AP to offer good education to merit students in private Univ. through convener quota

VIJAYAWADA: Getting quality education from prominent private universities was a mirage to students from weaker sections of the society in Andhra Pradesh. This dream will turn into reality through a state government decision that extended 35 per cent seats in these institutions to such students under convener quota. The poor and lower-middle-class families stand to benefit.

Money for fee reimbursement for such students under the government's flagship 'Jagananna Vidya Deevena will be borne by the government even if these students join a private university, it was officially stated here.  Students from ordinary families were enthused at the YSRC government’s unique and first-of-its-kind decision.

Some 2,330 seats for B.Tech courses are available in convener quota in private universities in AP. This year, merit students belonging to poor and middle classes would get these seats through convener quota.

Private universities are charging high fees that are unaffordable to the poor and lower middle-class families. Quality education will now be on offer to them too. The government has also decided to fix the fees collected by all universities in the state.

The 35 per cent seats will be assigned to candidates by the government, based on the Common Entrance Test conducted at the state level. No university except deemed universities will have the right to collect more fees or give out seats that are reserved under the convener quota.

When it comes to deemed universities, the regulatory body is the UGC and hence this policy doesn't apply to them. Meanwhile, the state government has written to the UGC, seeking its nod for the government to extent this facility to them too.

Speaking about the vision behind this decision, the chairman of the AP State Council for Higher Education, Prof. Hemachandra Reddy said, “The vision of Jagan is to make quality and affordable education available to every single student in AP. For a long time now, a lot of students hailing from the poor or (lower) middle class families were either overburdened or had to forego their seats in private universities due to the high fees they collected. This is why the government has decided to fix the fees in order to ensure that affordable education is made available to all students.”

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

Students, P Rajesh and S Hemanth said every student dreams to get quality education in top universities, mainly in private universities, but it has become unaffordable to a majority of students. “We welcome the 35 per cent convener quota in private universities and thank the government for providing opportunities to meritorious students to acquire top quality education in the best universities,” they said.