Online system receives 246,544 applications

LAHORE  :As many as 651 public colleges across Punjab have received 246,544 applications since the launch of intermediate level admission cycle 2017 on July 27, 2017 through Online College Admissions System (OCAS).

The OCAS has been developed by Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) for Higher Education Department (HED) for processing admission applications for FA, FSC, ICS programmes. Over one million applications have been processed through the online system in the past few years. 

For cycle 2017 among 246,544 online admission applications, 82,062 applications were submitted online while 164,482 were uploaded in the system by the respective colleges. Dr Umar Saif, the founding vice-chancellor of Information Technology University (ITU), Punjab, PITB chairman and adviser to the Punjab chief minister, observed that the initiative had helped improve and formulate the education policy through the monitoring of trending interest in various subjects and to establish new institutions and assessing the required needs including manpower. It has also enhanced efficiency and ensured transparency, eliminated the hazard of long queues and facilitated the youth to search online the choice of subjects and college by applying from home.

Free of cost availability of college brochures  and online admission forms is an added feature of the system while it has considerably reduced the visits of students and their parents to colleges. It has ensured timely compilation of applications and merit list, said Dr Umar Saif.

According to the monitoring of OCAS dash board  till August 24, 2017 at 12.45 pm, applications with gender and programme segregation recorded 55,310 applications for ICS, 59 percent male and 41 percent female; 51,267 for Fsc Pre-Medical, 71pc female and 29pc male; 73,829 for FA, 64pc female and 36 pc male; 38,650 for Fsc Pre-Engineering, 68pc male and 32pc female; 18,677 for ICom, 69pc male and 31pc female; 5,547 for D Com, 92pc male and 8pc female and 3,360 for General Science, 64pc male and 36pc female.

The salient features of the system include 24/7 access, applying from any place with internet access, track admission application status via college website, integration with BISE results, minimising data entry and reducing errors.