The Council requested the court to permit a second phase of counselling
Picture for representational purpose
Hyderabad: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant permission to the Andhra Pradesh Higher Education Council to conduct the second phase of counselling for Eamcet 2014.
The Council had moved an application before the apex court submitting that the first round of counselling was closed on August 31, as per the SC’s direction, and classes also commenced on September 1. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that as many as 65,000 seats in various engineering colleges were still vacant, and requested the court to permit a second phase of counselling.
A two-member Bench, comprising Justice Sud-hansu Jyoti Mukhopa-dhaya and Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant, made it clear that it will not allow the Council to hold a second phase of counselling.
About the delay in conducting the counselling, the Bench observed that it would not be proper for the Council to seek extension of time to complete the admission process. Referring to vacant seats, the Bench made it clear that the Council and other government agencies are responsible for it.
Justice Mukhopadhaya said that if they allow extension of time for counselling this time, where is the guarantee that the AP Council will not ask for extension again. The Bench directed the Council that the admission process should be completed as per schedule directed earlier by the apex court.
Confusion over management quota:
The Supreme Court’s insistence, that the admissions be completed by August 31, has put the management quota admissions in a quandary, since the final allotments and admissions haven’t been completed yet.
Senior officials say they will study the judgement before coming to a conclusion. If no further admissions are to be allowed, it could mean a serious error in judgement on part of the APSCHE and the Andhra Pradesh government.
However, the loss to students due to the absence of second phase of Eamcet counselling might not be great, as spot admissions will still be conducted. The apex court has refused permission to AP State Council of Higher Education to conduct the second phase Eamcet counselling. Though first phase of counselling was completed before August end, applications for management quota admissions are still being accepted online and in person by the APSCHE and many engineering colleges.
According to the guidelines prescribed by the two governments, interviews are to be held next week. But the apex court’s refusal to allow further admissions has raised questions whether these admissions will be against the court ruling.
APSCHE chairman Prof L. Venugopal Reddy said, “We will obey the Supreme Court judgement, but we have to study it further and take legal opinion regarding the management quota admissions.”
Senior officials from both states are confused about management quota admissions. Both governments feel that Thursday’s judgement will be a blow to students waiting for the second phase counselling.
According to sources, about 1.04 lakhs students reported at colleges while nearly 11,000 students, who were allotted colleges, did not report. With this, about 84,000 seats have been left vacant in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. TSCHE chairman Prof P. Papi Reddy blamed the AP government and APSCHE for this situation.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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