To reduce vacancies, AICTE cuts excess seat quota for
2019-20 by half
Getting direct admission to the second year of technical
courses is set to get tougher in 2019-20, as the All India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE) has cut the intake capacity for lateral admissions
to half, in a bid to reduce the vacancies.
Lateral entry allows engineering and pharmacy diploma holders
and those with BSc (Information Technology) and Bachelor of Computer
Administration (BCA) degrees to be admitted directly to the second year of a
technical course. Those who have passed Class 12 examination or completed a
vocational course from an Industrial Training Institute (ITI), too, can be
admitted to the second year of diploma courses. These students are accommodated
in the supernumerary (excess) quota created for them or given seats left vacant
during the first-year admissions.
So far, technical colleges could laterally admit up to
20% more students than the number of seats allotted to it, and move them to the
supernumerary quota.
Maharashtra’s lateral admissions in 2018-19 stood at
52,826 for engineering degree and 35,669 for diploma courses.
According to AICTE’s approval process handbook for the
upcoming academic year, the number of supernumerary seats in an institute will
now be capped to 10% of the actual intake. “Usually, around 50% of the seats in
the first year of engineering colleges remain vacant across the country.
Diploma students seek lateral entry to these seats, so there is no need for
additional seats,” said Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairman, AICTE.
Reducing the supernumerary seats, instead of doing away
with the excess seats altogether is the regulator’s way to balance the
aspirations of students and colleges, said experts.
“Many colleges with large vacancies have been requesting
us to do away with the supernumerary seats, to get some students who otherwise
look to get absorbed in popular colleges. Excess seats also affect the quality
of education. Reducing the intake will ensure bright diploma holders get
accommodated in good institutes,” said Sahasrabudhe.
Gopakumaran Thampi, principal, Thadomal Shahani
Engineering College, Bandra, said, “With fewer seats available in degree
programmes, diploma holders will be forced to seek employment, instead of
pursuing higher education, while others may look to get enrolled in the first
year of the course. AICTE should have retained 20% excess seats as it was not
affecting the quality.”
Source: Hindustan Times dated January 16, 2019
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