Following the announcement of the 2026 SSLC examination results, many parents and students in Karnataka were surprised to find that private pre-university colleges had already filled their science stream seats. This rush is attributed to the record 94.1% pass rate this year, leading to heightened anxiety among students. However, Bharath S., the Director of the Department of Pre-University Education, reassured that there is no cause for concern, emphasizing that the state has seen no issues with admissions even during years with higher pass rates. He noted that over 400 new PU colleges have been established in the last three years, and 100 more government PU colleges now offer science streams. The government is also allowing colleges to apply for seat enhancements online. Despite these assurances, stakeholders are worried about the potential exploitation of the situation by private colleges, which comprise 60% of PU institutions in the state. Educationists are advocating for a roster-based admission system to ensure equitable distribution of seats among various social categories and to improve enrollment in government colleges, which are currently underutilized.