‘Want a seat in a branch of your choice in the top ten colleges? We will help you .. ’ said the consultants and brokers. Some college owners have set up Public Relations Officers (PROs) to pursue the sale of more seats. Parents are scrambling as the seats run out. Although the Telangana Higher Education Council has repeatedly said that it will issue a notification and fill seats according to the rank, all the seats are being bargained at a crossroads. On the other hand some employers are also using students studying in their colleges. They are trying to seal the seat by sending it to the homes of EAMCET eligible students who know them.
The demand is being monetized
Some of the reputed colleges and other colleges are trying to cash demand of their college and demand for different branches in their colleges. Students, especially those who think that they do not get a seat in the Convenor quota, are taking the support of parents' concerns and luring them through such consultancies. Colleges are trying to make more money, especially under the NRI quota.
Exploitation under NRI quota
Nearly 27,000 engineering seats across the state are under the management quota. Of these, about 13,000 are general management quota seats and about 14,000 seats are under NRI quota. According to the rules, these seats are given to the children of expatriate Indians and their sponsors. Fees also have to be paid in dollars. In terms of Indian currency, it is around Rs. Rs 3.75 lakh. But colleges are charging around Rs 15 lakh depending on the demand. In support of this, the agents are trying to get seats under the NRI quota with the help of some colleges.
What is the role of agents ?
College administrative departments are in direct negotiations with parents who are expecting a management seat. PROs are driving the story. Care is being taken to keep parents' cell phones with staff outside at this time. Agents are in contact with the college staff who know the actual fee of that college. A higher rate than that is being told to the parents by the staff. Agents ask parents to meet the college administration and get a discounted price. Parents who think the price has gone down because of brokers and consultancies are paying them a commission. Some colleges, however, are negotiating directly through agents.
Artificial demand
This time new courses in engineering such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Science have been introduced. These were widely publicized. Students are also leaning towards these courses. This created a huge demand. Owners of private colleges are creating an artificial shortage. With the help of agents, these seats are sold to the students for a higher price.
Arun from Warangal got the rank of 16000 in EAMCET. His desire was to do a CSE at one of the top 10 Colleges. He receive a call from consultant sayin that it will be Rs 15 lakh to get a seat. Now, he is in dilemma if that's true.
Karthik from Nizamabad went for a data science seat in a top college in Hyderabad. Management said it would be difficult to get the seat. He came out rejecting the offer made by the management to take another branch. A man outside the college said he would negotiate to get the seat in the college. Later, as said he was confirmed a seat in the college after two days.
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