Ire over applications rejected for engineering seats under sports quota
Chennai: Frustrated by rejection of their wards' applications for seats under sports quota, more than 50 parents and students protested by blocking entry of other students to the counselling hall in Anna University's Guindy campus on Friday.
There were 500 seats under sports quota and after certificate verification 1,188 students were called for counselling. But many students and parents alleged they were not informed about certificate verification process well in advance. Unlike last year, the certificate verification for sports quota was not publicised this year, they said.
Durai Pradeep from Vellore district, a hockey player, was in the team which came as runner-up in the state competition recently. His name was not on the rank list for sports persons as he did not attend certificate verification. “We have not received any intimation about certificate verification. We don't have internet access in our village. So, blaming us for not checking the website is unfair,” he said.
Udayakumar from Tirunelveli has got 280 marks in table tennis. His application was rejected as he did not participate in certificate verification. His father Sundararajan said they received an SMS on June 22 which said they had to appear for certificate verification on the same day.”It's not possible for us to travel from Tirunelveli to Chennai in a few hours,” he said.
Many students from government schools and sportspersons also were not selected as they sent their application by posts. For sports quota, the applications should be handed over only in person. Not aware of this condition, many students sent their applications by post and they were rejected.
Angered by this, parents protested at engineering counselling on Friday. They blocked the entrance by which other students were supposed to enter the counselling hall. After some time, police officers pacified the parents by arranging a meeting with officials.
At the meeting, officials asked students who sent their applications by post to leave the hall as the rules clearly asked them to submit it in person. Director of Technical Education S.Madhumathi said, “Some seven students and their parents said they have not received any communication from the engineering admissions committee. We asked the sms service providers to verify their claim. If it is true, the students will be allowed to participate in sports counselling.”
When asked whether the students who sent their applications by post would be considered in case of vacancies, she said it is not possible as per rules.
