Private college managements which attract a number of intermediate students in the state seem baffled by the drop. "In some branches in Hyderabad, the fall in MPC students is at least 5% when compared to last year. This is definitely beginning of a new trend. And, medical education is being favoured by more number of students than earlier," said principal of a private college in Narayanguda. "This trend can be considered as a starting point of a focus shift from engineering to other professional education," he said.
Private educational institutes decided to close schools and colleges for five days from Friday in support of Samaikyandhra. Convener of private institutes JAC Chatla Narasimha Rao announced this here on Thursday.
Sunil Dabhade, placement officer in a private college, said that last year 400 companies had approached them for placements till September; however, not more than 250 companies have conducted placement drives so far this year.
Reacting to the Supreme Court's recent order that termed private technical and medical colleges' demand for capitation fees from students illegal and unethical, Union minister of human resource development MM Pallam Raju on Friday said there are certain loopholes in the system due to which the menace of capitation fees stays alive. "Centre is making all efforts to address the problem. Unfortunately, the Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical Educational Institutions, Medical Educational Institution and Universities Bill 2010 is pending in the Parliament," said Raju on the sidelines of a function organised by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU).
The Admission Supervisory Committee for Professional Colleges has directed the Kerala Private Medical College Management Association (KPMCMA) to cancel all admissions given from outside the qualified rank list of 408 candidates from the entrance examination that was held earlier this year.
Eighty students from Kashmiri families, who took admission in a Fatehgarh Sahib-based engineering college under the Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme, have alleged that the college duped them and left them in a situation where they cannot even seek admission in another college.
The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) issued a notification on Tuesday, detailing the process for filling up vacant seats in six private unaided medical and dental colleges, including three in Pune, starting from September 23.
Private universities in state will invite trouble for themselves for affiliating colleges. In the wake of escalating number of complaints regarding affiliation/ franchise centres being distributed freely, University Grants Commission has yet again warned private universities not to flout the norms or face the music as per the private universities regulation, 2003. The commission, citing regulations, has said that private universities being unitary in nature cannot affiliate any college or institute for conducting courses leading to award of its diplomas, degree or other qualifications.
Medical and dental college aspirants are worried about losing out on seats despite being meritorious. A schedule for admissions to private medical and dental colleges to fill seats that are vacant after the second round gives students only one day to attend counselling, confirm seats and pay tuition fees.
Another person elected was an 'agent' who supplies 'patients and faculty' to private medical colleges whenever an MCI team comes for inspections. The election in the state was nothing less than a 'cash-for-vote' scam and the future of medical education depends on this elected body."
Teaching in private colleges throughout the country was affected on Friday as thousands of teachers were on mass casual leave and participated in a rally held at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
Union human resource development minister MM Pallam Raju on Saturday said problems of private engineering colleges would be looked into at a meeting next month.
Private universities may soon have to legally vest all their movable and immovable properties in the name of the university; utilise their incomes and property only for their growth and development and maintain accounts in the name of the university (not in the name of the sponsoring body/trust) by following standards set by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and the ministry of human resource development.
Maharashtra's first private/self-financed university will start operations from 2014-15 academic session in all likelihood after the government cleared decks for allowing entry of such institutions. It has so far received five proposals which would be treated as separate bills and tabled in the forthcoming assembly session to be held in Nagpur in December. Earlier in April, the state cabinet gave a green signal to model guidelines for opening such universities, thus opening the doors to industries, trusts and societies, to establish a private university on no-profit/loss basis.
All the private educational institutions will be closed for a week from Monday across the state, as per the decision taken by Samaikyandhra JAC, to intensify the agitation.
Laboratories in majority of the private colleges are in bad shape in the State. Those are reeling under inadequate equipment, chemicals and infrastructure.
Two accused arrested for duping about a dozen students mostly from Andhra Pradesh to the tune of Rs 1.35 crore by promising them admission in private medical colleges of the state had roped in an interpreter to interact with the clients in English.
Even as private and unaided medical and dental colleges in the state concluded their admission process on Monday, several eligible students did not visit the campuses to avoid chaos. However, when this TOI reporter, posing as a student, contacted three colleges, they claimed that one can secure admissions on Tuesday too.