Anna univ can’t have 2 M Tech courses this year, AICTE tells HC

Anna univ can’t have 2 M Tech courses this year, AICTE tells HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:13.02.2021 

The two Centresponsored M Tech courses for which admissions were cancelled by Anna University over quota-related controversy cannot be offered this year as the cut-off date set by the Supreme Court is over, AICTE told the Madras high court on Friday.

The deadline for completing admissions to M Tech biotechnology and M Tech computational biology courses expired on December 31, 2020, AICTE told the court, adding: “It is practically impossible to commence the courses this academic year.”

The All India Council of Technical Education’s submission has come after Tamil Nadu government mooted creation of nine more supernumerary seats to offset the difference between Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation policy, and the Centre’s 49.5% ceiling. Tamil Nadu, however, said it would not be able to offer ₹12,000 to ₹12,500 monthly stipend to these nine students.

The case relates to a petition filed by an M Tech aspirant who wanted admissions to the course to be resumed this year.

It all started when Anna University made an announcement that it was constrained to cancel admission for the two sponsored courses as the Centre was insisting on following its 49.5% reservation policy.

On Friday, when the plea came up for further hearing, Justice P Pugalendhi wondered whether approval of AICTE is required since the courses were not technical/ engineering. To this, counsel for the Centre said no other authority has powers to approve the courses except the AICTE.

Recording the submissions, the court suggested that either the state or the university could approach the apex court and seek extension. “Since both the university and state are willing to conduct the courses one of you can approach the Supreme Court for remedy,” the judge suggested.

There are about 45 sponsored seats in these two MTech courses, and till last year the Centre used to directly fill them. This year, however, the admission job was handed over to the university.

The Madras high court suggested that since Anna University and the state are willing to conduct the M Tech courses one of them can approach the Supreme Court for remedy