‘Plan for common engineering entrance test put on hold’

State govts. have reservation: AICTE

A proposal to conduct a common entrance test for admission to engineering courses in the country on the lines of the NEET for medical courses has been put on hold, according to Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Addressing mediapersons here on Monday after participating in the graduation day ceremony at Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, he said given the apprehensions of various State governments regarding such an exam, the AICTE was not considering the move at present.

Therefore, there would be no all-India engineering entrance exam for 2018-19 and in all possibility for 2019-20 as well.

Nonetheless, he said, State governments should be happy to note that the entrance exam would not tinker with their admission or reservation process.

In fact, the exam would only open a window of opportunity to their students to gain admission into top institutions in other States.

Two programmes

The AICTE was at present engaged in rolling out a faculty induction programme and a students’ induction programme.

Terming the students programme “a game changer,” Mr. Sahasrabudhe said students who entered the first year, to bridge the socio-economic, cultural and linguistic differences among them, would undergo a four to six week programme by closely interacting with faculty on various topic excluding academics — like exercises, public speaking, discussing national issues, etc.

This was to help them think differently, understand the life’s larger picture and confident of facing the society.

The AICTE was also contemplating a faculty induction programme for new recruits. This was to help them gain and hone teaching skills as they don’t undergo any pedagogical training like school teachers do.

First, the AICTE would experiment the initiative in 50 autonomous institutions. In the course of time, it would extend it to middle-level faculty as well. But in the 50 institutions, it would begin in the ensuing academic year.

These were a few of the changes that AICTE was trying to bring about as it was looking at being more a facilitator than regulator.

Mr. Sahasrabudhe further said the council was also looking at hand-holding institutions so that they improved quality of education and their students got good education.

It would soon come out with a programme for helping such institutions.

At the same time, it planned to close down those institutions which for five consecutive academic years have failed to fill more than 30 per% of their sanctioned intake.

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