AICTE insists on new rule to sanction new courses

AICTE insists on new rule to sanction new courses

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.04.2021

Much to the chagrin of private engineering colleges who could not fill at least 50% of their seats last year, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has decided to contest a Madras high court order permitting such colleges to apply for new courses this year.

At least 258 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu were able to apply for new courses following an interim order of the high court.

However, AICTE has now clarified that it has not relaxed the minimum 50% admission norm, and that it would contest the interim orders of the high court.

"AICTE has allowed the colleges only to apply for new courses. We are contesting the interim order. The norm was introduced to improve the quality of engineering programmes," an AICTE official said.

It all began with the AICTE’s approval process handbook for 2021-22, where it had stated that new courses would be allowed only in case of more than 50% overall enrolment last year.

Assailing the new norms, Consortium of Self-Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges in Tamil Nadu moved the high court and obtained an interim stay against the regulation. The consortium also sent a representation to the AICTE to give relaxation based on the court order. Meanwhile, the court extended the interim stay till April 26.

Pursuant to the court order, AICTE allowed 258 engineering members of the consortium to apply for new courses on its web portal.

A representative from the consortium said more than 100 engineering colleges were interested to apply for new courses. "The council is not opening the portal for the colleges, which had already submitted their application, for approval. New courses will be the lifeline for the engineering courses which are facing the survival test," he said.

Colleges said students were not preferring traditional engineering courses like civil, electrical and electronics and mechanical engineering, resulting in poor admissions last year.

"We need to be allowed to start a new course in emerging areas, including artificial intelligence and data science, cyber security, among others. It would ensure the survival of these colleges," the representative said.