Girls Outnumber Boys in UG Admission Applications in Bengal

In a significant trend, more girls have applied for undergraduate courses in Bengal than boys, according to the state's higher education department. The department has introduced a centralized portal for admission to undergraduate courses, and the response has been encouraging.

Out of 5,27,673 valid applications, 2,99,800 are from girls, indicating a growing interest in higher education among women. The portal was open from June 24 to July 6, and a total of 34,64,918 applications were received, including 98,089 from outside Bengal.

Education Minister Bratya Basu welcomed the trend, saying it was a positive development. "Girls are increasingly opting for higher education, and this is a welcome change. Traditionally, boys would opt for technical and science-oriented subjects, while girls would choose general subjects. But now, girls are taking up challenges and performing exceptionally well in their chosen fields," he said.

Lady Brabourne College in Kolkata received around 15,000 applications from female students, while other colleges in the state also saw a significant increase in applications from girls.

Interestingly, the department also received 50 applications from the LGBTQ+ community, categorized under the "others" category.

The growing participation of girls in higher education is a positive sign for the state, and the education department is keen to encourage this trend further.