BENGALURU: Exorbitant fee for application forms, direct admissions. These are some of the norms that colleges offering pre-university courses are flouting.
A day after SSLC results were published, colleges started issuing application forms for PU courses on Saturday. Though there are clear instructions from the Department of Pre-University Education (PUE) to colleges that application fee for first PU courses should not exceed `25, a few colleges in the state charge up to `500. Some colleges have even started direct admissions despite being in violation of PUE admission rules.
When Express contacted Mahesh PU college in Mangaluru, the official in charge of admissions said the application fee was `400. Kingdom College in Rajarajeshwari Nagar charges `500 for an application form.
These colleges even ensure admission if students register by paying an advance of `10,000. An official at Kingdom College said, “We won’t be announcing any lists and we are taking direct admissions. If you pay `10,000, we will confirm the seat and the remaining fees can be paid later.”
Despite the department insisting that colleges publish three lists of selected candidates based on merit, some colleges have skipped that step.
An official of Jnana Sweekar PU college on Kanakapura Road said, “If a student submits a photocopy of the SSLC marks cards along with five passport size photographs, he/she can get direct admissions.”
Surana Independent PU college in South End Circle too has direct admissions. “We charge `50 as application fee. We also provide direct admissions,” said an official in charge of the admission desk.
C Shikha, Director of Department of Pre- University Education, said, “No college is allowed to do direct admissions. They have to receive applications and based on the merit they must announce three lists. We will issue notice to those who violate rules.”
In top colleges across the state, a cut-off percentage has been set even to get an application form for science and commerce courses. At Expert PU college in Mangaluru, the cut-off for application to science courses is 85 per cent. Admission authorities at the college said, “As there are no seats available for those who have scored below 80 per cent, we are handing out applications only to those who have scored 85 per cent and above.”
The cut-off for applications at Deeksha Centre for Learning in Bengaluru is 60 per cent. “We advise students not to waste their efforts as we will not be providing seats to those with less than 60 per cent in SSLC,” said an employee at the front office desk.
An admission in charge at Seshadripuram PU College said, “If you have scored below 60 per cent, then don’t apply. We will not be considering admissions with that percentage.”
Management quota seats
At a majority of private unaided PU colleges, management quota seats were filled even before SSLC results were out. Almost 50 per cent seats can be filled under this quota but even for these seats, results matter. “Even for management quota, we prefer 80 per cent or more. Otherwise it will affect second PU II results of our college,” said an admin officer at a top PU college in the city.
No provision for transgenders
Though the PUE department allowed 19 transgender candidates to appear for PU II exams in March for the first time, there is no provision for them in the PU application forms.
MARK THESE DATES
June 12: Last date for admission to PU I
June 15: last date for admission to PU II
June 14 to 23:
Admission with penal fee of D504 for PU I
June 16 to 21: Admission with penal fee of D504 for PU II
June 24 to July 5: Admission with special penal fee of D504 for PU I
June 22 to 28: Admission with special penal fee of D504 for PU II
June 12: Classes start for PU I courses
July1: Classes for PU II courses