Image used for representational purpose.
VIJAYAWADA: The SSC main examinations in the State are a month away. However, private junior colleges in the State have gone into overdrive to woo the parents of Class X students for Intermediate admissions. The PROs of private colleges have started approaching schools for tying up with them for admitting students in their colleges. In some cases, they offer fees discount, scholarship and free seats for meritorious students. The Education Department has instructed both colleges and schools not to entertain the ‘PRO system’ and issued strict guidelines against it. However, some private colleges are not ready to adhere to the guidelines.
The academic year of the junior colleges in the State will begin from June 1. Usually, the government will issue notification for admissions into junior colleges in the second week of May for admissions into 3,766 government, aided and private colleges in the State. However, the private junior colleges have already deputed their PROs and gave them targets for admission of students. The PROs will visit schools and try to make a deal with school managements to get perfect students for their colleges. For this, the PROs will get `3,000 to `5,000 for every referral admission.
“Representatives of various colleges are approaching us to get information of parents and students. They are also coming up with offers such as merit scholarships, free seats etc. But we are not entertaining them,” said K Krishnakumari, principal of Sarada School, Vijayawada.Meanwhile, the college PROs, who managed to get information of students and parents, call them up and try to convince them describing the ranks and other achievements of the college. Usually the process would start soon after the commencement of SSC examinations.
“My son is preparing for his SSC exams which would take place next month. But I am receiving 2-3 calls everyday from various private colleges asking me to join my son in their college. Not just the phone calls, people are visiting our house and trying to convince us with their college performance and achievements,” said V Chandrasekhar, a parent.Similarly, B Rajasekhar, another parent from Vijayawada, says that the colleges are attracting parents with discounts and other offers. “A person from a private college called me and said that their college is giving 30 per cent discount for one campus and 20 per cent discount in another campus,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Board of Intermediate Education officials are still busy with board exams and have no clue about this. On the condition of anonymity, a senior official from BIE said, “Right now, the practical examinations are going on across the State. The officials are busy with inspections and a few of them are busy with the arrangements for the main exams. As of now, we have not come across such incidents. We will look into the matter.”
BIE officials busy with exams
A senior BIE official said, “Right now, the practical exams are going on in the State. The officials are busy with inspections and some of them are busy with the arrangements for the main exams. We have not come across such incidents till now. We will look into the matter.”
