Kochi: 76 percent of the engineering seats in the self-financing colleges of Kerala are remaining vacant as per the media reports. This forms an opportunity for the candidates those who do not crack through the entrance examination in getting admission to these colleges.

The vacant seat has been categorized as NRI quota in order to grant admission for non-qualified students. Thus students are not required to score minimum marks in the entrance examination in order to get into the NRI quota apparently. Total marks for each paper in the entrance examination is 480 and atleast ten marks are required to be scored in each paper in order to get into the rank list.

The self-financing colleges assures to admit ever student those who have failed to get into the entrance rank list as per their advertisements. The college managements are even willing to admit those who have not secured even the minimum marks. The students would be granted spot admission via NRI quota. 15 percent seats are reserved for NRI quota, dependents of Indian-origin people, dependents of NRIs, children of Indian labours in GCC nations and other similar categories.

Good number of private engineering colleges are about to shut down due to the steep decrease in the number of students. 67 percent of government merit seats in the self-financing colleges were persisting vacant in the previous year have raised to 76 percent this year. The self-financing colleges would fail to function without 150 students in different branches. Around ten self-financing colleges sought permission to shut down colleges in the previous year where as some others sought permission to   change their permit to polytechnic and art science colleges.

The pass percentage of many colleges are less than 30 percent. Students those who have been granted admission without even securing the minimum marks would eventually discontinue their studies in midway. Some others are pretty uncertain about their future as they cannot pass the papers apparently.