The Common Entrance Examination (CET) board is providing online counselling facilities to students who make the cut in the entrance test. The students can choose their favourite course and institution on the website itself, in the comfort of their home.
This unconventional method of counselling is implemented only in the All India Engineering Examination (AIEEE). The responses of students who spoke to The Hindu ranged from positive, negative and ambivalent to even bewilderment.
Amala Poli, second PU (PCMB), Mount Carmel College: Online counselling will be more convenient to us. It will save time as we don't have to wait in long queues during the counselling sessions. Moreover, we will get frequent updates about the selection and waiting lists and the chances of student's selection in a desired institution.
However, if online counselling is not planned properly, it will cause chaos and confusion. I prefer online counselling, as just visiting the website at home is more cosy than going to college and waiting there.
Chitra Patil, second PU (PCME), Oxford PU College: It is good now that there is an option for online counselling. Students will have all the details and updates available at their home itself. But this news doesn't help people like me, who don't have Internet access at home.
I would prefer face-to-face counselling, which is more interactive, over online counselling. A
nd we can express our doubts to the panellists in their presence. Interacting with students in the counselling hall can also be helpful.
Bharat Kumar, second PU (PCME), Oxford PU College: This is good news. In this fast-paced world where everyone irrespective of profession wants to manage time perfectly, time management becomes important, which online counselling provides.
This is a good move by the CET board, as online counselling is going to ease my selection of the college. I can surf through the information of the college before I select it.
For me there is not a single disadvantage in this facility as it will help students get rid of the chaotic tediousness of face-to-face counselling.
Arun Thomas, second PU (PCME), St. Joseph PU College: I feel the conventional face-to-face counselling works well now, and there is no need for online counselling.
Access to information in online counselling is limited, and it won't be able to rectify all the confusion and doubts of the process like face-to-face counselling.
Moreover, the experience and information one can get from interactions with a panellist is far better than online counselling.
If I have to choose one among the two, irrespective of the advantages of online counselling, I definitely will opt for the existing method.
Derrick Thomas, second PU (PCMB), St. Joseph PU College: Online counselling will definitely be advantageous. I will be able to select my choice of college in my house after considering real-time suggestions from parents and friends. Also, there have been some loopholes in the counselling involving going to colleges as colleges block seats and then sell them to students or even force the students to take admission in their colleges.
Online counselling is simple, time saving, less laborious and more effective in terms of the result. And the best part is that there will be updates frequently.
