Credit: Special Arrangement
Nanjunda Prasad, a software developer from Bengaluru, has created an app that makes the process of applying to colleges faster and more efficient. Called Appli, it provides access to information about multiple Indian colleges and universities, including their courses, eligibility criteria, and application forms. It is free to use.
When it was launched in March, Appli featured 75 colleges, mostly from Bengaluru, with details about their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The number has now grown to over 100 institutions, including several outside the city. The app has also expanded to include pre-university college admission applications.
Prasad says the idea for Appli came when he was helping his daughter apply to colleges and realised how “fragmented” the process was. “We had to visit multiple colleges just to get their forms and fee details. And while some universities have this information online, it’s often not updated,” he says, adding that what used to take six weeks of research and travel can now be done in a day.
The app also simplifies the application process. Students create a single profile containing all the information colleges typically require. Appli integrates with DigiLocker through patented technology, securely retrieving the necessary documents depending on each college’s requirements. A convenience fee of Rs 25 is charged per application, in addition to the institution’s application fee.
Prasad says the platform reduces confusion and misinformation that often affects applicants, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 towns.
“Since students from smaller towns often have to move elsewhere for higher studies, an online platform like this improves access,” he explains, adding that they are improving visibility for students from different backgrounds.
He recalls how one student who wanted to study criminology assumed CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) was mandatory because it was mentioned on a college website. “She later found out it wasn’t needed,” he says.
In another instance, “four friends from Mandya used Appli to shortlist Bengaluru colleges that matched their budget and location.”
He says the platform also benefits universities by helping them reach a more diverse pool of applicants.
Prasad believes India already has world-class educational institutions; students just need clear, updated information in one place. “Our mission is to ensure no student feels the need to go abroad to study just because of a lack of information,” he says.
Free to download on both Android and iOS.