To attract a larger pool of applicants, many private and autonomous colleges in Bengaluru have opened admissions for their undergraduate programmes months ahead of the usual schedule.
Institutions that typically begin the process only in late January and some even after February, have already started accepting applications for degree courses this year.
While a few colleges said the early start was meant to streamline their admissions cycle, which involves written tests, interviews and rounds of verification, many also admit the move was driven by competition, as they feel compelled to keep pace with peer institutions that have already started their application windows.
A senior official from Christ (Deemed-to-be University) said, “The college advanced its timeline after noticing that others had already opened admissions.”
“Every year, colleges in Bengaluru start early, so we decided to follow the general trend,” the official said. Christ has for the first time opened applications in late October, instead of the usual December or January.
A representative from Mount Carmel College (MCC) said the institution advanced its admissions cycle because competing colleges had already done so. Moreover, Bengaluru is also seeing a sharp rise in applicants from outside, prompting it to move ahead of schedule to manage the volume.
“The college is still in its early years of opening admissions to boys, and starting the process sooner gives students more time to understand the programmes and make informed choices,” the official said, adding that at present, the gender ratio stands at less than 30% boys and over 70% girls, but the college hopes to move towards an even 50-50 distribution across courses.
The institutions also pointed out that the curriculum has become more rigorous, and completing admissions earlier would allow the academic year to begin sooner, helping the college plan classes and timetables more efficiently.
Syed Wajeed, Registrar of St. Joseph’s University, said that in the weeks leading up to admissions, inquiries surge and phone lines remain constantly busy, and students frequently ask when the portal would open. In response to this demand, the university feels compelled to begin admissions ahead of its usual schedule so that first-choice applicants are not forced to commit to other institutions prematurely.
The registrar added that the university attracts a diverse pool of local and international applicants across its wide range of programmes and that processing such a high volume requires multiple stages, including application screening, entrance tests, interviews, counselling and career guidance.
Parents, however, are not entirely convinced. They point out that Class 12 students do not yet have their board marks, which means early admissions are only provisional. By the time results are declared, a student may change their mind or qualify for a different institution, leaving families financially burdened. Many parents feel the move pushes students into applying everywhere out of fear that they might ‘miss out’ in the race.
Students themselves echo a mix of relief and anxiety. Some told The Hindu that applying early helps reduce stress during exam months, when form-filling becomes an added worry. “It is easy to apply now because later we are all caught up with preparations, and thinking about college adds to that pressure,” said Soumya P., a student of Mount Carmel PU College.
Others felt the trend has created a different kind of pressure. “Everyone is applying because admissions opened early, and that makes you worry about competition,” said Maney K., who is torn between choosing history or psychology.
He said he fears that if many students with similar scores apply, colleges may give preference to those who submitted forms first and in such confused situations, students apply for multiple courses across institutions.
Published – December 12, 2025 07:00 am IST
