With only a few days left for EAMCET-2016, a few top private universities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and northern States have intensified their search for prospective candidates hoping to join the engineering stream.
Chittoor district offers a potential ground for the universities and autonomous colleges from these States to attract not only the brilliant performers in the Intermediate course but also those striving for a bright future, irrespective of their performance, by shelling out huge donations.
Compared to 2015, this year the Intermediate final year results were announced 10 days earlier.
In Chittoor district, out of 38,566 candidates who appeared for the examination, 28,337 (73 per cent) passed.
In the Intermediate first year course, out of 38,566 candidates who appeared for the examination, 29,826 (70 per cent) passed.
A welcome feature in the final year is that the number of candidates who have scored 980 marks and above is more. Those who have scored between 970 and 980 marks are also many. While the girls pass percentage is 77, the boys pass percentage is 70.
The difficult choice
In 2014, when the State was bifurcated, many private institutions from the neighbouring States descended on the district to prevail on the parents to opt between a bright and an uncertain future for their children, stating that a State without a capital city would only provide risky education with no prospects of job placements. The same mantra was used in 2015.
A similar approach is being adopted this year too.
As a result, the mindset of thousands of parents has changed.
A majority of them is said to be willing to admit their children in engineering universities either in Bengaluru or Chennai.
Board of Intermediate Education’s Regional Inspection Officer (RIO-Tirupati) K. Muneyya told The Hindu that a large number of parents in the district had decided to send their children to either Tamil Nadu or Karnataka.
“Early announcement of the results this year will not have any impact on their (parents) mindset. On an average, over 25 per cent of the students are leaving the district for sure. Even the EAMCET scheduled on April 29 and the probable declaration of results within 10 days are not going to change the decision of the parents,” he said.
Universities in the neighbouring States are offering scholarship applicable for four years (up to 75 per cent in tuition fee), full waiver based on performance, assured placements, and student exchange programmes with universities in the U.S., Australia, and Europe with no extra charge.
“Without a job, your son or daughter will never step out of our campus,” is what these institutions promise.
This apart, another aspect that is attracting the parents is the offering of seats by top universities in Tamil Nadu based on “pure merit.”
In this scenario, managements of 37 engineering colleges in the district are ill at ease.
They are offering scholarship, full fee waiver for toppers, and assured placement
