HYDERABAD:Thousands of AP students every year opt for colleges outside Hyderabad which include Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation, Vellore Institute of Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Karunya Institute of Science and Technology .

“We have no objection if the government provides scholarships to AP students to pursue engineer ing courses in IITs, NITs, BITs etc. But under the guise of these institutions, several unworthy private and deemed universities are lobbying with the government to secure a place in the list of prestigious institutions which will enable them to attract more AP students,“ said Dr P.Rajeshwar Reddy, general secretary of Consortium of Engineering Colleges M a n a g e m e n t s Association-AP.

The institutions from neighbouring states conduct entrance examina tions by setting up centres in Andhra Pradesh and admissions are given based on these examina tions.

The fee structure is comparatively higher in these institutions and students have to bear the entire expenditure on their own . since they are not eligible l for scholarships provided by the state government.

As a result students from financially weaker sec tions cannot afford to take admission in these institutes.