Baits aplenty at exam centres

NEW DELHI: For private institutes across the city which provide coaching for engineering and medical entrance exams it’s time for aggressive marketing.
Besides charging hefty sums from students, coaching centres have found a new venue for marketing dreams of ‘‘sure shot success’’ — schools acting as board examination centres.
Naive Class X students make for prime targets and Class XII engineering and medical aspirants are ‘‘natural’’ potential customers.Armed with brochures, banners and a host of incentive schemes, you’ll find the marketing wizards waiting outside most schools well before 1.30 pm, the time the exam gets over.
Here is how one coaching centre representative tried to convince this reporter outside Springdales (Dhaula Kuan) about his coaching package: ‘‘We are giving out a free booklet on tips for the Class X science and technology paper. All you have to do is give us details about your brother. Enrolling on the spot will also get you an attractive discount.’’
Principals admit the trend has become rampant this year.
‘‘We took down banners outside the school gate but they were back the next day. Some institutes even approached us asking for students’ addresses and phone numbers on the pretext of giving scholarships,’’ said principal of Modern School (Vasant Vihar), Goldy Malhotra.
‘‘Commercialisation of science education is becoming rampant. A number of institutes have been advertising and using direct marketing techniques outside the school,’’ said principal Summer Fields school, Rachna Pant.