The controversy-ridden Toms College of Engineering, Mattakkara, Kottayam, which has lost its affiliation to the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological Kerala (KTU) following complaints by students and parents, has received extension of approval (EoA) for its programmes for the year 2017-18 from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Speaking to mediapersons on Thursday, college administrator Shiji Basheer and a few of the faculty said they had received the papers from AICTE in this regard. Reacting to a question, they said the approval came in the wake of a detailed inspection by AICTE representatives on March 13, wherein they were satisfied with the facilities, including the laboratories, library and classrooms.
Earlier, following the uproar over lack of facilities, infringement of privacy of students, and allegations of unprofessional conduct by management, the KTU had delegated a three-member team to inspect the institution.
It was on the basis of a report that the KTU had withdrawn its affiliation to the college. The KTU had also written to the AICTE for immediate cancellation of its affiliation.
Following the drastic stems, the large majority of its 270 students had opted for admission to other colleges. The AICTE has approved the movement of students from Toms College to other institutions. However, the future of the students of the Chemical Engineering programme offered by the college is hanging in the balance as they could not move out since the KTU had not sanctioned additional Chemical Engineering batch to any of the existing colleges.
