Delayed admissions drive AP students to TN, K'taka

TIRUPATI: The delay in the conduct of counselling for engineering and medical streams by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governments is forcing the students from the region to look to neighbouring metros for higher education.

Aspiring engineering and medical students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions are shifting to Chennai or Bangalore, with the government not taking any decision over the counselling.

Though it is common for students of Rayalaseema to go to neighbouring states to pursue their engineering studies, this year the percentage of such migrations is set to increase with the delay in counselling.

Students from the region give priority to Tamil Nadu (colleges in Chennai and in areas bordering Andhra Pradesh), Karnataka (Bangalore) and then Telangana (Hyderabad) when it comes to academics.

As the process of Eamcet-2014 counselling has been kept on hold by the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governments in order to have a clear idea of the candidate's nativity and his or her eligibility for fee reimbursement, students are now looking at alternatives as they cannot afford to lose the academic year.

'I want to relocate to another state to pursue my engineering. I am not interested in attending counselling in Hyderabad as no one knows the exact day when it would start,' said G Nikitha of Srikalahasti, who scored 96 per cent in her exams and wants to join a reputed deemed university in Bangalore.

Most of the parents are worried. It is better for both the state governments and educational institutions to consider their apprehensions and start the process of counselling, she said.

'The state governments are least bothered about the academic schedule. Such attitude towards a person's career is unpardonable,' said P Venkata Roy, a parent. The elder son of Roy has recently completed SSC.

He wants his son to pursue a course that helps him land a good job. 'My son would be doing his graduation only after two years. But considering the critical situation in the state, as a parent, I am worried about the parents whose children are ready to attend the counselling now,' he said. 'Do not politicise the issue, but settle it soon,' he added.

KMM Group of Colleges principal D Subramanyam said the managements are facing serious problems to run the colleges now. 'From the last two academic years, students, parents and college managements are worried due to the chaotic situation,' he said.

Besides the normal counselling seats, colleges would be losing their management seats too, with the present misunderstanding between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he said.

Assistant professor B Ramesh, working in one of the engineering college in Bangalore, said a majority of the seats in Bangalore and Chennai are taken by Telugu students. 'For the academic year 2014-15, in our college, more than 100 students from Srikalahasti and Tirupati have joined till now,' he said.

Most of the students would be from Rayalaseema, especially Chittoor and Anantapur districts, due to their proximity (to Chennai and Bangalore) and good academic curriculum by the educational institutions, he said.

Retired Prof N Subba Reddy, who has handled the Eamcet counselling process held in Tirupati last year, said engineering and medical counselling is nothing but a certificate verification and there is nothing to deal with issues of nativity or fee reimbursement. 'Let the candidates attend the counselling first and finish his or her certificate verification,' he said.