This post is again part of the college bashing series of posts The state of higher education in India and Choosing Engineering – The things to do and mistakes not to make.

We will take a look at some of the many things that these private colleges do to earn/keep/rob more money. The idealistic student and teacher relationships as were described in some of our mythology are very hard to see these days, the private colleges are nowhere close to that and some of their practices are downright unethical.

So here is the list.

1. Non-transparent fee structure:

You can call it ignorance on our(us the students and our parents) part. But the college fees were being paid and in return we used to get provisional receipts which simply had something like this :

Although this slip is one notch better, the slip that I had didn’t even had items 1 to 9 it just had “fees” written on it and the amount, there was no breakdown of the fee structure.

I got to know about my ignorance, when somebody noticed a fee structure slip with one of the students who had applied for a student loan and to our amazement we saw that in the next year as well they had added the “security” fee. From what we all had known that security fee is something that is collected only once and is returned back when you leave the college.

We even brought this to the light of the principal/director but he knew of it before hand and made some of the most absurd reasons that anyone can give. I am quoting him “Arey beta, we prepare this specially for the students who take loan, sometimes the students even ask us that they need a motorcycle/motorbike, so we add some items so they get a bigger loan amount”.

Ok, even if I buy this argument,  then why that guy had the same fee as I had? Why am I paying for that extra item?. Finally nothing was done about it. No one wanted to mess with the director, it might cost them there “dream of becoming an engineer”(sic).

2. Not returning the security money

Now this was the height, after end of four years, when it was finally the time to say goodbye to the college, I was hoping that the security refund would become the reason for some much needed bliss.

But how did I dare to even think like that! The authorized person said that “The security fee that was collected is non refundable”. Then why in the world is it called security fee!

So basically 2000 x 4 = 8000rs, robbed in style!

3. Fake advertisements.

Ok I do not say that advertising is bad. If you are doing good, people need to know about you and be blessed using your services(some sarcasm here).

You might have seen some of the advertisements of these colleges, they portray to be the dreamland that is the answer to everything that you wanted from life.

But it isn’t, they will show you world class facilities, great teachers and brilliant students. The reality is far from that.

I myself have been a witness of such an advertisement in my college, there were proper dress rehearsals, make ups and what not.

 

4. Fake statistics and information.

The institute was ISO-2008 certified! Now you know why they want the money, because money can buy them:

1. An AICTE(the body looking after technical education) approval.
2. A university accreditation
3. Such ISO certificates.
4. Buy newspaper articles.

The college didn’t have even decent labs and workshops and see how they are misleading the parents and children.

No good companies visit these colleges and whatever they somehow manage to bring to the college, never hire more than 1 or 2 students. That too at a very low annual package.

But when you will read the next day newspaper it will say.

“Many companies visit the Lootera Engineering College for its placement drive”

——> How did 1 company become many companies and when do you call such a thing as “placement drive”!

“50 students were placed at an average package of 4-5 lacs”

——-> 4-5lacs! with that sort of amount the entire batch could have been hired for an entire year.

 

Evaluation and Conclusion:

Most the things that happened I guess were mainly due to my schooling. Yes my schooling. My school authorities were extremely honest. They never expected any extra money from us. I had a very high trust in their system.

They were impartial, accurate and knew their purpose was to impart great education  and they succeeded in that.

I had this same trust on the college but year after year they did things, that make you think.

“What have I done to myself! Why this???”

Please don’t do this to yourself. Be careful with the choice you are going to make.