Hyderabad: Managements of private engineering colleges have come up with a plan to address the perennial problem of seats remaining unfilled every year.
They want to open their doors to students from the rest of the country to pursue engineering. Both state governments are yet to give their nod.
Bihar, UP and West Bengal besides the Northeastern states, do not have many engineering colleges. AP Private Engineering College Managements Association president Santhi Ramudu said, “Around 35,000 to 40,000 seats are remaining vacant every year. We have deliberated on the issue extensively and come up with this proposal. This issue has been brought to the notice of the higher education department,” he said.
“Scores of students will get to realise their dreams of engineering study even if they do not get a seat in their state. Also, colleges will come out of financial troubles if a majority of their seats are filled. This would also benefit the exchequer,” Mr Ramudu added.
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The colleges have ambitious plans to reach out to students in countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal as well as in Africa. Private colleges in Telangana too have brought this proposal to the notice of the government.
“Unfilled seats have become a big headache for us. To overcome this, we want to give opportunities to students from other states. The government has to issue a GO to facilitate this. Either colleges should be given the chance to fill vacant seats after completion of counselling, or a special quota (management quota preferably) should be earmarked for this purpose,” said Mr N Goutham Rao, president of Telangana Private Engineering and Professional Colleges Managements’ Association.
“This model is being implemented in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and it is time we introduced it here to give a fillip to private engineering colleges,” he added.
