|
AICTE has framed new regulations for approval of new courses, variation in intake and new institutions.
Under the New Guidelines, all applications by an institution (for UG, PG and PIO) would be dealt with comprehensively by one screening committee at the AICTE headquarters, which would comprise of Heads of Bureaus of Under Graduate Studies (UG), Post Graduate Studies (PG) and RID. The applications would be considered region wise and the concerned Regional Officer would be associated with the screening of the applications.
There will be a single committee visiting the institution which would conduct a comprehensive physical inspection of the institution. The experts would be serving members of Universities, deemed universities, Government, semi government, accredited government aided institutions. Special attention would need to be paid to their profile including integrity. The concerned State Government and the affiliating University would also be welcome to send their representative at the time of the inspection so that their point of view is duly taken into account by the experts.
It is also proposed to advertise the schedule of visits of the expert committees well in advance in newspapers and on the Web so that stake-holders also get a fair opportunity to express their opinion to the expert committee. Presently the visit of the expert committee is conducted at short notice and is generally kept a closely guarded secret. Under the existing process, Regional Committees and their sub- committees also sit in judgment on the inspection reports. Regional Committees are essentially advisory bodies with seventeen members from diverse backgrounds and cannot be involved in an administrative process. Instead they have to be entrusted with the task of formulating a vision for planned and coordinated growth of technical education in the concerned region and develop a perspective plan based on current data and future trends. Currently, they are meeting only to consider cases of approval and are not discharging any of the functions expected of them. Under the new system, Regional Committees would meet at least twice a year and take stock of the technical education scenario of the region and make recommendations on issues and strategies having bearing on both quantity and quality of technical education in the region. The role and responsibilities envisaged for Regional Committees have separately been approved for optimum utilization of the expertise and talent available in this forum. Under the new system, an appraisal committee comprising of Advisers is envisaged. Besides, a representative each of the State government and the affiliating University would also be invited at this stage for consultation. It is proposed to include Advisers of Malpractice Cell and Quality Assurance in this Committee so that complaints, if any, against the institutions are not swept under the carpet and are taken on board. Similarly the status of accreditation of the institution can also be taken into account at this stage. It is proposed to pass a reasoned order in all such cases which are rejected outlining clearly grounds of rejection in the interest of transparency and to remove scope for ambiguity. It is also necessary to impress on the State Government the need to cite grounds on which NOC to an institution is denied by them to avoid arbitrary decision. Where valid and cogent reasons are absent, AICTE would be free to take a view on merit. Certain modifications have also been made in the application form to reflect the Institution's performance in areas critical for quality assurance. For instance information has now been sought on following aspects :
Designation, qualifications, mode of recruitment and date of appointment of faculty and also non teaching staff in critical areas such as Library, Labs and Workshops etc. Academic attainment of students Companies that have visited the institution for campus recruitments during the last five years and placement data. Usage of library facilities and status of internet connectivity in the library. Status of utilization of assistance under the AICTE schemes for Faculty Development and Research promotion and Institutional Development and Innovations introduced by the Institution.
The fresh guidelines aim at strengthening consultation with the concerned State Government and Affiliating Universities in the processing of proposals, avoiding multiple committee visits to institutions, expanding the parameters for consideration for approval beyond physical infrastructure by incorporating additional criteria such as academic performance, faculty strength and competence, enforcing accountability and transparency by involving the officers of the Council, communicating the orders of rejection of approval with specific grounds on which the applications have been rejected and providing opportunity to the stakeholders of technical education to participate in the visits of the inspection committee by publicizing the schedule of visits.
Serious concern had been expressed by the Ministry of HRD and several other quarters about the existing process for giving approval for opening of new technical educational institutions and also introduction of new courses and increase in intake in existing courses. There have been wide ranging complaints about alleged malpractices, misdemeanor etc. Many references had been received from time to time in which allegations were made about erroneous approval of the institutions lacking basic physical and human resources and infrastructure.
SRK/
|
