Brand power draws students at engg counselling
Brand can do wonders not just for business houses but also for self-financing educational institutions. The power of a saleable brand was in ample evidence during the first phase of the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA 2009) single window counselling for filling up government quota BE / B.Tech seats, which ended on Wednesday.A scrutiny of the admission status so far in new self-financing engineering colleges that were established in 2008 and 2009 gives some interesting insight into the possible factors that influenced the choice of aspirants.
Brand and credibility have emerged as primary reasons for students joining some select infant' colleges. Private players who have been around in the field technical education for more than a decade or so with a reasonably good track record have managed to attract students in large numbers to their sister-institutions On the other hand, institutions that have been established by family members of six state ministers have failed to be a runaway hit with the student fraternity.
For instance, the RMK College of Engineering and Technology in Gummidipoondi that was established last year has been successful in filling up all seats in four courses in the Open Competition, Backward Community and Most Backward Community categories. Even in the BE Information Technology branch, which has been hard to sell this season, the students have lapped up all but seven seats in the SC/ST categories. The college is a sister-institution of the hugely in demand RMK Engineering College.
Likewise, in the Vel Tech College near Avadi established this year by the trustees of the Vel Tech group of institutions, seats have been filled up in all four courses except for a few vacancies in the SC/ST categories.A similar trend is seen in new colleges established or acquired over the last two years by the Jeppiaar group, Velammal, Sri Sai Ram, Rajalakshmi and Park group of institutions.
In contrast, student allotment has been rather slow in colleges established by trusts administered by family members of ministers. Only the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Institute of Technology owned by family members and associates of rural industries minister Pongalur Palanichamy and the Kingston Engineering College established by the Duraimurugan and Charitable Trust in Vellore have managed to attract 92 and 61 students respectively.Whereas, colleges established by relatives and associates of ministers in Villupuram, Salem, Trichy and Cuddalore districts (the last three this year) are yet to pick up despite these institutions marketing themselves in an education fair on the Anna University campus.
More than the politicians, the students appear to trust industrialists who have entered the technical education market. Colleges established by builders in Erode and a textile manufacturer in Coimbatore have had a good response from students.
Brand and credibility have emerged as primary reasons for students joining some select infant' colleges. Private players who have been around in the field technical education for more than a decade or so with a reasonably good track record have managed to attract students in large numbers to their sister-institutions On the other hand, institutions that have been established by family members of six state ministers have failed to be a runaway hit with the student fraternity.
For instance, the RMK College of Engineering and Technology in Gummidipoondi that was established last year has been successful in filling up all seats in four courses in the Open Competition, Backward Community and Most Backward Community categories. Even in the BE Information Technology branch, which has been hard to sell this season, the students have lapped up all but seven seats in the SC/ST categories. The college is a sister-institution of the hugely in demand RMK Engineering College.
Likewise, in the Vel Tech College near Avadi established this year by the trustees of the Vel Tech group of institutions, seats have been filled up in all four courses except for a few vacancies in the SC/ST categories.A similar trend is seen in new colleges established or acquired over the last two years by the Jeppiaar group, Velammal, Sri Sai Ram, Rajalakshmi and Park group of institutions.
In contrast, student allotment has been rather slow in colleges established by trusts administered by family members of ministers. Only the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Institute of Technology owned by family members and associates of rural industries minister Pongalur Palanichamy and the Kingston Engineering College established by the Duraimurugan and Charitable Trust in Vellore have managed to attract 92 and 61 students respectively.Whereas, colleges established by relatives and associates of ministers in Villupuram, Salem, Trichy and Cuddalore districts (the last three this year) are yet to pick up despite these institutions marketing themselves in an education fair on the Anna University campus.
More than the politicians, the students appear to trust industrialists who have entered the technical education market. Colleges established by builders in Erode and a textile manufacturer in Coimbatore have had a good response from students.
