BENGALURU: The Department of Pre-University Education (PUE) has come out with strict instructions to colleges which are offering integrated courses along with regular Pre-University courses. As per the admission guidelines released by the department for the academic year 2018-19, the PU colleges offering integrated courses will get disaffiliated as they have no permission from the department to run such courses on the college premises.
The guideline clearly says, "Any Pre-University college associated with agencies or coaching centres and allowing them to conduct classes on the premises and coaching students for NEET, CET, JEE or any other competitive examinations is strictly not allowed, and such colleges will face disaffiliation."
Meanwhile, as there is no clarity in the rules about integrated courses, the department has decided bring out clear and comprehensive policy regarding this soon. Speaking to TNIE, C Shikha, director PUE department, said, "We have already acted against one such college which was offering integrated course in city and cancelled the recognition. However, we are bringing out a more comprehensive policy soon to control such colleges."
She clearly stated that the department gives permission to run only PU course and not to run integrated course. So, no college in the state is allowed to run integrated course on the premises.
However, the department is receiving lots of complaints against colleges across the state about offering integrated courses and collecting a higher fee for that coaching. There are colleges which have associated with external agencies which are basically coaching centres and tied up with them for coaching for CET, NEET, JEE and other competitive exams.
"We advise parents to submit their complaints along with documents like receipts provided by colleges so that we can act against the colleges," said a senior official of the department.
Though the fee for PU courses is less, unaided PU colleges are charging up to `3 lakh in the name of integrated coaching. Students are also forced to stay back after class hours for the coaching. Students are asked to reach the college at 6 am and stay back till 8pm.
There are some coaching centres, which have tied up with PU colleges for the purpose of admissions and students who get admission in that particular college need not attend classes at the college, but will attend classes only at coaching institute. However, colleges grant attendance to students, an official pointed out.