Engineering colleges without prescribed student-teacher ratio to face heat

Not paying wages in time can also lead to action, says apex body on technical education

Engineering colleges not maintaining the prescribed student-faculty ratio will be liable for action, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has said.

Non-adherence to pay scales and qualification of teachers will also be considered a violation of norms leading to the suspension of admission process or reduction in intake in technical institutions.

In a recent meeting, the AICTE approved new norms for grant of approvals to technical institutions.

There are over 3,000 AICTE-registered engineering institutes.

"Colleges not maintaining prescribed faculty-student ratio shall be liable to punitive actions, including suspension of approval for supernumerary seats and reduction in approved intake," a senior AICTE official told PTI.

According to the AICTE guidelines, suspension of admission in the respective course for one academic year and withdrawing approval of the course or of the institution altogether are the possible actions for the defaulting institutions.

"Penal action can also be initiated against technical institutions for not disbursing the salary of the faculty and other staffers regularly and not adhering to timings for the colleges that operate in two shifts," the official said, adding, "Besides these, non-adherence to prescribed pay scales or qualifications prescribed for teaching staff for more than 12 months will also attract penalty."

The second shift has to be run as per the declared timing -- from 1 pm to 9 pm -- with 50 per cent additional faculty, which would be subject to surprise inspection.

Any violation of timing and of number of faculty members may lead to closure of the course, the AICTE official said.