Five months ago, higher education officials and heads of universities made a decision that could usher in greater transparency in college admissions — to introduce a single-window counselling system for postgraduate applicants.
The move however, is not likely to take off this year, thanks to official un-preparedness and opposition from private institutions.
In February, the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education gave an ‘in-principle approval’ for arts and sciences colleges to conduct admissions through single-window counselling for postgraduate students from June onwards.
According to sources, all university vice-chancellors had accepted the decision, and all affiliated colleges, including private colleges were to participate in the process. It was decided then that the single-window system would be extended to undergraduate courses after taking stock of the success of the PG admissions.
The decision, however, has been put on hold on now, said higher education officials. “We will need a year more to prepare for this huge task. Also, admissions to arts and sciences colleges are very different from engineering admissions. A student from Nagercoil will come all the way to Chennai to study engineering, but an arts student might not do that. We are also concerned that some colleges or university departments will get all students, while some will have many unfilled seats,” said a senior official.
Moreover, most autonomous colleges are opposed to the move because they feel a single-window system for all courses and colleges is not feasible. “It infringes on our autonomy. Before it is introduced, we want to have a discussion with government authorities to express our concern,” said G. Joseph Anthony Samy, principal, Loyola College.
Madras Christian College principal R. W. Alexander Jesudasan said PG courses are research-oriented and the structure of the course or specialised subject is different in every college.
“Such changes should not be made merely for administrative convenience. Also, there is no uniform syllabus across arts and sciences colleges, unlike in engineering, which makes it more difficult to implement the system here,” he said.
Parents, who have welcomed the announcement, said a single-window system is essential to ensure some regularity in admissions. “At present, students have to buy applications from 10 to 15 colleges and shell out a lot of money. Admissions are also arbitrary in many colleges. Students are kept waiting for a long time. A system like this would bring in much-needed transparency,” said R. Rajagopalan, a parent.
Most teachers’ associations, who wanted this move brought in, called the decision “monumental”, as it attempted to weed out irregularities in admissions, including capitation fees, admissions made on recommendations and delays in getting seats.
The single-window system of allocating seats is not alien to the State, say senior professors, who recall that around 30 years ago, all PG seats were allotted by University of Madras officials. Students just had to fill in their options of colleges and were allotted the one that best suited their undergraduate marks.
M. Ravichandran, vice-president, All India Federation of University and College Teachers, said: “It is not right to say the single-window system will not work for arts and sciences colleges here, especially when it has worked for engineering and medicine that have over 600 colleges. The system has also worked in other States. The government should come down hard on institutions that are opposing this transparency.”
