College managements go to students’ homes to clinch admissions

MANGALURU: Once results of SSLC and PUC exams were declared, students would rush to colleges for admission. Education Hub Dakshina Kannada, which has many good institutions, would attract students from all over the country. But, Covid-19 has changed things dramatically with admissions falling in some colleges. Now, if someone enquires about a course in a college, managements send representatives to the kids’s doorsteps to seal the deal.
There are around 200 PU and degree colleges each as well as many professional colleges which offer courses like nursing, fashion, physiotherapy, apart from engineering and medical courses.Many students from Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa and North-Eastern states prefer to study here.
Due to Covid-19, colleges are getting fewer admissions from these parts of the country. The chairman of a well-known institution, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Yes, this year we got fewer admissions, even though we’re known for quality education. No outstation students are joining because of uncertainty of government’s regulation and surging Covid-19 cases. So, when someone enquires about a course, we try and make sure he joins the college. We reach out to the family at home and convince the student to join us. We’re offering online classes also.”
A student residing at Deralakatte on the outskirts of city had enquired about a course in a city college and was in for a surprise the next day. Two representativs of the college reached his house, explained the various courses it offered, convinced him to choose a suitable course and even followed up by making sure he paid the admission fees online.
Rev. Fr. Praveen Martis, principal, St Aloysius College (autonomous), said, “Compared to previous years, we have received fewer applications from Kerala and North-Eastern states.”