Most university seats in Karnataka are vacant, situation worsens after COVID

Due to a lack of students, the journalism course is on the verge of being closed. This year, not a single application has been received for the journalism course at Mangalore University.

Students’ interest in journalism is decreasing. Most university seats in Karnataka are not being filled. The situation has worsened since COVID. Due to a lack of students, the journalism course is on the verge of being closed. This year, not a single application has been received for the journalism course at Mangalore University. Many universities are relying on guest lecturers. In the past 20 years, there have been hardly any new recruitments in the state universities. Retired professors’ positions are not being filled. The poor admissions are not limited to government universities only. In recent years, many private institutions have also been closed. Tumkur University, Davangere University, Karnataka University in Dharwad, and Bangalore Central University have also failed to fill their seat quotas in the last four years. However, Mysore University is an exception. In Karnataka’s oldest university, 28 out of 30 seats were filled even before the last date.

Course temporarily closed

The journalism department at Mangalore University, which was started almost three and a half decades ago, has not received a single application this year. In the last three to four years, only 10 students have been admitted. As a result, the university has temporarily closed the course this academic year. Last year, only three students had taken admission. Despite extending the deadline for submitting applications, not a single application was received.

From seat scarcity to application drought

At Karnataka University in Dharwad, before the pandemic, the mass communication and journalism course used to receive 250-300 applications. Now, it has dwindled to 75 applications, out of which only 25 students are appearing for the entrance exam. Last year, 14 students had taken admission, and this year, only four students have taken admission so far. The university has extended the deadline for admission till November. A decade ago, it was difficult to get a seat in this course.

Lack of opportunities in journalism need for course updates

Karnataka Union of Working Journalists, Dharwad district’s former president, senior journalist Ganpati Gangoli says that there is a decrease in admissions in journalism courses in universities across Karnataka, due to which some have closed or are on the verge of closure. Factors such as delays in new recruitments in various departments, lack of opportunities in journalism, and courses not being updated as per current needs are reasons why students are applying less. As a result, the number of applications for courses is decreasing year by year. Moreover, with the advent of multiple multimedia platforms, the way news is consumed has changed. Students are now more inclined towards electronic media rather than print.