3,360 Additional Engg Seats in TN

CHENNAI: This academic year, the government has approved 3,360 additional seats in the government colleges affiliated to Anna University. This
will include 1,200 admissions in the five government engineering colleges to be opened this academic year. Compared to last year, the number of days for counselling has been reduced by 15 days.

Anna University, Chennai, will publish the engineering rank list on June 25 and counselling for admissions to engineering colleges through the single window system will be held from July 5 to August 16.

Higher education minister K Ponmudy told the Secretariat on Tuesday that the government was firm in its opinion that there should not be any hike in the fee structure for engineering courses this year. The (Justice N V Balasubramanian) committee on fee fixation is holding discussions with managements, he said, emphasising that only the committee would fix the fee.

To curb the practice of capitation fees, the government will set up a committee of students, activists and technical staff to supervise the admission process. On the need to include private (deemed) universities under the single window system, the minister said the government would write to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to bring private universities and self-financing engineering colleges under the system.

Stating that there were 354 engineering colleges in the state, he said Anna University, Chennai, had listed 31 colleges affiliated to it as understaffed in the website. Anna Universities in Coimbatore, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli will also come out with a list of colleges whi are lacking infrastructure and staff strength.

Like last year, students travelling in government buses to Chennai for the centralised counselling will have concessions. Students will have the option of paying the fee directly in the colleges or through select nationalised banks, Ponmudy said.

The government has opened over a dozen arts and science colleges heeding the requests of legislators and about five colleges could be opened this academic year. Besides, the state will open one college each in the backward districts with full funding from the Centre. After the shift system was introduced in arts colleges, more students were enrolling in higher education, he said.