Single-window system ensures transparency in admissions

CHENNAI: For the first time, the State government has decided to introduce a full-fledged single window system for students who want to pursue higher education in the State-owned and aided Arts and Science colleges.

At present, the single window system is followed for the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admission (TNEA) for the Class 12 engineering aspirants by the Directorate of Technical Education (DOTE).

Accordingly, all activities related to admission such as registration of applications, uploading of certificates, certificate verification, assigning random numbers to the registered students, release of rank list, counselling for students, and publication of provisional allotment were conducted through the online mode.

However, the process of admissions to the Government Arts and Science colleges is different.

Though the admissions were done online from 2020-2021 through a single window system, students’ enrolment were conducted physically. The decision by the Directorate of Collegiate Education, which controls Arts and Science colleges in the State, to introduce a single window system comes against the backdrop of several complaints about irregularities in the admission process especially in the government-aided colleges.

At present, 161 Government Arts and Science colleges are functioning in the State; additionally, around 160 government-aided colleges are catering to more than two lakh students every year.

A senior official from the Higher Education Department elaborated, “The single window system will not only ensure transparency but also enable students to join a college anywhere in the State with a single application. They will also have the choice of selecting 5 colleges in one application.”

He added that the single window system would also ensure the reservation policies of the State and the Union government for sports, persons with disability, ex-servicemen and communal reservation as well.

“The State also extends a complete fee waiver for first generation graduates and to students admitted under the single window counselling,” the official averred. “Students can use their smartphones to submit their applications and also track it online – from registration to seat allotment information.”

The official pointed out that an expert committee comprising authorities and college principals had already submitted its report.

“After verifying the report, a comprehensive software would be developed connecting both Government and aided Arts and Science colleges for the single window system, which is expected to be implemented in the coming academic year,” he stated.

B Manikandan, senior member of TN Faculty Welfare Association, said, “The single window system was not implemented in Arts and Science colleges for so long because these institutions do not have good computer labs and other related infrastructure facilities on par with the engineering colleges. However, now all these colleges have proper internet facilities. It’s high time the single window system was implemented, at least from the coming academic year. It would certainly help to pay uniform fees to all students.”

Pointing out that the aided Arts and Science colleges will have to surrender above 80% of government quota seats, he said: “These seats were filed by these colleges itself, which had created suspicion to the higher authorities. Such problems will be resolved, as a single window system will ensure transparency in every step of the admission process. It can also put an end to the demand on capitation fees by the colleges.”

Supporting the initiative to admit students in the Arts and Science colleges through the single window system, the Association of University Teachers (AUT), P Saravanan, general secretary, opined: “The government action to introduce the system needs legal justification. So, a committee should be formed to prove the rules and regulations of the government.”

Suggesting for effective implementation, he said the university’s jurisdiction should be formed as a general criteria and as such, at 11 places, wherever the State universities are, students’ admissions should be held. “The State government should conduct the examinations and publication of results of all the State universities may be given. Fee structure of the Arts and Science colleges must be reviewed by the committee,” he added.