AICTE approval for B Tech course likely to come with conditions

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is likely to approve a proposal by 27 colleges of Delhi University for continuing the B Tech programme, with the rider that they hire as faculty only those with a PhD in engineering subjects and use laboratory of nearby engineering colleges.

While inspecting these colleges, the Council noted that the faculty was not qualified to teach B Tech students. Besides, the colleges lacked laboratories equipped to offer B Tech programmes.

“They (faculty) hold PhD in science subjects but not in engineering. To teach engineering students, the colleges must engage those who have PhD in engineering subjects. This is one of the conditions that the colleges will have to fulfill to get approval for their B Tech programme from the Council,” sources told Deccan Herald.

The council, which will take a final decision on approving these colleges in next two weeks, is considering asking them to make a prior commitment that they would replace the existing faculty with those holding PhD in engineering subjects and make arrangements for practical classes at nearby engineering colleges, sources added.

The AICTE initially wanted these colleges to appoint candidates with PhD in engineering subjects as permanent faculty. However, suggestions came in, “from within and outside” that the colleges may be allowed to engage qualified “visiting faculty”, sources said.

The University Grants Commission, while scrapping the four-year undergraduate programme at Delhi University last year, had allowed the colleges to continue with the B Tech programme only for the first batch of 6,300 students, who had been admitted in 2013. The higher education regulator, however, directed these colleges to take approval of the AICTE.

“So, there is no point in asking colleges to appoint permanent faculty when they have to close the programme after students of this batch complete their course,” sources added.
The Council decided to approve these colleges at its meeting last Thursday and ask them to file an affidavit within six hours, undertaking to fulfil the AICTE norms with regard to faculty and laboratory within six months.

When the colleges objected to the AICTE’s diktat, it softened its stand and allowed them a few more days time to file affidavit.