Goa University to certify degrees: Faleiro

The commissioner for NRI affairs, Eduardo Faleiro, Tuesday announced that the power to authenticate Goa University degrees for higher studies and employment abroad would henceforth lie with the varsity itself.

He further said the National Accreditation Council (NAC) would formally recognise certain courses of the Government Engineering College, Farmagudi, on July 28.

A long-standing problem that required the applicant (or any close family member) to travel to New Delhi and personally visit the human resources development ministry and the external affairs ministry seeking authentication, will now be done away with, said Faleiro.

All the required formalities would now be done by the controller of examinations, Goa University. As for the recognition of Goa University degrees, Faleiro explained that they were accepted in most countries other than Kuwait, Canada and New Zealand.

"These countries only recognise colleges from India listed in our National Board of Accreditation. State engineering colleges were not listed. From now on, the courses of civil, mechanical and electronics and telecommunications offered by the Goa College of Engineering will be recognised," he informed.

Shree Rayeshwar Institute of Engineering and the Padre Conceicao College of Engineering would obtain accreditation as soon as they complete the statutory period of six years from their establishment, he said.

Faleiro told a press conference at his secretariat chamber this morning that during his recent visit to New Delhi, he took up the matter with the HRD Minister Arjun Singh and the MoS for External Affairs Anand Sharma that led to the varsity being delegated the authentication rights.

"The powers stand transferred to the state and will solve problems of the people. It will be of immense help to those who are seeking employment or higher education abroad," said the former Union minister.

When asked as to why only three courses from the GEC had been accredited, Faleiro explained that it depended on the percentage of employment that the courses generated. "Improved percentage in other branches will help in earning it an accreditation," he said.

Faleiro also said that a conference on "Non-resident Goans and family values" will be organised by the office of the Commissioner of NRI Affairs on July 22 at International Centre.