Paper Verification on Wet Note - Vishakapatnam

Marking the commencement of web counselling process under the EAMCET-2015, the certificate verification of students seeking admissions into various engineering colleges commenced at 34 centres across 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh on Friday. HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao formally launched the certificate verification process at the Government Institute of Chemical Engineering in Kancharapalem in Visakhapatnam.

Indicating the sad state of affairs at the counselling centres, a heavy downpour in the city led to overflowing of rainwater at the entrance of counselling centre at Government Institute of Chemical Engineering in Visakhapatnam forcing the candidates and their parents to wade through the water to reach the counselling hall. Taking serious view of the lack of proper amenities, the HRD minister directed the authorities to shift the certificate verification and web counselling from the Government Institute of Chemical Engineering to Andhra University Platinum Jubilee Guest House from Saturday. A web counselling centre is already functioning at the Andhra University College of Engineering.

On the occasion, Srinivasa Rao told newsmen that due to the seizure of the Sanketika Bhavan in Hyderabad by the Telangana government, the Andhra Pradesh government had to carry out the web counselling process with the minimum infrastructure available in the state. He said that the government would approach the court against the Telangana government which violated the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act to share the assets in 52:48 ratio. He appreciated the government staff for conducting the counselling as per the schedule announced earlier.

The minister said that the state government was taking all measures to maintain quality in engineering education as part of the government’s efforts to make Andhra Pradesh as an education hub. The state government has ordered for closure of five engineering colleges and also reduced the total number of engineering seats by 6,000 from the existing engineering colleges, due to lack of proper facilities. “Andhra University and JNTUs at Kakinada and Anantapur were asked to verify the infrastructure and other facilities at engineering colleges in the state, based on which the decision for cancellation of seats was taken,” he said. A committee would also be constituted for the grading of engineering colleges from next academic year.

Meanwhile, the first day of the engineering counselling turned out to be anxious for students and their parents who thronged the counselling centres across the state. They waited for their turn in serpentine queues to get the certificates verified which was conducted smoothly for students ranked up to 15,000. No untoward incidents except for a brief disruption by student unions at Tirupati were reported in the state. Later, the officials intervened and convinced the agitating students to leave the premises.

Officials made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the certificate verification process which was conducted in three stages. The students were allowed into the counselling centres and were made to sit based on their ranks, followed by certificate verification by the officers concerned. The certificates of students from SC/ST and BC were also verified. Candidates under special categories like physically handicapped, and children of armed personnel, had to get their certificates verified only in Vijayawada.

 

 

Source: The New Indian Express, 13th June 2015