The ideal strength in the Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry departments of the Science Faculty is 120 students each, but the authorities had to grant admissions to 300 students. Vice dean of the faculty of science S R Pandya said, ``We could not deny admissions to any of these students because they fit the cut-off percentage criterion''.

Pandya added that most students might drop out later in the year after having secured admissions in either engineering or medical streams. For the present, however, it is the students wishing to pursue B Sc who are facing the problem.

Pandya said that the problem had not arisen at the time of the theory classes but it was only inconvenient for the students at the time of practicals. ``The laboratories are adequate for 120 students but not a single practical has been conducted as the number of students exceed the infrastructure,'' said Pandya.

One of the students of the first year of the faculty of science said, ``In the first year it is compulsory for all the students to attend practicals of all the three but provided we get an opportunity to do so''.

He pointed out that the syllabus was different from school and even if the students had earlier decided which branch of study they wanted to pursue it would be difficult for the students to decide unless they did not have an exposure of all the three branches.

The vice-dean of the faculty also said that this was the problem that the faculty authorities were facing from the past two years due to the decision of the state government. ``The classes are being conducted as not all the students who have been granted admissions come to attend the classes,'' said Pandya. He said practicals would be a possibility only after a decision on the admission procedure for the professional courses had started.