Karnataka: Parents scramble to ‘reserve’ PU seats amid delayed CBSE/ICSE results

Many parents remain unaware of this rule or say colleges are inconsistent with keeping some seats free until results of all boards are out

Anxious that their children might not secure admissions in known PU colleges, parents of CBSE and ICSE students are flocking to colleges to ‘reserve’ or block seats, sometimes paying fees in multiple colleges.

“Class 10 results have not yet been announced for CBSE and ICSE. I was afraid that seats will get filled fast since the state board class 10 results have been announced,” said Sundar P (name changed), a parent.

Sundar panicked after several colleges announced that they would be commencing classes for I PU soon.

He paid full fees in one college and blocked a seat by paying admission fees in another college. “How can I let my daughter fall behind?,” he said. His fears are not unfounded.

Parents say several colleges have closed admissions after SSLC results were announced, despite the fact that they are mandated to reserve 5% of seats for students of CBSE, ICSE and other central boards.

Many parents remain unaware of this rule or say colleges are inconsistent with keeping some seats free until the results of all boards are out.

To stay on the safer side, many students and parents seek advanced admissions, based on first-term exam marks or marks in preparatory exams.

While some colleges want admission fees paid, others seek the tuition fees in full to guarantee the seat.

Some return the amount paid after deducting administrative fees if the seat is surrendered later, while others consider it a ‘donation’ to the college. Sushma S N (name changed), a parent, says the admission process was not over in one particular college, “but I was assured a seat for my daughter.”

B N Yogananda, general secretary of the RTE parents’ association, said as long as exam results come out at different times, colleges will take advantage of the situation. “A day may come when there are brokers for college admissions,” he says.

The only solution is to ensure that the results of all board exams are announced in the same week.

Shivashankar (name changed), a CBSE student awaiting results, says tuition fees vary according to marks.

“According to marks scored in the first term, colleges estimate what range your percentage will be. If you fail to get above 80%, they will charge 10,000 more,” he said.

Since all PU colleges are monitored by the state pre-university board, educationist Niranjan Aradhya says the practice continues right under the nose of the authorities.

“This system of varying the fees according to marks is discriminatory. This sort of indiscipline should be addressed quickly,” he says.