From classrooms to career anxiety: Why Odisha students are turning away from UG degrees

For thousands of young students in Odisha, a traditional BA, BSc or BCom degree is no longer seen as a gateway to employment. Instead, it is increasingly viewed as a costly investment with uncertain returns. This changing mindset is now reflected in official admission data.

At least 10 degree colleges failed to admit a single student in 2025–26, while more than 80,000 UG seats remain vacant across the state. At the same time, teacher-training programmes like BEd and MEd are running almost full, revealing a decisive shift towards job-oriented education.

Sharp Decline in Demand for Traditional UG Degrees: The Numbers

- As many as 81,664 seats out of the sanctioned capacity of over 2.77 lakh are vacant this time. 

- In 2023, over 88,000 UG seats were unoccupied, and last year saw more than 74,000 seats remain vacant.

This trend shows a continuing decline in interest in traditional degree programs across many colleges, particularly in science and non-professional streams like arts and physical sciences.

Zero Admissions at Some Colleges

At least 10 colleges, including one government college and nine self-financing ones, reported zero admissions for the first year in 2025–26, reported The New Indian Express.

This extreme result highlights how local factors like poor reputation, remote location, limited facilities or lack of relevant courses, can make some institutions completely unattractive to students.

Why Are Students Shunning UG Degrees?

Perception of Low Return on Investment: 

Many students see a regular BA/BSc/BCom as offering limited job prospects after graduation, especially compared to professional and skill-based qualifications.

A student quoted in local coverage said a general Plus-3 degree feels like “three years wasted” if it doesn’t lead directly to a job, prompting many to seek alternatives like CA, professional diplomas, or job-oriented courses.

Expansion of Seats vs. Falling Demand

Seats Added Faster Than Students:

Officials noted that every year 4,000–5,000 seats are added to UG colleges, yet the demand is falling; so the supply of seats keeps rising while fewer students enroll.

Even 12 new degree colleges were reportedly opened in 2024–25, despite high vacancy, adding to the mismatch.

So, part of the problem isn’t just lack of interest, but the fact that new seats and institutions are still being created even when demand is weak.

Strong Demand for Teacher-Training Courses

Huge Application Numbers for BEd/MEd Courses:

This is the striking contrast! While general degree seats are unfilled, teacher-training programs are oversubscribed. In one year, reportedly, over 1.26 lakh students applied for fewer than 3,000 BEd seats across Odisha. 

Similarly, almost all MEd seats were taken.

Why Is BEd/MEd Attractive?

- Many students see teaching jobs, especially government school or college positions, as stable employment with social status and security.

- The perception of job availability in the teacher profession, compared to general graduation, which doesn’t guarantee work, is a big motivator.

This helps explain why, even though teachers themselves are protesting for regularisation and better pay, students still enroll in teacher-training programs because the prospect of a stable career outweighs current job market frustrations.

Structural Challenges Deepening the Problem

Several universities and colleges in Odisha are also struggling with severe faculty shortages, with over 1,000 teaching positions vacant in state universities and many more posts in degree colleges. 

Experts warn that such vacancies affect teaching quality and student experience, making these colleges even less attractive to incoming students. 

This creates a feedback loop- fewer teachers → lower quality → fewer admissions.