Date:08/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/08/stories/2006060821320400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Making the right choice in a `safe city'

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Most students say "I want to enter a good college." But what makes a particular college a "brand of choice" differs. Especially for the large number of students from other States

A student from the northeast says that Bangalore is a safe city and the standards in colleges are good. "We choose a recognised, reputed institution with good faculty and infrastructure," says Rahul from Pune. He considers taking a computer applications course here because of the proximity to the IT industry.

For some, only the college's reputation and name matters while others look at the list of courses available and their career prospects after getting that degree. Students who have scored well in 12th or equivalent apply confidently to the top colleges, while others admit to sending multiple applications in the hope at least one will "click" low grades or not.

Outside Karnataka, the Bangalore colleges best known are St Joseph's , Mount Carmel and Christ and for professional courses M.S. Ramaiah, St. John's Medical College and BMS. "We look through magazines that list the top colleges, others have asked friends and relatives who studied in Bangalore," a student from Patna says.

The most popular streams, outside of the professional courses, are science, computers and commerce. The standards here are considered high. Most students and even parents appear to prefer coeducational institutions. Aditya at Christ College says: "Choice of a college depends on the quality of the course offered and co-education is a must."

Payal from Maharashtra who is in media studies says: "If a college has a good name outside, the degree gives you an edge when it comes to placements. Companies prefer graduates from reputed colleges, especially those rated high in nationwide surveys."

Parents of most students from other parts of the country are wary about getting their children two-wheelers. Bangalore's reputation for chaotic traffic has travelled wide.