He was there to distribute a career guidance booklet printed by the Gujarat Pradesh Congress. But a minute into conversation and he says, “Sir, don’t worry if your ward has not performed well, I can arrange for a seat in any professional college in Karnataka for you. You show me the money and I’ll show you the way.”

The place was the Hall at the Sanskar Kendra in Paldi area of Ahmedabad, the designated venue for students to meet the press. The man assuring the parents of admission for their wards was Saurabh Mistry, General Secretary, National Students Union of India (NSUI), Ahmedabad City.

Mistry, when probed further, spoke about the craze among parents in Gujarat for Karnataka colleges, infamous for their ‘donation seats.’

He said, “Unlike the southern states, the proportion of management seats in Gujarat is very low. Majority of the admissions here are based on merit.” So, he is just helping to fill that vacuum, he said.

He further said that the ‘donation’ charged in Gujarat in the garb of management seats is almost double as compared to south.

“Becoming a doctor here will cost you Rs 50 lakh easily, while the same thing can be achieved in close to Rs 20 lakh in Bangalore. Similar is the case in engineering as well,” Mistry said.

He said he started this ‘business’ of sending students to Karnataka five years ago with one of his friend, Bharat Thakkar.

“Every year, we have been arranging around 80-100 seats for Gujarati students in Karnataka colleges. Last year, 60 students (from the state) enrolled in pharmacy and physiotherapy colleges besides 20 in engineering colleges over there,” said Mistry.

... contd.