Hyderabad: In a significant crackdown on irregularities, the Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) has issued notices to 30 engineering colleges for breaching admission norms under the management quota for the academic year 2024-25. These institutions have been found guilty of multiple infractions, including enrolling students prior to the official notification, ignoring merit-based admissions, and imposing exorbitant fees. The TGCHE's findings reveal that numerous private engineering colleges have flouted regulations governing admissions. According to the established guidelines, 70 percent of seats in private engineering colleges must be filled through the convener quota via TG EAPCET web-based counseling.
The remaining 30 percent are reserved for management quota admissions. However, many institutions have failed to adequately publicize the availability of management quota seats, as required by regulations that mandate advertisements in at least three leading newspapers. Further investigations uncovered that some colleges began admissions for the management quota as early as May 2024, well before the official notification was issued on July 31. This premature enrollment, along with the disregard for merit-based admissions, has raised significant concerns. The TGCHE guidelines stipulate that up to 15 percent of seats can be allocated to NRI candidates, and any vacant NRI quota seats must be filled with candidates who have qualified in JEE Main or TG EAPCET.
Additionally, if seats remain unfilled, candidates scoring at least 45 percent in Intermediate (40 percent for reserved categories) can be considered for admission based on merit. Regrettably, several colleges have overlooked these critical criteria, leading to widespread irregularities. In light of these violations, the TGCHE has decided to withhold the ratification of admissions for the implicated colleges. The Council has formally requested explanations from the management of these institutions, signaling a stringent approach to ensure compliance with admission regulations. As the educational landscape in Telangana grapples with these challenges, stakeholders are keenly observing the outcomes of this crackdown and the potential implications for future admissions in engineering colleges across the state.
