Tamil Nadu   

`Spell out guidelines for admissions to unaided engineering colleges'

By K. Ramachandran

CHENNAI, JUNE 27. Lack of clear guidelines for unaided engineering colleges, which have decided to admit students to B.E/B.Tech courses only on the basis of Tamil Nadu Professional Courses Entrance Examinations (TNPCEE) scores, is creating problems for parents, students and managements.

Parents and managements want the State government to spell out legally sound guidelines for admissions based on TNPCEE marks before single-window counselling begins. "To avoid confusion similar to what is happening in medical colleges, counselling can be held after the guidelines are spelt out," says a principal of an established college in Kancheepuram after an interaction with parents. In unaided colleges, 50 per cent of the seats are under government quota, which are filled through single-window system counselling conducted by Anna University. As for the other 50 per cent, more than a dozen "premier colleges", which have a consistent record of good results, placement and providing value addition to students, have decided to admit candidates under the `management quota' on the basis of TNPCEE scores.

Parents and students contend that as in the past they approached colleges with the TNPCEE scores. Many parents who sought management quota seats for their wards say that they started planning and preparing for an engineering career two or even three years ago. They encouraged them to attend coaching classes and take mock tests. All these were over by February. After taking the public examination and the TNPCEE, they approached the colleges in April/May.

A college principal says: "Even we are yet to understand completely the nuances and legalities of admissions based on last year's Supreme Court orders. How can we expect 80,000 or more students and parents to understand every aspect, especially with several interpretations coming up. The government should have forewarned candidates and parents, as also colleges, by giving a suitable notification at least two months ago.

"This year, we see so much discussion, besides a court litigation, on colleges that have decided to join the consortium of professional colleges to conduct a common entrance test. We are told that colleges which do not join the consortium and are taking students only on the basis of TNPCEE scores have to surrender all seats under the single window." Even this has to be sorted out legally, says the principal.

Colleges established long ago point to the old "MGR formula" in all discussions on admissions. "By giving 50 per cent each to government and the management quotas, a lot of time is saved. Both admissions can be done simultaneously, so that Tamil Nadu maintains its record of starting the first semester in July— August, much ahead of other States. If counselling is completed one by one, the admissions schedule may stretch up to August or September."

Another issue agitating parents and teachers is the guideline that management quota seats should also follow reservation norms. A retired Anna University professor says between 1997 and 2002 there was a distinction between `free' and `payment' category seats and there was no reservation for the latter, even though they were also filled by the government under SWS counselling.

Managements say the government could sort out one or two basic issues this year without disturbing the established order. The other issues can be deliberated leisurely and enforced from next year.

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