Pvt colleges drive into Central College to woo students

Eight vehicles belonging to private colleges entered the Central College campus during BCU’s centralised postgraduate counselling on Monday, advertising their courses in clear violation of rules. 

The vehicles — sporting banners of the respective college and giving details of the courses on offer — vied with each to draw students. College representatives were seen distributing pamphlets and brochures to students. Sathyapriya, who wants to admit his daughter to a commerce course, told DH: “College representatives took the students into the vehicles. It was literally a hijack. I don’t know what BCU officials are doing. This is happening very much inside their campus. How can this happen without the permission of senior officials?” 

BCU Registrar M Ramachandra Gowda ordered home guards to evict the vehicles. But a representative of the Indian Academy Group of Institutions refused to move out, saying they had taken permission from the vice-chancellor. He even got into a heated argument with the reporter of a Kannada channel that tried to film the incident. 

V-C, S Japhet, denied giving permission to any institution. “I asked these colleges to do their business outside. But I had to go out for a meeting. They somehow managed to drive in by taking advantage of my absence. From tomorrow onwards, I will make sure no vehicle of any private college comes in. I will also take action against the person who misused my name.”