As per the rules and custom, however much a student scores, s/he is not eligible for engineering seats in the university or its constituent colleges under the vocational category.
Chennai: Saturday and Sunday were days of dismay for those who came with high hopes to fetch prestigious engineering seats in Anna University under the vocational category. Over 550 students participated in the admission process that started on Saturday.
Under the vocational category, students, including the top scorers and frontrunners, applied to fetch seats in the Guindy engineering college—that functions under the Anna University. But lo, at the end of the day, they were a disgruntled lot, because the officials turned the students back saying that they were not entitled to occupy the engineering seats, as the rules suggested so. Those who take up the vocational route are not eligible to join the varsity and the colleges under it, however, seats are offered to students under the category in a few other colleges.
On this, engineering admission secretary V Rhymend Uthariaraj said: “As many as 5,749 seats are up for grabs for those who take up the vocational route to engineering seats. But, so far, only 5,500 have applied. On Sunday, 550 students were invited for counseling and it will go on till Wednesday. On Thursday, special counseling sessions for differently-abled students will begin. However, on Friday, full-fledged counseling sessions for students under the General Category will begin.”
On the vocational rank list of engineering aspirants, Vivek from Coimbatore emerged as the topper. He had also scored a cut-off mark of 200 on 200. But in vain! Vivek cannot join the engineering courses in the top-notch varsity, as the officials turned his application down by citing rules.
On this, Vivek’s father Nandagopal said: “Although he had taken up a vocational course and studied well, his dreams of joining the varsity is crashed now. He wished to join the varsity but he has been denied a seat. Finally, left with no other choice, he has decided to join the Mechanical engineering course in CIT College, Coimbatore. There are quite a few others like my son who have been denied seats in the varsity and upset.”
On this, Uthariaraj said: “Those applying under the vocational category cannot join the colleges that are under the university, as per rules. Those who are attending the special counseling sessions for the differently-abed and students coming under the general category are eligible to join the colleges affiliated to the varsity.
For those applying under the vocational category, as many as 150 seats have been allotted in government and government-aided colleges. This apart, four per cent of counseling seats have been reserved for them in private colleges. Vocational students are eligible for only the aforesaid seats.
Minister Palaniappan clarifies: Vocational group students take up one of these subjects—Maths, Physics and Chemistry—as their main subject of study. They also get to score 400 marks in practicals. And, they can’t be compared with those coming under the general category. However, engineering seats can’t be out-rightly denied to vocational students. So, government, government-aided and private colleges are offering them seats. In colleges under the varsity, they can’t avail seats.
