After furore over eligibility criterion for Engg courses, AICTE backtracks
   Date :14-Mar-2021

AICTE backtracks_1 &
 
 
Principal Correspondent :
 
AICTE withdraws its notification, but confusion about admissions to engineering courses reigns supreme 
 
After experiencing furore over the changes in eligibility criterion for the admissions to engineering courses, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has backtracked the decision and withdrawn the notification. Since it has not uploaded the new one, the confusion about the criterion still prevails. Two days ago AICTE had declared that Physics and Mathematics would not be the compulsory subjects at Class XII for the admission to engineering courses. People from all strata registered a stiff opposition to this decision. AICTE, in its notification released on Saturday, has stated, ‘Earlier Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics were compulsory for pursuing education in engineering. It has been observed that in circuit branches like Computer Science, not much application of Chemistry was required, hence AICTE removed the compulsion of Chemistry as a qualifying subject to pursue Engineering and Technology courses long back since 2010.
 
Along with Chemistry a wide array of other subjects such as Biotechnology, Biology, Technical Vocational Subjects, Computer Science etc. had been allowed as qualifying subjects. It is worth mentioning that for Bio Technology and Bio Informatics, Biology is an essential input.” Endorsing its own decision, AICTE had also stated, “Disciplinary boundaries have been removed/dissolved to promote overall development of students in different disciplines. Hard Boundaries (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) imposed for entry into all branches of engineering education since long time was affecting access to higher technical education for those who had not taken these subjects. In fact industries were suggesting major revamping of the entry qualifications so that students can take major challenges as per their aptitudes.”
 
The Council was in receipt of many representations from industry as well as student community to give an option to pursue technical courses such as agriculture, biotechnology information technology, electronics, etc., to students who did not have prior electives of Physics and Mathematics at +2 level, but had studied relevant portions of the same at +2 level to a certain desired extent. Now, in its new version, AICTE has made it clear, “It is also imperative to mention that it is an option given by the Council which is NOT binding on the States or Universities and for various entrance exams such as JEE, CET etc., they may continue to hold the entrance exams in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as is being done now and gradually decide to conduct exam in other subjects later after discussing and taking decisions in the University Senates/ Academic Councils and State Level Committees.
 
In future, when NEP shall be implemented in totality then this option can be implemented in its letter and spirit.” “Due to certain typographical errors in the text and table the Approval Process Handbook 2021-22 has been removed from the website of AICTE to avoid confusion, the same shall be updated/uploaded on the website once the corrections have been finalised. Inconvenience is deeply regretted,” says the message on AICTE website.