Foreign visa woes: Jalandhar colleges report 30% rise in admissions

The stricter immigration policies in Canada and a significant drop in student visa approvals to the US have led to a surge in admissions at colleges across the region. Many institutions have reported an increase of up to 30 per cent in enrolments this year.

As the admission process nears its end and classes for the new academic session begin, college managements are optimistic about the improved response, particularly for undergraduate (UG) programmes.

Lyallpur Khalsa College Technical Campus, for instance, has witnessed a 30 per cent surge in admissions this year. College Director, Dr Ramandeep Singh Deol, stated, “Apart from the popular B.Tech, BBA and BCA programmes, courses in the healthcare sector, such as Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, BSc in cardiac care, radiology, operation theatre and medical laboratory sciences, have garnered significant interest. This is despite these courses now having a four-year duration, up from three years.” Additionally, short-term courses in automobile servicing, web technology, and software technology also saw strong demand.

Dr Deol added that many of the students enrolling in healthcare and short-term courses are still eyeing foreign education. “These students want to pursue courses that are in demand both in India and abroad, ensuring they don’t face a gap in their studies. They are preparing for qualifying exams that will be required when they move abroad, particularly to Canada or other destinations,” he explained.

Similarly, Apeejay Institute of Management and Technology has reported up to a 20 per cent increase in admissions compared to last year. Institute Director, Dr Rajesh Bagga, noted, “All our UG programmes, including those in B.Tech with specialisations in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, have received excellent responses.”

However, the response to postgraduate (PG) courses, including MBA and MCA, has declined. This is attributed to the rising number of colleges offering these programmes, as well as the increasing popularity of online distance learning options for MBA, which has contributed to fewer campus admissions.

CT Institutes have also seen a notable improvement in admissions this year. “We have received the best response for LLB, Pharmacy, and B.Tech (AI) programs. Courses in food and nutrition, along with all allied healthcare courses, including Physiotherapy, have been in high demand. We are also receiving significant interest for health support staff roles in local hospitals,” said Manbir Singh, MD of CT Institutes.

Singh further mentioned that vocational courses, which offer an exit system after each of the three years, have remained particularly popular among students still aiming for higher education abroad. The surge in local college admissions signals a shift in student preferences, driven by the reduced opportunities for overseas education.

Jalandhar