Tech institutes get 15 more days to respond to UGC

Earlier this month, UGC drafted guidelines for approval of new courses, setting up of new technical institutions

More than 13000 technical institutions in the country, which were so far under the control of All India Council for Techincal Education (AICTE) have 15 more days to give their views and feedback about the recent move of the UGC.

“It has given some relief to these colleges which were under duress because they were caught unaware by the sudden announcement made by the UGC on December 5, 2013 that henceforth state universities will Control engineering colleges, management institutes and other technical institutions,” said Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI).

Early this month, the UGC, in confirmation with the Supreme Court’s ruling, drafted guidelines for approval of new courses, setting up of new technical institutions and closure of the old ones and all other regulatory steps.

This April, the Supreme Court allowed private colleges to conduct master’s in business administration or MBA and master's in computer applications or MCA programmes without AICTE’s permission.

Following the order, AICTE was only expected to play an advisory role and prescribe uniform standards of education for affiliated members of a university.On its website, UGC has made public the draft guidelines under the UGC (approval of colleges offering technical education by universities) regulation, 2013.

The guidelines imply that a technical institute would need permission from the affiliating university and not the AICTE. It also lays down regulations for intake capacity of colleges, setting up of a new institution, adding integrated programmes, dual programmes etc.