For the first time ever, on November 26, the Tamil Nadu government has allowed another phase of counselling to fill 400 engineering seats that are left vacant on the four campuses of Anna University as the selected students opted for MBBS.
These seats remain vacant almost every year. The move comes with a hope to improve the varsity's rank in the National Institutional Ranking Framework. As one official from Anna University, told the Times of India, "The huge vacancies affected Anna University's NIRF ranking 2021, in which it slipped by four ranks in 'engineering' and 'university' categories compared to 2020. Now, the second phase (of counselling) will give an opportunity to meritorious students to study at the university's four campuses. It will improve the university's ranking and rating points in NAAC accreditation."
The Higher Education Secretary D Karthikeyan, in the order permitting the second phase of counselling, said, "This second phase of counselling can be done after giving a reasonable time to pool vacancies in colleges."
The government has asked the Director of Technical Education to conduct second phase counselling for students already registered and admitted to fill these vacancies and to conduct subsequent phases of counselling if the need arises.
Two rounds likely
Sources told TOI that the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions committee is likely to conduct at least two rounds during the second phase, first to fill the existing vacancies and the second round to fill new vacancies. As per AICTE's revised academic calendar, the last date to admit new students is November 30. "Those who have already registered and enrolled alone will participate in the second phase counselling. So, the last date won't apply to this counselling," the daily quoted its source in the Higher Education Department. Out of the 95,000 students who got allotment in Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions, 2021, counselling, around 10,000 have not joined the colleges, the source added.
Mixed reactions from college authorities
Top colleges said it's a good move as they would get a larger pool of candidates to fill vacancies. VE Annamalai, principal of SSN College of Engineering in Chennai, reportedly said, "As per the usual practice, the self-financing colleges were allowed to fill lapsed seats from their applicants. In this second phase of counselling, top colleges may get better candidates from the larger pool."
Meanwhile, engineering colleges are worried that internal counselling will leave more vacant seats in tier-2 and tier-3 colleges. P Selvaraj, secretary, Consortium of Self-Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges in Tamil Nadu, reportedly said, "If the second phase counselling allows fresh students also to apply, it would boost the admissions. Giving upward movement will affect even top colleges as students will prefer government institutions over private colleges. Tier-2 and tier-3 colleges may have more vacancies as students want to move to tier-1 colleges."
