1,26,125 applicants for 2,750 seats: What’s fuelling demand for B.Ed courses in Odisha

A significant rise in the number of students in Odisha choosing vocational courses over traditional academic pathways has emerged, with Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programmes experiencing an exceptional surge in demand.

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This year, a staggering 1,26,125 students have applied for only 2,750 B.Ed seats available. The compelling promise of stable employment within the district and the State appears to be a significant motivator behind this preference.

The Minister for Higher Education in Odisha has declared that applications for the four-year integrated B.Ed courses can now be made through a Common Application Form (CAF). This initiative has reportedly increased application numbers significantly.

Women applicants outnumber men

Notably, women applicants have outnumbered their male counterparts, with 86,093 women applying compared to 43,612 men.

In contrast, traditional post-graduate courses have seen dwindling interest, leaving 21,332 seats vacant across various institutions. Experts in education suggest that the scarcity of teaching professionals in Odisha, coupled with limited job opportunities in other sectors, is influencing this trend.

Odisha offers 31 institutions providing educational degrees such as B.Ed, Bachelor in Home Economics (B.H.Ed), and Master of Education (M.Ed). This year, a total of 1,29,712 students have applied. Out of which, 1,26,125 have applied for B.Ed, 1,936 for B.H.Ed, and 1,651 have applied online for M.Ed through the SAMS portal.

Despite this, the limited number of seats failed to meet the overwhelming demand.

“Teaching is presumed to be a convenient occupation by most female candidates in both rural as well as urban areas. The seemingly high job opportunities is attracting the aspirants to B.Ed courses,” a noted educationist, Manas Behera, said to OTV.

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“There is apparently no other option available for students to address unemployment in the State,” the educationist expressed.