It's nearly housefull at six city engineering colleges

COIMBATORE: At least six city colleges are close to filling all seats as the third day of engineering counseling came to a close on Wednesday. The trend saw a new turn, when three of the top ten students in the rank list chose a college in Coimbatore over Anna University, Chennai.
A self-financing college of a well-known educational trust that was approved by the All India Council for Technical Education was close to being filled even on the second day."It is not new that Coimbatore has been a preferred destination for students when it comes to engineering. The reputation of some engineering colleges draws students from every part of the state to Coimbatore," the principal of one of the six engineering colleges said.
Many academics feel that the industry base that the city offers adds to the advantage of engineering colleges. "The interaction between industry and institute is imperative for students to develop their skills. The market demands industry-ready candidates and since Coimbatore has a well established industry, students do not think twice before choosing a college in Coimbatore," a mechanical engineering professor said.
Of the six city institutes, one is a government college, two are government aided and three self-financing colleges. Most branches had no seats available in the open category. While some reservation seats were still vacant, professors feel that they would easily be filled. "Each college has an image based on academic performance and placement records," said the principal of one self-financing college. "Students look at these records before choosing their college. Also, word of mouth from the alumni makes a difference," said the mechanical engineering professor.
Some academics feel there is a brand image among students. "A student feels proud when he is associated with the name of a renowned institute in the state. It is a different feeling altogether," said a student who chose electrical and electronics engineering in one of the two government aided colleges in the city.
Some students said that the fee is also important. "I studied in a government school and my parents cannot afford the fees of a self-financing college. So, government and government-aided colleges were my first preference," said a student who chose a government aided college in the city.