Following numerous complaints that engineering colleges were not adhering to the norms, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the apex regulating body for engineering colleges in the country, conducted a hearing of 200 errant colleges at the Veermata Jijabai Technical Institute (VJTI) on Monday.
However, organisations exposing the shortcomings of the colleges have said that rather than having hearings the council should visit the colleges and see for itself the transgressions in the colleges.
Last year and earlier this year, the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) under instructions of the AICTE had conducted inquiries to ascertain whether colleges were adhering to the norms. The inquiry had revealed that nearly 346 engineering colleges that included 35 colleges in Mumbai and Thane had flouted infrastructure and faculty norms. The colleges were sent showcause notices with warnings to comply.
On Monday, the AICTE committee consisting of experts and officials called on 200 colleges that had major deficiencies out of the 346 errant colleges and grilled them on their failure to comply with the norms.
An official said a report would be prepared and submitted to the AICTE authorities for further action against the colleges. In the past, AICTE stopped admissions and even cancelled affiliation of errant colleges.
Prof Vaibhav Narwade, secretary of the Citizen Forum for Sanctity in Education, however, termed the hearing as a waste of time and an eyewash. “The colleges and their managements and principals have been giving assurances to the authorities every year of complying and have also been submitting affidavits to the effect. As a result of this, no action has been initiated against them and they have been going scot-free resulting in losses to the student fraternity,” said Mr Narwade.
He further alleged that the officials and colleges were part of the scam and an inquiry should be initiated by the state against the authorities and principals for misleading and exploiting the student community.
