The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Vacancies worry self-financing colleges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 01, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Vacancies worry self-financing colleges

By K. Ramachandran

CHENNAI, AUG. 31. Nine self-financing engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu have filled all seats they surrendered as government quota. In eight colleges, only one seat each was left unfilled, that too in the Scheduled Tribe or special reservation quota.

An analysis of student choice in the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions 2004 (the single-window system of counselling ended on Monday), shows that six colleges have suffered the most. They found fewer than three takers each for the seats surrendered for the single-window pool. In 13 colleges, fewer than 10 seats each found takers.

All these, however, do not take into account the `management quota.' The modalities of filling it are yet to be decided by the Madras High Court.

In about 60 colleges, candidates took less than 40 per cent of the seats surrendered for the single-window pool. In 91 colleges, about half the number of seats under the government quota were unfilled.

These colleges now have a serious problem, especially in the light of the Anna University Vice-Chancellor, E. Balagurusamy's announcement that he would hold talks with them to get the students there transferred to institutions where they could get better education.

When the 20-day long counselling process ended, a total of 12,549 seats were vacant as per official records. One question that remains unanswered is how many of those who got allotment in one college for B.E/B.Tech have already enrolled themselves in some other institution ``through the management quota.''

Options for students

Students are weighing their options, based on results produced by the institutions, their infrastructure and learning-teaching system and overall reputation, notes the Salem-based analyst, Jayaprakash Gandhi.

The institutions where all seats were filled are Crescent Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College, Eswari Engineering, Hindustan College of Engineering, Jeppiaar College, Panimalar Engineering, St. Joseph's College, Sree Sivasubramania Nadar and Velammal Engineering.

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