Degree admission process a headache

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The new online mechanism for degree admissions introduced by the Kerala University is turning out to be a headache for students, who blame the new system for causing much confusion. Under the new single window system, the students say they have to apply online as well as submit hard copies of the application form and self-attested copies of certificates in person at the university office. This, they say, consumes a lot of time and needless effort. On Tuesday, the Palayam campus of the university witnessed a heavy rush of students who queued up to submit the forms and copies of the certificates.  Students say that now they are forced to spend at least four or five days applying for admissions. The process goes somewhat like this. First the student has to download the challan from the university website. Then he/she has to visit the State Bank of Travancore (SBT) and remit the examination fee using the challan. After that, the student must register for admission online using the challan number. But the student must also submit, as in the past, a hard copy of the application form as well as self-attested copies of certificates to the Joint Registrar, Kerala University.   ‘’I started off this process five days ago and finished my online registration too. Then why should I submit everything again which I have already done online?’’ wondered a   applicant from Pappanamcode. But university officials denied any confusion in the system and said it, in fact, was a blessing. This system is an initiative by the university to help students to submit their application form at a single location whereby they can apply for different courses using a single form to all the colleges under the university. Officials in the online admission wing under the joint registrar attributed the problems to the students’ failure to follow instructions properly. ‘’Each and everything is there on the website, in English and Malayalam,’’ an official said.  The students are made to submit hard copies of the certificates so that they can be verified and compared with the online application for errors.