Hold on inter admissions leaves students, colleges confused

Hyderabad: Uncertainty over the timeline for the beginning of the admission process for intermediate has left colleges and students confused, while officials from the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) informally indicated that discussions around a possible merger of the SSC and BIE could be one of the reasons behind the hold-up.While there has been no official announcement from the government, an official from the TGBIE, on the condition of anonymity, said that they were asked to keep the admission schedule on hold, with indications that structural changes in the education system are being examined. "We were told to wait. There are talks, but nothing has been finalised yet. The changes are learnt to include integration of intermediate education into the school education system and the possible establishment of integrated campuses in select corridors," the official said.The uncertainty has begun to impact people on the ground. Manoj Kumar from Avinash College described the situation as "chaotic", with institutions unable to plan admissions or academic schedules. "We have started counselling, but yesterday's notification has suddenly put a halt on the admissions. There is just one month and students and parents are panicky, and moreover, clueless about their next step. We can't even give them a date," he said.Meanwhile, the Government Junior Lecturers' Association (GJLA) has opposed any move to merge intermediate education with the school system. Its president, Madhusudhan Reddy, claimed that such a move could affect students preparing for competitive exams like IIT-JEE and NEET, and increase dependence on private coaching institutes."With nearly 9 lakh students enrolling in private intermediate colleges every year, the sudden halt in the admission process has created confusion," said Satish Gouri, president of the Telangana Private Junior College Management Association.He highlighted the impact of this halt on the students. "Any major policy change, including a possible merger, should be discussed with stakeholders in advance. Taking decisions without consultation affects not just institutions but lakhs of students at a crucial stage," Gouri said.However, officials clarified that any such structural reform would require policy-level decisions and could take time before implementation.