Latest trends in consulting agents for admission in various private colleges

Rubychand Longjam *

In this advancing era, we need proper consultancy for admission to various private colleges especially for Engineering and Medical course (including nursing and allied branches). And there are many consultancy services providers growing rapidly in every nook and corner of Manipur as it is one of the most profitable businesses though I do not directly get involved in this business, somehow I came know more about it from my acquaintance with some agents or brokers.

Every year lakhs of students of the state going outside states for higher studies may be due to the lack of proper infrastructures and college, or due to the internal conflict, bandh, blockades, strikes etc. Firstly, I would like to start with my personal experience, for my admission in Maharashtra for engineering course , which have no donation system, I consulted with the college authorities through a representative of the college directly , which was one of the college lectures. They were guiding me in good manner. And they didn't charge extra money from the student apart from the prerequisite tuition fees; hostel & mess fees.

But, when I shifted my college from Maharashtra to Karnataka, I consulted a Manipuri agent, they seems to be guiding in good manner in the beginning but when the semester exam was about to commence, college authorities didn't allow to collect my hall ticket informing me that the admission fees, which I had given was yet to be fully paid, only few amount were paid to the to the college account. And I needed to pay the remaining money again to college in order to get my hall ticket.

These agents or brokers charged a lot of extra money to their clients i.e. students, as per their personal rules and wishes. I am not telling that the entire groups of agents or consulting firms are cheaters but do not get trapped in their false advertisements in newspapers. Some people are running such kind of firms with the only motive of making money and not bothered about the consequences; this really affects the society which we are living today.

I can say that they are shameless people. In any case if you are consulting private agent for admission, don't give the full amount, or if there is installment basis that is much better, you can give up to say Rs. 10000, don't give higher amount than this though they insisted to pay or you can tell that the rest amount can be paid by yourself in college itself.

As for admission with donation they can take whatever they want, I think there should be some laws to tackle such exorbitant rates. It is much better if you have a chance to talk to a former student of the prospective college or to the college authorities directly.

One of the shocking stories that I have heard from a friend, was what had happened to his cousin sister. Actually the parent of the girl have paid Rs. 10 lakhs to get admission in the private medical college in Chitradurga, Karnataka but when they went to the college to study, college authorities told that there is no vacant seat and there is no such reservation under her name by any agents or representatives .

When they heard the news they instantly called to the agent but it the mobile phone was switch off and agent has been missing since. It is like destroying one's career. For the first timer, they should analyze carefully in order to avoid unwanted things to happen in future as there is an old proverb "look before you leap".

Don't believe blindly about the college in terms of infrastructure, faculty as you know "seeing is believing" so you can go directly to college to know the situation as it is going to save one's life. There are many students after studying one year, they leave the college as the faculty or infrastructures were poor.

Today is the world of internet; one can find more about various colleges like in www.careermanipur.com as this webpage is based on the commentsand forum of pass out students of various colleges. Please beware of false promises in print advertisement in various newspaper. Analyse before you get admitted to various colleges and save your child's career and be happy.