Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Government has expressed the stance that there is no need to approve any more engineering colleges in the state.
The Higher Education Department has submitted its future plans report to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the key recommendation of which is that neither new colleges nor new courses in the existing colleges need be sanctioned. The main reason cited for this is the number of vacant engineering seats in the state's colleges over the last three years. The report also states that it is not desirable that engineering colleges spring up like mushroom.
Out of the vacant seats, 90% are in private self-financing engineering colleges.
Kerala has also recommended that in order to raise the quality of technical education, urgent steps are to be taken in line with the submissions of the expert council. As part of it, the educational qualification of engineering college teachers is to be scrutinised, and the availability of qualified teachers in colleges ensured which alone can improve the learning and teaching standards of institutions.
There should be mechanisms in place to evaluate teaching-learning standards, and time-bound measures to boost employment opportunities. It should also include evaluation of the infra-structure facilities in colleges and the feedback of students.
On the basis of the report, AICTE delegation will arrive in Kerala and hold discussions on Wednesday.
The visiting delegation consists of Chairman of AICTE's southern region committee Prof Seetharam of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Director of Human Resources Ministry Malathi Narayanan, and Approval Advisor of AICTE Usha Natesan. Kerala's Principal Secretary Dr Usha Titus and Director of Technical Eduation Indira Devi will participate in the discussion from Kerala government side.