Education, Careers & Professional News
Counselling is traumatic
Source
THE HINDU
Date
2005-07-04
Information
RADHA (18), whos just finished her CET counselling, says, My rank was around 3000. Counselling started on June 27 and I was called on June 29. At my rank, none of the good colleges had any seats left. I was keen on EC and CS but that wasnt possible at the colleges I wanted.
Sounds familiar? Most of you have friends who have similar tales to tell. Radha continues, On June 28, I received the seat matrix. I was upset because none of the good colleges had any seats left at all! But when I went to Malleshwaram the next morning, the seat matrix was different and the good colleges did have some seats left. But the seat matrix kept changing every half hour. People got fed up! And once youre called into the seat selection hall, you have just 10 minutes to make your choice. Once youve decided the college and the combination you want, its locked into the computer. Thats final! You cant change it even a second later! I did get into a good college but I still feed bad… I could have done much better… .
Sooraj echoes the same sentiment. My rank was in the 1200s. But I could have been around 400-500. Thats what happens when you party the night before CET. I lost steam and I feel really upset when I think about it. My counselling was on June 27. But by the time I went into the selection hall, forget merit, the good colleges didnt have any payment seats left. The merit seats for the best colleges get over by rank 100-200. Especially in the EC and CS courses. So I had to settle for whatever was available…
Willing to wait
Sooraj hates the college he got into. He grimaces, I wanted to get into a cool college - party and study with hot guys and girls. But Im fixed about CS. I dont want to get into a good college and not have the course I want. Its all happened because the CET medical counselling been delayed. All the Med students are taking up the seats! Im willing to wait and see if any seats fall vacant after the medical counselling. Im willing to look at a payment seat, but I didnt write my COMED-K…
Sneha, who wrote her COMED-K, says, I know COMED-K fees are expensive. But then, you also have higher chances of getting into a good college and a good job.
Lalitha says, For COMED-K counselling, I went to one of Bangalores prestigious colleges . I had to wait for over six hours for my turn! The counsellor there pushed his college really well but Im willing to take my chances with CET.
The students seem aware of the financial implications of their choice. Radha firmly says, I didnt study to see my father paying Rs. 100,000 a year! Sooraj says, No, I dont want a seat that expensive. Its crap. Id rather go abroad. Sneha, whos appeared for COMED-K counselling and is due for CET counselling next week says, I must have spent at least Rs. 2000 on just application forms for COMED-K. And then you add the auto expenses and the time spent… .COMED-K is good for the colleges but what about the students?
Money power
Seat sharing (currently at 65-35) is another contentious issue. Radha bristles as she says, I feel angry that moneyed people can just buy their way into colleges. My friends are really hard working but theres no way they can get into the college of their choice. Rich kids just dont have the determination to study for hours… they want everything easy. And 50-50 for medical is really bad news.
Sangita, however, says, No. I think 65-35 for engineering is okay. I know seats are expensive but if everyone pays only Rs. 17,590, how is the college supposed to get good teaching staff, good infrastructure, good labs… ?