Despite Odisha Government’s attempts to maintain the standard of technical education, the private engineering colleges are continuing to increase the number of seats.
The private technical institutions have got their seat strength augmented resulting in huge vacancies even after counselling. The latest figures for seat allocation in the engineering colleges stand roughly at around 19,000. The final allotment is slated for August 4. At the start of the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) counselling, 42,000 engineering seats were up for grabs.
The State Industries Department had written to the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in November 2011 not to give approval to new engineering colleges, programmes or increase the number of seats in any college. This was done after the Private Engineering College Association approached the Directorate of Technical Education and Training (DTET) for solving the problem of vacant seats. Around 25,000 seats remained vacant for the academic session 2011-12. The State Government had disapproved of the AICTE proposal for second shift in a few colleges in view of huge vacancies in general shifts.
Despite Government’s resistance, four new diploma engineering schools were given affiliation by the AICTE.
This year, the DTET received the annual AICTE approval for 80 colleges. Defying Government’s instructions, a host of new programmes have been started by the private engineering colleges.
The Policy and Planning Body (PPB) had formulated policies for regulating the number of seats in engineering colleges.
This year, the OJEE added 4,000 more seats to its matrix following an Orissa High Court order, taking the total intake capacity of engineering colleges of the State to roughly 46,000.
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