.

Private colleges are hopeful to get the seats filled up by diploma students, who will take a special supplementary exam on July 25. About 10,000 students, who have failed in their diploma final exams, will take the test.

“If the government instructs us, we will hold a second counselling,” said Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) secretary Priyabrata Sahoo.

Counselling for admission into MBBS and BDS courses will begin on July 22 and continue till July 25. This will be a central counselling and held on the Institute of Engineers campus. About 4,000 students have registered for the 850 MBBS seats and 150 BDS seats across the state.

There are three government medical colleges — SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack (212 seats), MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur (128 seats) and VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla (128 seats) — in the state. Apart from the three one Government Medical College in Kalahandi will have 100 seats.

Besides, three private medical colleges — Hitech Medical College, Institute of Medical Science in Bhubaneswar and Institute of Medical Science in Rourkela — have 100 seats each.