Other States - Orissa   

Uncertainty over admissions in pvt. engineering colleges

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the counselling for admission into medical colleges got under way here on Friday, uncertainty continues to prevail over admission process pertaining to private engineering colleges in the State.

According to the Orissa Private Engineering Colleges’ Association (OPECA), it is waiting for response from government side over some contentious issues and will convene a meeting on July 17 before taking any final decision.

The private engineering colleges are demanding autonomy over filling up of seats, which were lying vacant subsequent to general counselling by the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) committee.

However, the State government is sticking to its stance that seats meant for Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) be filled up through re-counselling process if there were no taker of these seats in the first round counselling.

“We are bearing losses due to non-filling up of seats meant for NRIs and AIEEE students. There were at least 1000 seats that could not be filled up last year,” OPECA secretary Binod Das said. Moreover, the government had fixed tuition fees for seven years, which needed to be relaxed, he said.

“We have already pointed out a number of our reservations in the Orissa Professional Educational Institution (regulation of admission and fixation of fee) Act, 2007. If at all the government wants to implement the said Act, it should come out with comprehensive amendments,” Mr. Das said.

He said the government wanted to take control over 100 per cent seats, which was not acceptable to most of the private engineering colleges.

The OPECA secretary, however, refused to answer if engineering colleges were planning to boycott the counselling process. “Everything will depend on the outcome of our July 17 meeting.”

However, State Industry Minister Biswa Bhushan Harichandan said the government would ‘strictly’ go by the Orissa Professional Educational Institution (regulation of admission and fixation of fee) Act, 2007.

Meanwhile, several students’ organisations and citizen fora were preparing to support the government on the issue.

They were demanding that vacant seats should not be handed over to private engineering colleges who in turn would ‘sell’ those at higher prices. The organisations were waiting for a clear picture to emerge. There are over 50 private engineering colleges operating in the State with a total seat strength of 18,000.

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