NIT Trichy emerges preferred destination

National Institute of Technology - Tiruchirappalli or Trichy has emerged the most preferred destination for the top 1,000 ranked students in AIEEE 2011. The AIEEE 2011 seat allotment based on online counselling conducted Central Counselling Board (CCB) AIEEE 2011 headquartered at National Institute of Technology - Karnataka went online at 9.15 pm on Friday, nearly 13-hours before the proposed deadline of 10 am on June 25.

G Srinikethan, coordinator, CCB told STOI that majority of students ranked in top 1,000 in AIEEE 2011 opted for NIT Trichy followed by NIT, Warangal and NITK, Surathkal. Electronics and communications followed by computer science and mechanical engineering too were the most preferred disciplines by top ranked students in these institutions. In fact, AIEEE 2011 sixth rank student has opted for computer science at NIT, Trichy.

An interesting facet that has emerged from the counselling, Srinikethan pointed out the fact that the AIEEE 2011 topper (first rank student) has not opted for the online counselling route at all. The student with rank two has been allotted mechanical engineering seat at NIT Trichy, which has also attracted 23 students with AIEEE all India ranks ranging from 6 to 775 opt for computer science and engineering course there. "Branches too matter now," he said.

With online counselling taking care of admissions to 30 NITs, 5 IIITs and 13 centrally/state funded institutions in the initial rounds, Srinikethan said a total of 115 seats in the above institutions were not allotted in the first round for want of choices and eligible candidates in that category. NIT Agartala itself accounts for majority of these 115 vacancies with 28 vacancies and vacancies among ST students account for 26 of them, he explained.

A majority of the seats in NITs, including 739 out of 740 at NIT-K have all been allotted. But it is early days, he said adding that a clear picture on how many of them would actually come and report would emerge at the end of reporting against the third round of allotment from July 14 to 17. The classes begin on July 21. Past record, Srinikethan said clearly indicate that only 60 per cent of students allotted the seats actually report to the respective centres.

Srinikethan said with reporting of students allotted in the first round commencing from June 26, the e-payment initiatives including the e-challan and electronic payment gateway have been a huge success. Students have opted for the e-challan and have also made payments at the branches of ICICI Bank and Corporation Bank, he said, adding that debit/credit card payments too have been used by the students to make their initial fee payment.