Make the right choice

Updated on: Monday, July 26, 2010

Now that the EAMCET results have been declared, it's time to sit down and work on the web counselling process -- especially the ones who intend to pursue engineering study.

One of the crucial components in the web counselling process is the choice of options. There are about 675 engineering colleges in the State and about 2.5 lakhs seats are up for grabs, under different streams. About 3.2 lakh students have written the test, and approximately 2.6 lakh ranks have been declared.

In the web counselling process, students are given the choice of multiple options, both for colleges and groups. The options can range from just one college and one stream to 600 colleges and over 5,000 streams, considering the option of multiple streams in one college or number of colleges.

The multiple options create a tricky proposition and most of the students tend to get caught in a state of flux, while exercising the options. College or course (stream), which comes first, becomes an open ended question.
Important decision

This could also be the most important decision in one's life, as there is no turning back after joining a course or a college. The student has to decide -- whether to join a good college in any stream or a particular stream in any college. “For top rankers it's not a very difficult proposition, as he or she can easily choose the desired stream in their desired college. But for average farers, it is a tricky situation, as the option stops with the first allotment and there is no going back,” says V. Subrahmanyam Dutt, Principal of Govt. Institute of Chemical Engineering and nodal officer of the help line.

One has to take a decision considering the course, college and location.

Giving a few tips he says, “If one intends to study a specific course, irrespective of the location of the college, then the best thing would be to opt for the course in the best colleges to his or her understanding. If college is the deciding factor – then opt of the best college in the order of preference, opting for all courses in each of the colleges.”

Chairman of Raghu Engineering College K. Raghu points out, “It is good to be passionate about a particular course, but at the same time one should evaluate the college and then take the decision.”
How to evaluate

Do some homework by visiting a few websites and talking to a few seniors and friends about colleges in which you intend to take up the desired course.

Check whether the colleges and the courses offered are recognised by AICTE or graded by NAAC from their official websites.

Check into the details of infrastructure like library facility, lab facilities, classroom set-ups, recreation facilities and hostel facilities.

Teachers play an important role. Check into the faculty strength – their academic qualifications, research papers submitted and student-teacher ratio.

Do some legwork to find out about the discipline norms in the college and the placement record.

Critically assess and evaluate your strength and passion for subjects, before joining a particular stream.

Make the right choice

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