Despite uncertainty, colleges, univs busy scouting students

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:28.04.2020

With uncertainty hanging over entrance exams and admission schedule in times of Covid-19, some deemed universities and engineering colleges have started canvassing for admissions, offering fee waivers and scholarships if parents book seats in advance. Parents have to pay anywhere from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 depending on the institute to book seats in advance.

Parents from Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and other districts have been receiving calls and messages from consultancies and engineering colleges with attractive offers.

“Dear parents, admissions for BTech/BPharm/Arts online booking started. Book your seats online...” read one such message from a reputed university. Another message, from a consultancy, read, “Only few scholarship seats left. Talk to our expert....”

When TOI contacted a number provided in a message, the person on the other end introduced herself as an admission officer from a reputed deemed university, and advised us to book a seat before the Class XII results are out. “If you are confident that the student will clear the exam, book a seat,” she said and started giving fee details. Fees for BTech Computer Science course is ₹2.5 lakh, she said, adding, “Due to Covid-19 lockdown, the entrance test is also doubtful.”

She also warned that seats may fill up later. “By paying ₹25,000, you can book the seat and can make rest of the payment after the board results.” The officer also gave bank account details to which the payment should be made and the documents needed.

When TOI contacted another number, a person claimed to represent a consultancy and said he could get 50% scholarship in a private university near Chennai. “The fees is ₹1.6 lakh. But, we can get up to 50% scholarship. You need to pay ₹10,000 as advance,” he said. To book a seat in a leading deemed university, the person demanded ₹50,000 and said admissions under management quota can be made without taking the entrance test. “We are receiving calls from many students due to the confusion surrounding the start of next academic year,” he added.

Some parents wondered how their numbers were accessed by the colleges and consultancies.

“Engineering colleges and deemed universities gather contact numbers in many ways. Some approach schools directly while others collect data while organising competitions for school students. Some colleges are using faculty members and hand them contact numbers to canvass the students,” a faculty member from a deemed university said.

The colleges do make attractive offers, say schools. “Colleges are giving fee waiver, scholarship and other offers. Parents who received such calls and messages are approaching the school. We have told them to visit the colleges after the lockdown before taking any decision,” said N Vijayan, senior principal of Zion Matriculation Higher Secondary School.

“Many engineering colleges asked for contact numbers of Class XII students and we refused to give them the details. But they manage to get the numbers from some other sources, like school education department,” he added.

When contacted, an official from a deemed university said the universities are shut due to the lockdown and that their staff were not working.

While admission and entrance exam schedules are unclear, several parents are being contacted by colleges to block seats