Hyderabad: Given the cut-throat competition in education market, the private educational institutions are adopting modern methods of marketing to stay ahead in the race seriously compromising on the education system.

The Annual schedule for junior colleges are yet to be released by the state boards of intermediate education. Hence the private colleges have already plunged into action to make best use of  time.

The door-to-door campaign and advertisements through television and newspaper has been a traditional practise.

“Representatives of private college did turn up at our home and offered 35 per cent fee concession if we register to enrol our son in their college,” said N. Ramchander Rao, a parent.

However the colleges are also opting for the more conventional practices. “Professional approach in marketing makes a big difference. Realising this, the private institutions are hiring marketing experts particularly during the admission the periods,” says N. Venugopal, the marketing lead for a large educational group of institution in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. 

While colleges of certain educational groups have established high schools  ensuring admissions, others tie up with individual schools.

These colleges then tap the details of students completing their tenth exams, including SSC, CBSE and ICSE. This way they access contact details of students and parents.

To reach their target audience, marketing teams of these colleges make calls, send SMS and also reach out to individual student or their parent and convince them to enrol in their colleges.

Jasleen Kaur, a parent said, “We have received number of calls and messages from private colleges to ensure that my daughter will confirm her admission to their college post her SSC exams. They assured concession in fee structure and free transportation facility.” 

A principle (administration) of a college, who sought anonymity, said, “We are connected to schools from where we get to know about probable school toppers. Moreover, we are under pressure to bring in the maximum number of students, so that the rival colleges don’t take away these students.”  The fair idea about the probable toppers makes the marketing teams to constantly persuade the students to take up admissions in their college. This will help in building the repute of the college.

 The hunt for toppers and offering them incentives and concessions doesn’t promote admissions on the basis of Merit.  This will set an unhealthy pattern and trend in our education system.