Beware of Fake Institutes

Fake institutes are taking innocent students for a ride by making tall claims and false promises. Find out about the recognition of your institute before admission

The moot question that a student faces after deciding a field of study is the selection of college or institute. And it is a known fact that government institutes in India are not able to meet the growing demand for professional education. To fulfil the gap between demand and supply, many corporate houses have come up with their own institutes which claim to impart industry-oriented training to students. Most of these courses do land you a job but the problem is that these courses might not be recognised by the government and the diploma offered by them may not be accepted by other companies even in the same industry. So how wise is it to choose a professional course that promises a job but snatches the opportunity to study further? Most of the time, students are not even aware of the acceptability of their course and feel duped when they do not even get a job on completion of the course. The fee, in most of such institutes, is higher than what one would probably earn in two years after getting the promised job!

Media

A case in point is of the media institutes. Most of the prominent media houses, with interests in both print and broadcast, have started their own institutes which claim to provide hands-on training to the students. But if one asks these institutes about the recognition of the course, then they talk about the brand value of the media house backing the institute. Similarly, one can see courses in marketing and other aspects of management being offered that are neither recognised by AICTE nor by any industry organisation.

Solution

So, what exactly is the solution when all the institutes are hell bent on digging a hole in your pocket without really giving you the education or skill that you are looking for?  Renowned career counsellor Pervin Malhotra had a simple piece of advice to those who are thinking of joining a professional course, “Check with relevant authorities if the Institute and your course, in particular, is approved by UGC, AICTE or any other concerned authority.”
But as stated above, there are also many expensive professional courses that are being run without any claim of approval from the government or the industry and still bright students compete to get seats in such courses. Pervin Malhotra has a word of caution for such students. “It is a question of your future,” she says, further adding “You invest a lot of time, energy and money in a course of study. So don’t fall prey to fake claims of any institute and don’t become a guinea pig.”

Points to ponder

Following are the points you should keep in mind before deciding to join an institute:

1. Never join a new institute. Go in only for the one that has an excellent record of at least 5 years. It is also advisable to simultaneously get enrolled in a recognised correspondence course.
2. Check the track record of the institute.
3. If it is a well established institute, find out for how long has it been running the course you wish to pursue.
4. Find out about the placement record of the institute. Check the claims of the institute by getting in touch with the alumni and the organisations that have employed them.
5. Talk to the faculty. Most institutes do not have full time faculty or those employed as teachers are ‘briefcase professors’ who are either too old or incompetent. Professionals listed as faculty members hardly have time to take classes as they are usually too busy with their own assignments.

It is extremely important to check the cost efficiency of the course. If you are shelling out 2 lakhs as the course fee but end up getting a job with a monthly salary of 5,000 rupees, then it will take you years to recover the cost of your course. Also, you will have no choice for higher studies in future as the diploma is not recognised.

It is true that industries like media, animation, fashion designing, event management and marketing management require skills more than degrees. But it is equally important to get in a reputed institute to make your chances of success brighter. And those students who are aspiring to get into the aviation industry or para medics, it is advised that you check the authenticity of your institute before getting enrolled as many fake institutes are running courses that ultimately leave the students in a state of distress. As our career counsellor Pervin Malhotra rightly pointed out, “better be safe than sorry.”