The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Predicament for BITS aspirants

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 23, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Predicament for BITS aspirants

By B. Madhu Gopal

A candidate who got a seat in civil engineering in Andhra University fills up a form for education loan at the stall put up by the State Bank of Hyderabad outside the regional counselling centre in Visakhapatnam. — Photo: K.R. Deepak

VISAKHAPATNAM, JULY 22. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush, goes the adage. What if you have one bird in each hand but have to part with both of them?

This was the strange situation faced by some candidates who attended the counselling for engineering courses held at the Government Polytechnic here on Thursday.

D. Sivaram of Kakinada had opted to attend the counselling session in Visakhapatnam as it is nearer his hometown. He obtained 375th rank in EAMCET and a good rank in BITS (Pilani) also.

He attended the counselling and was given a seat in the ECE branch in Sri Venkateswara University (Tirupati).

He paid Rs.8,000 and submitted the original certificates of his SSC and Intermediate examinations as attested copies were not accepted.

BITS list on Friday

Meanwhile, the BITS administration placed its first `waiting list' on the Internet and Sivaram's name figured on the top, indicating that his admission is likely to be confirmed.

The confirmed list would be available on the Internet by Friday evening.

``We had paid Rs.10,000 to BITS anticipating Sivaram's admission. That amount would be returned if they fail to give him admission. After seeing his name on top in the list of probable candidates, I was convinced that he would secure a seat and told the EAMCET regional centre officials that my son would forgo his seat and sought return of the original certificates,'' said the boy's father.

Official version

``The regional officer said that the original certificates could be returned only after written permission is obtained from the officials concerned in Hyderabad. In the counselling notification issued by the AP State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) it was specified that candidates could undergo counselling at any of the five centres in the State: Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Guntur, Warangal and Tirupati. It was stated that cancellation of seat would be allowed but the candidate would have to forgo Rs.4,000.

``We are ready to forgo not only Rs.4,000 but the entire fee of Rs.8,000 but the local officials say that certificates can be returned only after written permission is obtained from Hyderabad.

Had we known this before, we would have opted to attend the EAMCET counselling in Hyderabad. After getting the permission letter, we have to come again to Visakhapatnam to collect the original certificates. This would be time consuming. The last day to report there is July 29 and if we fail to make it, the seat would be given to the next candidate.''

Sivaram is not alone, there are quite a few other candidates who face a similar predicament.

`We have no powers'

The Government Polytechnic Principal, S.V.U.M. Prasad, who is also in charge of the regional counselling centre, pleaded helplessness when the issue was brought to his notice by The Hindu .

``There are certain legal implications involved and we have no powers to hand over the original certificates without prior consent of the State centre. The APSCHE has to take a decision in this regard.''

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