The state government’s tough tactics to rein the private engineering colleges have not deterred them from charging a premium for their management quota seats, or even extracting a ‘special fee’ from students seeking a convener quota seat.
“It has come to our notice that some of the colleges are charging a ‘special fee’ in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 instead of the Rs 5,500 fixed by the state government,” admitted EAMCET camp officer Dr K Raghunath Rao.
Further, after the High Court stayed online admissions to the management quota, many private colleges released admission notifications, as they are required to, but the joke’s on you if you took them seriously. Many of the colleges had already sold the seats before releasing the notification.
Some colleges in fact have been dissuading candidates from applying in response to the notification.
Though the colleges are required to submit a merit list of the candidates they admit, so that it can be verified by the principal of polytechnics. However, this too is a joke. “Asking the principals of polytechnics to inspect the list is a joke. Most of the top colleges completed admissionss in July. The few seats that are available now are being hawked for anywhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 18 lakh, depending on the stream and college,” disclosed a private engineering college honcho.
“The colleges are asking for large amounts as donation. But if you have ‘connections’ in the management, the price can be halved. Also, early birds were offered better terms. Now there is a mad rush for the top colleges,” lamented a parent, speaking on condition of anonymity, who is looking for a seat in ECE (electrical communication engineering).