Even as the Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC) has issued notification for admission of students into professional courses for the coming academic year, criticism is flying high over its new guidelines, especially the online-only payment norm that could inconvenience students from rural centres.
Under the new norms, application fees should be paid only online using credit, debit cards or NEFT. No other option is provided. Payment details will be provided in the CENTAC website www.centaconline.in.
Dates through
e-mail, SMS
From this year CENTAC will also adopt the ‘On-Line Counselling Method’. dates for the counselling will be sent through SMS, e-mail and will be updated in the website and releases will be issued periodically.
V. Bala, president of Students and Parents’ Welfare Association said, “One cannot easily access the CENTAC website as its server is down most of the time.
The notification also asks the candidates to check the website regularly after announcement of counselling dates. People from rural areas may not able to access the online services regularly. How many in rural areas have debit or credit cards to make payment?.”
Political parties including CPM, DMK and BJP have criticised the authorities for having introduced online submission of application, payment and counselling.
BJP general secretary V. Saminathan said, “Online counselling may be suitable for a State where thousands will take part in counselling. But such a system is preposterous in the Union Territory where only a few thousands seek admissions. Making payment online is disadvantageous to rural students.”
CENTAC rules
The CENTAC guideline stated that the candidates or whose parent (either mother or father or both) or guardian should have been a resident of this Union territory for at least five years immediately preceding the date of application.
However, the guidelines also said children of Central/State government servants/defence personnel / Central Paramilitary Forces posted and serving in the Puducherry UT for at least a minimum period of one year prior to the last date of submission of application are eligible.
Another domicile criteria said French Nationals residing in the Puducherry UT and covered by the terms of the “Treaty of Cession” shall be treated on par with the candidates who produce the prescribed Puducherry UT residence certificate.
Such French nationals will not be required to produce residence certificate instead they should definitely produce a certificate of registration issued for this purpose from the French Consulate at Puducherry. Children of these French nationals shall not be considered for admission under the quota of non-residents.
M.Ilango, President of French Indians Rights Forum said such French nationals should produce residence on par with other residents of Puducherry.
However authorities denied all allegations and are of the view that admission to professional courses through online method counselling can be done in fair and transparent manner.
Meanwhile a press note from CENTAC said submission of on-line application has been extended to May 27. Submission of hard copies must reach the CENTAC office on or before June 1.
