Private players rush to set up polytechnic institutes

In a first, demand from private agencies to set up polytechnic institutions surpassed those from state governments.

This year, the number of applications received by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has jumped 66 per cent — 282 applications against last year’s 170. Most of these have come from Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

“It is good. People need to recognise that everyone need not become a degree holder. You also need mid-level people. These applications, however, are not to set up institutions under the public-private-partnership mode at all. These are purely private enterprises in all disciplines like mechanical, electrical, among others,” said Shankar S Mantha, chairman, AICTE.

Polytechnics are educational institutions usually set up and run by the state governments or private institutions. Polytechnics offer diploma and certificate courses such as mechanical engineering, textile design, hotel management, etc, that can be taken up after Class 10. Polytechnic education helps students gain vocational orientation through technical and practical skills.

While AICTE has received 80 applications to open new B-schools, it has also received 70 applications to shut down B-schools. Last year, 65 B-schools were shut down.

“This is strange. While on one hand we have received applications to shut down B-schools, on the other, people want to open more B-schools. This is, however, not the trend for courses in computer application,” said Mantha.

AICTE has received application to open 40 institutes offering masters degrees in computer applications against 80 to be shut down.

Around 20 institutions in other streams of technical education have applied for shutting shop.