MBBS seats go for Rs 65 lakhs

Hyderabad

July 2: The private professional colleges are offering management quota seats at exorbitant rates flouting the government norms.
The engineering seats in top colleges are found to be offered for as much as Rs 12 lakh for electronics and communication engineering (ECE) branch and Rs 10 lakh for other branches, while the stipulated rate is Rs 92,500. Even the second-grade colleges are demanding anything between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for an engineering seat. The MBBS seat in management quota is “sold” at Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 65 lakhs.
Last year, 21 colleges were served show-cause notices by the government for irregularities in admission under the management quota. But it failed to take any action against any of the erring colleges and “approved” such admissions later.
The seats in Information Technology (IT) and computer science engineering (CSE) branches, which used to attract high price earlier, are now pushed to bottom apparently because of a slowdown in the IT sector.
While ECE branch has more enquiries, the civil and mechanical branches remain the next preferred choices. These seats are given away at a price of Rs 5 lakh.
Several students and parents crowded the education seminar held in Khairatabad this week in which colleges had set up their counselling stalls.
Though the fair was aimed at increasing awareness of students and parents on professional courses, it ended up as a “sales counter” for management quota seats. Some students and parents even made “advance bookings” for seats in top colleges by registering their names after paying some amount.
In the process, the managements made a mockery of the government order (Ms No. 61) issued last year on the directions of the AP High Court to ensure merit and transparency in admission under management quota.
As per norms, the colleges should also display application fees, address of place for obtaining application form in person or by post, date of publication of merit list of candidates who are offered seats and the duration for which it shall remain on display.