COIMBATORE: In a first, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has earmarked 100 seats in BSc (Hons) Agriculture and BSc (Hons) Horticulture streams in 28 self-financing colleges to accommodate students who studied in vocational stream in government schools.
Dean (Agriculture) and chairman of admission M Kalyansundram told TNIE, “TNAU earmarked five per cent of seats (98) for vocational stream students in UG courses at 18 constituent colleges. As per a recent order of the Madras High Court, we allowed admission of vocational stream students in self-financing colleges by allocating 100 seats from the current academic year.”
“Counselling for students was held online on Thursday and we called 150 students out of 198 seats in government and private colleges. On this, 110 students joined in the colleges of their choice. We would notify the next counselling to fill remaining seats soon,” he added.
Coordinator of forum for education development - Tamil Nadu, S Moorthy, who filed a case regarding this at the HC in 2019 welcomed the development. “Earlier, students from vocational streams were not eligible to join in UG courses of agriculture and Horticulture in 28 self-financing colleges of the TNAU,” he said.
“Rather, students can take these 98 seats at government colleges of TNAU. Thousands of students complete the vocation stream in Class 12 in nearly 300 government schools across the State every year. Many students did not join in the UG courses as there was no admission at private colleges. So I approached the HC,” he explained.