Aided degree colleges in Kanpur are facing an unprecedented admission slump in the current academic session. Traditionally, following the declaration of board examination results, higher education institutes relied heavily on printed brochures, pamphlets, and large newspaper advertisements to inform prospective students about courses, fee structures, and campus infrastructure. However, responding to changing student preferences and the online habits of Generation Z, degree colleges in the city have shifted their promotional strategies. Institutions are now leveraging short Instagram reels and YouTube videos to showcase their academic programs, campus life, infrastructure, achievements, and placement opportunities directly to prospective applicants.
Admission Crisis Prompts Shift to Digital Platforms
The primary catalyst for this promotional overhaul is the severe shortfall in student enrollments this year. The 21 government-aided degree colleges located in Kanpur city collectively offer approximately 60,000 seats across various undergraduate and postgraduate courses. However, so far in the current session, only about 30,000 admissions have been completed, leaving nearly half of the total capacity unoccupied. Addressing this situation, Prof. Vinay Pathak, Vice Chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU), recommended that college principals adopt modern digital communication channels. Following this guidance, colleges initiated active measures to build and strengthen their digital presence.
University Media Team Revamps Raw Content
Upon receiving the Vice Chancellor's recommendation, several college principals created raw video footage of their campuses and submitted it to the university. While these initial recordings contained basic institutional details, they lacked the visual appeal and editing quality necessary to engage young audiences online. The specialized social media team at CSJMU subsequently re-edited and enhanced these videos. The team integrated key information regarding institutional achievements, campus facilities, available academic courses, laboratory infrastructure, and verified placement records. Once finalized, the polished videos were published across the respective colleges' official social media channels.
Main Campus Success Story and Role of Alumni
Dr. Diwakar Awasthi, Media In-charge at CSJMU, highlighted that the university has been actively building its digital outreach for the past two years. The university created dedicated promotional content featuring faculty members and current students explaining different academic tracks. Additionally, video features recounting the career journeys and success stories of alumni were shared widely online. This systematic digital push yielded positive results for the university's main campus, where around 7,500 admissions were secured this year, successfully filling all available seats across all offered courses.
Varying Impact on Professional and Traditional Courses
Despite the positive trend, degree college administrators note that the impact of social media outreach varies depending on the nature of the program. Dr. Vivek Dwivedi, Principal of BND Degree College, observed that social media promotion has been particularly effective for professional and technical programs. In contrast, traditional degree courses like BA, BSc, and BCom have seen minimal impact from digital campaigns so far. He emphasized that while the university's initiative provides vital support, individual degree colleges must independently maintain an active digital footprint. Relying solely on university-produced content will not fully resolve the admission crisis; colleges must consistently communicate authentic details about their teaching quality, faculty expertise, placements, and campus amenities to prospective students.
Affiliated College Statistics and Future Digital Strategy
CSJMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Vinay Pathak noted that today's youth prefer quick, easily accessible information. In this context, short-form video reels serve as a far more engaging alternative to traditional paper brochures, allowing students to inspect campus facilities with a single click. CSJMU has over 600 affiliated degree colleges under its jurisdiction, which typically record between 1.80 lakh and 1.90 lakh student enrollments annually. However, total admissions across affiliated colleges dropped to approximately 1.25 lakh this session. Educational administrators believe that how effectively degree colleges establish their digital outreach over the coming months will determine their enrollment numbers in the upcoming academic session.
