In this age of stiff competition among higher education institutions, some engineering colleges and deemed universities in the state are using innovative methods to attract students by sending them SMS and advertising with email service providers informing them about the infrastructure available in the college, apart from qualified faculty.

A self-financing engineering college on the outskirts of the city has sent an SMS to numerous students with the college’s code number allotted by the Anna University to be used for counselling for government quota seats with the message that the college has good infrastructure facilities and knowledgeable faculty.

The college has also sent its telephone number for students to contact the administration for more information.

Another private engineering college in the city has also followed the same pattern but without mentioning the telephone number or the address of the administrative office.

Some deemed universities in the state have advertised with famous email service providers hoping that youngsters might click on the link and browse the university website.

When asked to comment on the issue, an Anna University official said that the colleges were using SMS as a medium to publicise their college.