Coimbatore: Vazhikatti- a guidance programme aimed at clarifying doubts related to the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) counselling process was organised by Dinamalar newspaper in association with Rajalakshmi Institute of Technology, drawing enthusiastic participation from students and parents.

The programme, titled Tamil Nadu Engineering Counselling Guide, was held at the Corporation Kalaiarangam in R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, with Karpagam Institutions as co-sponsor.

The event was inaugurated by Rajalakshmi Institute of Technology Principal Maheswari, Karpagam Institutions Dean Balaji, Public Relations Officer Adhi Pandian, education consultant Jayaprakash Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions Secretary Purushothaman.

Addressing the gathering, Maheswari said students, irrespective of the engineering discipline they choose, should acquire modern technological skills in addition to fundamental engineering knowledge. She highlighted emerging opportunities in sectors such as Semiconductor industry, defence, green and clean energy, cloud computing, space technology, robotics and automation.

Dean Balaji advised students not to rely solely on the opinions of friends and relatives while selecting courses. Instead, they should consider their interests, abilities and future industry prospects and choose institutions that enhance employability and provide quality career opportunities.

Experts at the programme provided detailed guidance on the entire TNEA process, from online application registration to final college admission. They also explained how students could select colleges based on their cut-off marks, understand emerging industry trends and identify courses with strong employment prospects.

Participants said the programme helped clear several doubts regarding counselling procedures.

Nikita Sri said she had been uncertain about the admission process despite applying for engineering courses and that the session's explanation of the official TNEA portal, TNEA Online Portal, had clarified the counselling and admission procedures.

Preethi said she gained direct insights from experts about employment and higher education opportunities in the field of Fashion Technology and also learned how to select colleges and courses suited to her cut-off score.

Bhuvaneswari, a parent, said the programme offered valuable information on choosing suitable colleges and courses and understanding changing industry requirements and skill demands.

Nisar Ahmed of Kuniyamuthur said the expert guidance provided at the event was more useful than information available on websites and social media and helped him understand the importance of exercising caution while filling counselling choices.