The HRD ministry is likely to ask 300 private Engineering Colleges to shut operations from the academic session 2018-19.
The Ministry arrived at this decision as these colleges had less than 30 percent enrollment for 5 consecutive years.The colleges will be asked not to conduct the admission process for the year 2018-19.
However,All India Council for Technical Education (AITCTE) may ask the colleges to consider alternative options such as converting into Science colleges,Skill development Centre or Vocational Education institutes.
Explaining the idea behind this suggestion,Anil D Sahasrabudhe, chairperson of the AICTE believes that, 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.
As per a senior HRD official, 500 other engineering colleges were also under the radar for not being able to fill up the required number of seats for the courses.
Nearly 150 of the 300 colleges that would be asked to shut down as engineering colleges have less than 20% enrolLment.
The AICTE is expected to finalize the matter by the end of December 2017 before the issuance of approvals to the colleges.
