HYDERABAD: For the first time, the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education has announced that students applying to government colleges need not visit the campuses and can enrol themselves online. This facility has been extended only for those seeking admissions in government junior colleges. Further, they can also enrol in a maximum of three colleges under this process.
The move comes as a huge boon for students looking to apply in colleges located in other towns and districts as it remove the burden of having to travel to other places. Some government junior college teachers, however, see little merit in the online admission process being limited to just government colleges.
"Since most students who apply to government colleges are from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds, they may not be in a position to use the online facility," says president of Government Intermediate Colleges Association P Madhusudhan Reddy. "Also, a lot of students from the districts generally seek admission in nearby colleges and this beats the purpose."
Education activists and private colleges have been demanding for online admission process for junior colleges along the lines of the Degree Online Services Telangana (DOST), which is used for admission to undergraduate courses. Meanwhile, experts are upbeat that government colleges might see better admissions this year.
Madhusudhan Reddy estimates the enrolment in government colleges to increase by 20 per cent this academic year. "Government college students have done well in the annual examinations. Around 200-300 students have got good ranks in EAMCET. This is a good sign and will attract more students to government colleges," says teacher Somaraju.
Burn out?
With the students who were given special coaching for Eamcet performing well, the government is mulling a new year-long long term coach along with intermediate. However, teachers feel it will add to their burden. Currently, many of them teach both I and II year inter students apart from conducting special coaching in summer vacations.
In addition, of the 404 government Junior colleges in the state, 130 have both Telugu and English medium. This means a Math teacher has to teach four hours a day in Telugu and another four hours in English. "Teaching eight hours in a day is difficult for teachers and is also not justified. The quality of teaching is also suffering due to this," says Reddy.