Bangalore: Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) may consider granting autonomy to some engineering colleges wanting to excel in the field of technical education.

The objective is to allow the colleges to function independently and provide quality education.

According to VTU authorities, applications have been received from 12 engineering colleges seeking autonomous status. These include both aided and government engineering colleges. The final decision has to be taken by the State Government.

While the VTU feels that colleges aiming at autonomy should have confidence in running their own academic programmes, there are other conditions to be met by these colleges.

They should have been functioning for more than ten years and following the norms stipulated by All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Other conditions include good infrastructure, laboratories, hostels and banking and postal services on campus.

The VTU may give priority to proposed academic programmes in terms of good results and also a track record of a good number of students being recruited during campus placements.

The ranking given by the AICTE and its National Board of Accreditation will be taken into account.

For the engineering colleges concerned, getting autonomous status may have several benefits.

They can plan their own syllabus and methods of teaching for any of the courses offered by them.

They can conduct examinations on their own and the degrees awarded by the colleges will be recognised by the VTU.

The procedure for approving autonomy is simple. When a college that has applied has met all stipulated norms, a committee from the VTU will visit the institution and prepare a detailed report. This report will be placed before the university's senate and executive council, and the colleges approved will be recommended to the Government for its consent.

The VTU has been a pioneer in several respects among technological universities in the country. It was the first to make use of EDUSAT at the pilot stage itself to beam educational programmes to the engineering colleges affiliated to it. It was also the first to introduce `soft skills' training for engineering students to equip them to face campus interviews and enhance their employability.

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