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| Friday, July 18, 2008
ECE remains first choice at the end of first
week of counselling
This is a clear change from last year
Chennai: Electronics and Communication Engineering has emerged
as the definite first choice at the end of the first week of
counselling for Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions, with 27 per
cent of students choosing the stream.
This is a clear change from last year, where Computer Science
was the course of choice.
Students and analysts have attributed the popularity of ECE
to its reputation as a course with prospects across software,
hardware and core engineering industries. Clearly, students
are unwilling to put all their eggs in one basket.
If ECE has grabbed 2655 students to top the subject preferences,
Computer Science has still come in at the second position this
year, with 1721 students. Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
another circuit branch stream with prospects in core engineering
as well, takes third place with 1220 students, pipping Mechanical
Engineering with its 1218 students.
The rise in the popularity of Mechanical Engineering is mainly
due to the Information Technology slowdown, says educational
consultant Jayaprakash Gandhi, who carried out an analysis of
the first week’s counselling data. “Mechanical is
an evergreen course, and if IT recovers, they will hire from
Mechanical streams also,” he says, pointing out that in
almost all the colleges preferred by students so far, Mechanical
seats were filled up well ahead of the Information Technology
branch.
IT has made it to fifth place, with 1067 students.
Rise in popularity
Civil Engineering, with 439 students, has seen a clear rise
in popularity from last year, reflecting the infrastructure
boom
“The difference in cut off between ECE and
Civil Engineering would normally be 4 to 5 marks. But this year,
it is only 2 to 3 marks in the top colleges,” says Mr.
Gandhi. There has also been a rise in girls choosing Mechanical
and Civil streams.
He says that students are showing a clear preference for quality
colleges in comparison to popular courses.
For example, the cut off marks for less known courses such as
Manufacturing, Material Science, Pharmaceutical and Geo Informatics
at the College of Engineering, Guindy, are higher than last
year. Despite the relative ignorance about these courses, students
have opted for the quality of the institution.
The trend is repeated at top aided colleges such as PSG Tech,
where cut-offs for Biomedical and Instrumentation & Control
courses have risen.
Students are going for the tried and tested option, says Mr.
Gandhi, pointing out that the six new government engineering
colleges have not been very popular. Even the popular ECE branch
has seats still remaining in the BC community quota.
Among the new self-financing colleges, those started by existing
groups such as RMK, Velammal and Panimalar have proved popular.
“Brand value has gained importance,” he says.
The Anna University brand has also worked. With the School of
Engineering, Bharathidasan University having been changed to
Anna University, Tiruchi, its cut-off marks have risen tremendously.
Change in name
Another change in name seems to have confused students. Many
are not aware that Electro Chemical Engineering option is no
longer being shown in the Anna University AC Tech window. Instead,
it has a separate window, named the Central Electro Chemical
Research Institute, Karaikudi.
While there were early fears among the BC Christian community
that they would be at a disadvantage due to the 3.5 per cent
quota introduced this year, the first week’s data shows
that it is not so, says Mr. Gandhi. “In all the colleges,
BC general seats were filled first, only then followed by BC
Christians and BC Muslims… BC Muslims had a clear advantage
of 1.5 marks in cut-offs,” he said.
Courtesy: The Hindu
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