Heat wave takes a toll on college admissions

Students and parents are virtually showing no urgency to take admissions in junior and degree colleges because of the extreme heat wave. The commencement of the new academic year is just a few weeks away. The otherwise bustling premises of junior and degree colleges with seat aspirants during admissions are still wearing a deserted look as students are afraid of venturing out in the sizzling heat.

There is no letup in the heat wave though the southwest monsoon is about to hit the Kerala coast by Saturday. The day temperature is still hovering around 46 degrees Celsius. The city has been reeling under the severe heat wave for the past two weeks. As a result, the help desks set up in colleges are getting very few information seekers about the courses offered, fee structure and other details a day.

Career counsellors are almost idle with few students or parents approaching them seeking advice in choosing right courses. The sale of college admission forms is also very low. When contacted, Sri Durga Malleswara Siddhartha Mahila Kalasala principal T Vijaya Lakshmi said, “Very few students or parents are visiting the college these days to enquire about the courses offered and the admission process due to the severe heat wave.

We have wound up the specially set up cell to provide assistance to students and their parents in college admissions due to the poor turnout of aspirants after assigning the task to regular staff. The admission process is expected to gain momentum from the first week of June.’’

By:Ch Sowmya Sruthi