Quality infrastructure, qualified faculty in new AICTE norms

The new guidelines released by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for the years 2024 to 2027 may lead to the closure of some engineering colleges with poor infrastructure. 

The AICTE has relaxed the upper limit on intake for the courses/ programmes offered by well-performing institutions. However, institutions need to show quality infrastructure and qualified faculty before seeking intake. This will be a boon for institutions with good infrastructure and other facilities. On the other hand, this will be detrimental to those with poor facilities. The Council has released the approval process handbook for 2024 to 27. 

“As the well-established institutions get more seats, the demand for admissions at those institutions will increase and those with poor infrastructure will get into trouble,” said the principal of a private engineering college in Bengaluru. 

Another principal said that the seats at several colleges located outside Bengaluru are falling vacant and this new guideline may cause disadvantage to such colleges in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. 

However,  B Sadashivegowda, principal, Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysuru and Dean, Faculty of Engineering, VTU, said, “As per the new guidelines, AICTE has approved student exchange or twinning, joint degree and dual degree programmes with reputed universities in India or foreign countries. This will help institutions to provide knowledge and skills on a par with the Western countries. Also, the students get global exposure and they can study one or two semesters in a foreign university.” 

He stated, “Under National Skill Qualification Framework(NSQF)/NCRF, AICTE has approved technical institutions to provide vocational courses which support the youth in acquiring appropriate skills. Thus it helps them in employment and in becoming entrepreneurs.”

Other guidelines 

lProvision for extension of approval up to 3 years for well-performing institutions lUndergraduate programmes/courses in Computer Applications (BCA) and Management (BBA/BMS) have been brought under the umbrella of AICTE to ensure coordinated development in technical and management education lProvision for employed/ working professionals to upgrade their academic qualification/ skillsets at diploma/degree/postgraduate level through flexible mode (timings).