Engg Seat booking before counselling?

Parents allege Massive Irregularities in Engineering Management Quota Admissions

metro india news I hyderabad

Allegations of large-scale sale of B.Tech management quota seats have surfaced across several engineering colleges in Telangana, with institutions reportedly collecting lakhs of rupees from parents even before the official admission schedule is announced. The demand for Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and allied branches has triggered a rush among parents seeking admissions for their children. Taking advantage of the demand, several private engineering colleges are allegedly offering management quota seats at rates ranging from Rs. 8 lakh to Rs. 45 lakh. 

This is happening despite the fact that the TG EAPCET counselling schedule has not yet been released and management quota admission notifications are yet to be issued. According to information gathered from students and parents, some colleges have already begun registering candidates and collecting advance payments. 

A reputed corporate engineering college in the Hyderabad region is reportedly charging as much as Rs. 45 lakh for a CSE seat. Sources claim that while Rs. 25 lakh is being collected as fee, another Rs. 20 lakh is being taken as donation. It is alleged that donations are collected without receipts and that parents are required to pay the amount upfront to reserve a seat. 

Parents say they are being left with little choice because of the intense competition for CSE seats. Some allege that when they seek information regarding faculty strength, placements or academic standards, they are simply told to either pay the amount demanded or look elsewhere. With the fear of missing out on admissions in reputed colleges, many families are reportedly agreeing to the terms. 

The rates vary from one institution to another. In top-tier colleges, management quota seats in CSE and related branches are reportedly being sold for anywhere between Rs. 20 lakh and Rs. 45 lakh. In other reputed institutions, the amount ranges between Rs. 8 lakh and Rs. 20 lakh, while colleges in the next tier are allegedly charging between Rs. 8 lakh and Rs. 12 lakh. In one instance, family members of a student who approached a college in the Greater Hyderabad region for a CSE seat were reportedly asked to pay Rs. 25 lakh.

 Similar complaints have emerged from several engineering colleges located in and around Hyderabad. Though parents and students have raised concerns about the practice, allegations persist that authorities have not taken effective action. As per regulations, engineering admissions should commence only after the issuance of official notifications. This applies to both convenor quota and management quota seats. 

At present, only the TG EAPCET results have been declared, while the counselling schedule is yet to be announced. Admission notifications for management quota seats have also not been issued. However, reports suggest that negotiations and seat bookings began soon after the declaration of TG EAPCET results. 

Critics allege that colleges are moving ahead with admissions well before the official process begins, raising concerns about transparency and compliance with regulations. Telangana has around 155 private engineering colleges offering nearly one lakh seats. Of these, 70 percent fall under the convenor quota and the remaining 30 percent are management quota seats. Though colleges can fill management quota seats, admissions are supposed to be made on the basis of merit, considering TG EAPCET ranks or Intermediate marks etc. 

The rules require colleges to publish notifications in three newspapers and provide details of management and NRI quota seats branch-wise. Institutions must also disclose application procedures, registration fees, tuition fees and admission deadlines. Lists of applicants and merit rankings are supposed to be displayed before seats are allotted. 

Student organisations have long demanded greater transparency in management quota admissions. They allege that many institutions are bypassing the prescribed process and treating seats as a commodity. With admissions season approaching, calls are growing for authorities to closely monitor management quota admissions and ensure that seats are allotted strictly according to merit and established norms.