VIJAYAWADA: For 17-year-old Sai Kumar (name changed), joining the aviation industry is something he dreamt of since childhood. So he enrolled himself for a diploma course at a city-based institute. However, his dream came crashing down when the certificate, provided by the institute, was not recognised anywhere.
“I enrolled for a one-year diploma course in cabin crew operations at Spice King Institute of Aviation and Hotel Management and paid `80,000 to the institute. At the end of the course, the institute gave me an invalid certificate, which is not recognised by any company where I apply for a job,” Sai alleged.
Sai Kumar is among hundreds of unemployed youths from city who have acquired certificates from such institutions. With strong promises and attractive brochures and websites, these institutes are cheating youths and collect lakhs of rupees from them, the aspirants said.
“I had joined the Spice King aviation institute. However, students’ fees amount is being sent to their sister institute Universal Airhostess Academy Pvt Ltd. When we expressed doubt, the staff diverted the issue and instead promised us placements,” student Naveen said.
According to sources, more than 100 institutes operate in Vijayawada without obtaining necessary permission from officials concerned and collect lakhs of rupees from the youths. They neither are affiliated to any university or possess necessary training facilities, they said.
Recently, one such institute at Bandar Road had to shut down operations for failing to provide any job to its students. “The institute collects aspirants’ information and ask them to attend free demo classes. Their counselling team then make sure that parents enroll their wards at the institute,” a parent of one such student said.
When asked about action taken against mushrooming ‘fake’ institutes, the police said they would get information about them only after a victim approaches them.
“It is cheating. Stringent action should be taken against these fake institutes. Education department should initiate action against them. We had arrested few persons in the past,” a senior police officer commented.
Education department officials were unavailable for comment.
Responding to allegations, an official from the Spice King aviation institute told TNIE that more than 50 per cent of its students were employed with different airline companies.
Mushrooming of institutes
These ‘fake’ institutes claim to have partnership with Singhania and Bharatiyar universities
Some offer degree and diploma in agriculture and polytechnic courses without permission
Recently, Machavaram police had arrested manager of Master Aviation Academy for cheating students and collecting J50 lakh from them
According to police, 50 persons have been arrested so far on similar charges
Sources say more than 100 institutes operate in Vijayawada without obtaining necessary permission from officials concerned and collect lakhs of rupees from the youths