AICTE tells Karnataka to cut intake at 3 govt engineering colleges by 25%

Belagavi: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has directed the Karnataka government to effect a 25 per cent reduction in the intake of students to three state-run engineering colleges, citing lack of basic infrastructure, shortage of faculty, and laboratories.

In its directive to the government, a copy of which was accessed by DH, AICTE has asked the government to reduce enrolment at the Talakal (Koppal), Haveri and Gangavathi engineering colleges. It also stated that three institutions would not be granted funds from the affiliating authority.

The three colleges were found wanting in basic facilities during a surprise visit by an expert committee constituted by the AICTE. Sources in the AICTE said that the visit to the three government colleges was but the first phase of the body’s state-wide tour to take stock of the conditions at all the engineering colleges.

In a scathing indictment of the conditions at the three colleges, the AICTE, in its report, found that they lacked permanent principals, ill-equipped libraries, crumbling infrastructure, and lack of proper seating arrangement for the students. The expert committee also found laboratories lacking necessary equipment and apparatus. “Anomalies in pay have also been reported by both regular and guest faculty,” the AICTE’s expert committee found.

The AICTE has explicitly stated that no fresh admissions to the three colleges are to be allowed until they meet the criteria it has prescribed.

The Karnataka Department of Technical Education, however, is hopeful of getting AICTE to reverse its order. Director of Technical Education, Karnataka H Prasanna told DH, “We are replying to the AICTE. As far as objections over civil issues are concerned, we have already directed the colleges to address them. These include measures to ensure fire safety, ensuring access to lifts, and differently-abled friendly facilities.”

On the shortage of faculty at the colleges, Prasanna said that they had intimated the Department of Finance for approval to recruit regular teaching staff.