LUCKNOW: Close to 1.24 lakh engineering seats in the state under the UP state entrance examination (UPSEE) counseling found no takers. Out of 1.47 lakh engineering seats in over 300 colleges in the state, only 23,000 candidates have confirmed admissions. Of the total seats, 97,000 were to be filled through counseling. Remaining seats were to be filled via direct admissions and JEE (Mains). A total of 1.38 lakh candidates had qualified the State Engineering Exam.

With no candidates in sight, special counseling is being held in government and aided colleges where admissions will be done through the general merit list. Officials said around 20% seats on average are vacant in government colleges. The registration process for special counseling will end on August 6, while choice filling will be on August 8 and 9. Private colleges have already begun with direct admissions through 15% management quota.

SEE coordinator Jagbir Singh said "though the situation is bleak, the admission figures are upped by around 7,000 overall. We hope direct admissions will help us fill seats. The process though will continue only till August 14 as academic session begins from August 15." Overall, only 30,000 candidates have taken admission in state technical colleges affiliated to UPTU. This includes engineering, management, pharmacy, fashion designing, hotel management and others. In MBA, only 2,500 candidates have confirmed admissions against 44,000 seats. "Vacant faculty posts and lack of infrastructure is keeping students away from technical institutes. Employment is a major factor which create hurdles in admissions in UP colleges," said an official.