The process of filing online applications to get seats in schools and colleges is quite a breezy process for the urban students and parents. But, the students from rural areas find it difficult as they do not have email IDs, bank accounts or ATM cards, to continue with the registration process. Like colleges, now aided and self-financing schools have also started receiving applications online, by filling in particulars through the web portal. One of the mandatory details that students need to enter is the mail id to receive further communication related to admissions.
As many parents are not used to the digital world, it is apparent that the first-time graduates from the families often face trouble when it coames to online usage. Mostly, the students are asked to create a mail id to continue the registration process.
Teachers appointed for the admission process say that the students have no knowledge about the email IDs, which is now common for urban children to log in to any social media websites. Even worse is the scenario when the accompanying parents do not have an ATM card for a swift money transaction to confirm registration, they added.
K Uduman Ali, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Asiriyar Munnetra Sangam said, “Government schools do guide the parents and students as far as possible in the admission process. The problem is found in some aided and self-financing schools that mandate online admissions. The online admission process has many demerits too.” There is no helpdesk facilitated at the schools, and the rural students and parents are finding it tough to complete the process, without any help, he added.
Compared to schools, the colleges in Tiruchy district, even though process admissions through online platforms, are equipped with a user-friendly helpdesk, just in case anyone trying for admissions needs some clarifications or help. A separate room with computers has been set up in Arts and Science colleges and Engineering Colleges to help students to create fresh mail ids and to proceed with the registration.
R Sridar, Dean, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute said, "We have recently hosted an open-day outside the college to attract rural students. To our surprise, over 50 students along with their parents visited the event and sought help to apply for admissions. Many students from distant locations seek help from the college authorities to create new mail ids."
The college in Navalur Kuttappattu also has a Horticultural College And Research Institute for Women, in the same campus, offering BSc Honours Agriculture, BSc Honours Horticulture, and Master programmes. The University College of Engineering in BIT Campus has a separate hall where Class XII passed-out students can get full-fledged help through the process of admissions.
