All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has decided to remove the seat limit criteria for engineering courses starting from the 2024-25 academic session. While gaining admission to engineering colleges is expected to become somewhat easier, various terms and conditions have been introduced to allow colleges to increase the number of seats.
To attract more students to pursue top engineering degrees, the AICTE has taken a major decision to eliminate the cap on the number of seats from the 2024-25 academic session. Previously, engineering colleges were restricted to a maximum of 240 seats in a single branch. The decision to remove the seat cap aligns with the National Education Policy of 2020 and aims to bridge the gap between demand and supply in the field of engineering.
According to Rajiv Kumar, Secretary of AICTE, institutions seeking approval to start new programs or increase the number of seats must submit their applications by January 31. Once the application window closes, the approval process will commence. Notably, the council has already received over 2,000 applications since the release of the approval process handbook for the academic session 2024-27.
A specialized committee will conduct thorough inspections to assess the adequacy of facilities and proposed growth in student admissions at institutions. The evaluation will ensure that the institution is well-equipped to handle the additional responsibility and maintain high standards of education. If shortcomings are identified during the inspection, the institution will not be allowed to increase its seat capacity.
As per information provided by AICTE Chairman T.G. Sitaram, more than 800 specialists from the AICTE and NTA (National Testing Agency) will inspect institutions aiming to increase the number of seats in a specific stream.
Emphasizing their commitment to establishing and maintaining quality in technical and management institutions, Sitaram stated, “Our primary focus is employability, and therefore, the increase in admissions will lead us in that direction.” According to Sitaram, AICTE is dedicated to making India a technological hub by 2047, with a goal of enhancing overall and accessible education throughout the country.
Source: Navbharat Times (24 Jan 2024, 3:10 pm)