APSCHE cancels admissions

Private engineering colleges in the State, known for their brazen violation of norms, have got a taste of scourging from the AP State Council for Higher Education (APSCHE) when the latter started perusing all the admissions made under management quota in the colleges for ratification.

In a series of orders issued on Monday, it cancelled the admissions of fifteen students in various colleges stating that AICTE norms were flouted in taking them. But in some cases, the Council has acted rather liberally and ratified admissions by imposing a paltry sum of Rs 13,000 as fine.

The irregularities have been committed by colleges located in rural and semi-urban areas. The process of ratification has been going on since October 11 and the new officials of the council viz Prof LV Reddy, Chairman and Dr Satish Reddy have been scrutinising the admissions made under category B.

As per Eamcet guidelines, candidates should secure a minimum of 50 per cent of marks in group subjects taken together in the qualifying exam (Intermediate) whereas the AICTE has prescribed 45 per cent in group subjects. But the Council in its observation found that some students who have got less than 45 per cent marks were also taken. The Council rejected to ratify their admissions.

But in some admissions, which could not fulfill the Eamcet norms but satisfies AICTE norms were ratified by imposing a penalty of Rs 13,000 per each candidate. Though it mentioned that the erring management of the institution should give an undertaking that it would not repeat such irregularity failing which its affiliation would be liable for cancellation, it is a mere formality.

The irregularities have been made part of the process, a senior official of the Council said. But the order made it clear that an undertaking must be given by the concerned management for reduction of equal number of seats from ‘B’ category in the subsequent year, which will be filled up through single window counselling.

It is a known fact that more than 250 out of 689 private engineering colleges in the State have been yearning for students. They offered many sops including reduction in fee, gifts worth Rs 10,000, return of cash on the spot, free hostel and bus facility etc but there were very few takers for those institutions due to poor track record. College managements found it difficult to run the show due to non-availability of requisite number of students.

Just around 2.17 lakh students have qualified in Eamcet and the total number of seats available in all the colleges was 3.45 lakh. More than 25,000 students have gone out of State to join in a better college and more than 4,000 have preferred to join in IITs, CFTIs, Deemed varsities and other top institutions. As a result, the engineering colleges in the state- particularly those in B-towns and rural areas – left with no option but to lure students or resorting to foul means.