Delhi engineering college again barred from admitting students

G.B. Pant Government Engineering College has been barred for the second year in a row from admitting students because the institute has failed in creating basic facilities and infrastructure in the 10 years of its establishment.

Last year, the apex regulatory body for technical education had put the government-run college under the "no admission" category for the year 2017-18 due to the same reasons.

An All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) notification dated April 12 states that the college lacks facilities like research labs, sick room, common room for boys and girls and placement office.

"After examining the entire matter... it has been decided that G.B. Pant Government Engineering College be placed under 'no admission' category for the academic year 2018-19," the AICTE said.

The college faculty blamed the Delhi government for the move that has threatened the very existence of the institute established in 2007. The college doesn't have a permanent campus as yet and operates from a makeshift campus in Okhla.

"The AICTE has given final no admission notice to G. B. Pant Government Engineering College. Last year, the Education Minister (Manish Sisodia) in his budget speech had said that the seats in the college will be doubled," Joshil K. Abraham, Assistant Professor (English), told IANS.

He said the AICTE's "no admission category means the college will be shut down".

"There are only three government engineering colleges in Delhi - Ambedkar Institute of Advanced Communication Technologies and Research (AIACTR), Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Government Engineering College (CBPGEC) and G.B. Pant Government Engineering College. Where will the students from economically weaker sections go if one of these is closed?" Abraham said.

Students and teachers of the college have been asking for a campus since March 7, 2017. They began their protests by sleeping in the classrooms at night.

On April 5 last year, Abraham went on a hunger strike demanding a permanent campus. He ended the 25-day-long fast after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised a 23-acre campus. The protest was called off on April 29.

However, the construction work for a new campus has not started as yet.

--IANS

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