Tamil Nadu

ECE remains first choice at the end of first week of counselling

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.

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.

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.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu