CHENNAI: As the general engineering counselling entered its second day, a huge crowd was witnessed. University officials said around 8,840 were called on Monday. While some felt there was confusion because of the huge, crowd, most felt everything was organised.
Unlike Day 1 when 2,898 candidates were called, on Day 2, 8,840 were called. The campus was thronged by candidates and their families from all over Tamil Nadu. There was queue everywhere, be it in the food stall, or in common counselling room where candidates can check the status of the seats and a huge crowd in front of the exam centre where the counselling took place. For the cut-off between 196.75 and 196, around 900 candidates were present in the morning. Though some candidates were called only for the afternoon session, many with their families were waiting from morning.
Nisha Asokan, a candidate from Tiruvarur, said because of the crowd, initially it was a bit confusing when she landed on the campus. “I came at around 10 am and the counselling is to happen at 2.30 pm. The candidates who were done with their counselling and those who were yet to be done with it were waiting at the same place. It was becoming confusing,” she said, adding that there were university staff members who came to help.
K Ramya, who was waiting for her brother’s counselling, also said that due to the crowd, candidates were unable to understand where to go. But there was proper guidance from the staff members.
L Elanchezhian, a parent from Tirunelveli, said, “People in charge of counselling said that more number of medical aspirants are coming today than yesterday. There are medical aspirants who are hesitant to take up engineering, yet they have no other choice.”
On Day 2, students with a cut-off like 197, said there was no vacancy in top colleges like CEG, PSG, MIT and CIT. So they had to go for colleges such as Sri Venkateshwara College of Engineering, Sairam College, Thiagarajar College of Engineering. Like Day 1, ECE was the popular choice with 1,470 candidates taking it up,1077 took up computer science and 1014 took up mechanical engineering.
Counselling data
On second day, 8,840 students were called, 6,998 allotted, 1,762 were absent and 80 skipped; 19.93 per cent of students were absent and 9 sessions were conducted