AICTE seeks DTE’s suggestions on approval for new institutes

Council has sought recommendations from other states tooas it plans to improve the system of approval process for academic year 2016-2017.

THE Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), which has been witnessing large-scale vacancies in engineering and management programmes for the last several years, will now get a chance to give its recommendations on approval to new institutes. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has sought suggestions on changes proposed to be made in the approval process to improve the system.

According to a state government official, citing vacancies in several engineering institutes, particularly the newly-established ones, many states like Maharashtra had earlier written to the AICTE, requesting it to not give permissions to start new engineering institutes for 2012-2013.

The official said the council could revisit this suggestion now. Among the other states that had written to the AICTE with a similar request were Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Karnataka.

However, while the AICTE did not stop allowing new engineering colleges from coming up, it simultaneously started approving the closure of several technical institutes across the country.

”The Supreme Court, in its judgment and orders delivered on April 25, 2013, has ruled that colleges affiliated to a university do not come under the purview of the definition of ‘technical institution’ as defined under Section 2(h) of the AICTE Act, 1987.”

“However, the Supreme Court in its subsequent judgments on April 17, 2014, May 9, 2014 and December 15, 2014 made prior approval of AICTE compulsory and mandatory for conduct of a technical course…and also new technology college, which will require affiliation by a university for conduct of its technical courses or programmes. Under the circumstances, it has become imperative for AICTE to evolve a suitable methodology to ensure the timely processing of approvals for the existing technical institutions for academic year 2016-17,” says the AICTE letter.

Accordingly, the council has sought comments and suggestions from the existing technical institutions and other stakeholders on “changes proposed to be made in the approval process, difficulties being faced in understanding the regulations, procedures or norms of AICTE, and difficulties being faced in filling up the applications online, and any other suggestions”.

According to rough estimates, over 59,000 seats in engineering — out of 1.3 lakh seats — remained vacant in the state this year, while over 15,000 out of the over 30,000 management seats could not be filled.

“While AICTE is soliciting views of stakeholders, it needs to revisit the suggestion given by several states previously on giving approvals only according to the perspective plan of a state. If states are requesting that no approvals should be given, it must be taken into consideration,” said the government official.

Source | Indian Express | 3 September 2015