Over 300 engineering colleges face closure

The All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) is expected to soon ask some 300-odd private engineering colleges across the country with low student intake to stop operations from the 2018-19 academic session.

These institutions would be asked not to undertake admission process for any fresh batch as they had less than 30 per cent enrolment for five consecutive years. Alternatively, AICIE has given these colleges an option to convert themselves to science colleges or vocational education institutions.

According to ministry of human resource development  (HRD), of the over 300 institutions that would be asked to close operations as engineering colleges, over 150 have less than 20 percent enrolment.

Reports quoting a top official of the union ministry of human resource development said another 500 engineering colleges are under the scanner for not being able to fill up seats.

As per AICTE website, there are close to 3,000 private engineering colleges offering undergraduate courses in India, with an intake capacity of 1.36 million. Of these, there are around 800 engineering colleges whose enrolment percentage is less than 50 per cent.

AICTE has asked the colleges with less than 30 per cent enrolment to work out alternate options rather than close down as closures could lead to problems for the institutions, professor Anil D Sahasrabudhe, chairperson, AICTE said.

"We are deliberating on the issue. Closure is an easy option, but that could also lead to many complications as they have invested money, have bank loans. Taking a holistic view, those institutions which are border line cases may not be asked to close down but they will be asked to choose alternate options on their own," he said.

The council has proposed that such engineering colleges convert to science colleges, skill development centres or vocational education institutions. In any case, the matter will be finalised by end of December 2017, he said.