The Hindu : Comply with admission norms, VTU tells colleges

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Thursday, Jun 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Comply with admission norms, VTU tells colleges

By Our Staff Correspondent

Belgaum June 18. The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) today declared that it would enforce the rules formulated by the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the decisions of the Government on admissions to professional colleges affiliated to it.

It warned institutions that action would be taken against those which refused to comply with the admission norms, including withdrawal of affiliation under Section 43 of the VTU Act, 1994.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the VTU Vice-Chancellor, K. Balaveera Reddy, said the Government issued a notification on May 29, 2003 with guidelines for admissions to professional colleges, including engineering and dental colleges, on the basis of the Supreme Court decision. There was no violation in any form of the court decision by the Government as being alleged, and some people were misquoting the apex court verdict, he added.

The Supreme Court, in its judgment (on the writ petition of T.M.A. Pai Foundation vs. the State of Karnataka) dated October 31, 2002 explained the regulations for framing rules for private unaided professional institutions. The court stated that unaided professional institutions were entitled to autonomy in their administration, but, at the same time, they did not forego or discard the principle of merit. "It would, therefore, be permissible for the university or the Government, at the time of granting recognition, to require a private unaided institution to provide for merit-based selection while, at the same time, giving the management sufficient discretion in admitting students.

"This can be done through various methods. For instance, a `certain percentage' of seats can be reserved for admissions by the management out of those students who have passed the common entrance test held by itself, or by the State/university, and have applied to the college concerned for admission, while the rest of the seats may be filled on the basis of counselling by the State agency. This will incidentally take care of the poorer and backward sections of society. The prescription of percentage for this purpose has to be done by the Government according to the local needs, and different percentages can be fixed for minority unaided and non-minority unaided institutions and professional colleges. The same principles may be applied to other non-professional but unaided educational institutions — graduation and postgraduation non-professional colleges or institutes.''

Management seats

In its interim policy regulations pronounced on March 7, 2003, on the basis of Supreme Court decision, the AICTE gave a clarification on `management seats': "Pursuant to the judgment of the Supreme Court, the State governments are required to prescribe a certain percentage of seats, which can be reserved for admission by the management of technical institutions.

"The prescription of percentage has to be made by the State Government in accordance with the local needs, and different percentage can be fixed for minority and non-minority technical institutions. Accordingly, the State Government shall judiciously decide such percentage of management seats.

"The maximum limit of percentage of management seats shall, however, not exceed 15 per cent of the sanctioned intake in case of non-minority technical institutions. In the event of 15 per cent management seats not being filled, the vacant seats may be reverted to general seats to be filled through State counselling along with other candidates.''

The Government had acted as per the SC decision and AICTE regulations, and reserved 25 per cent for management seats (75 per cent government seats) considering local needs. There was no ambiguity in the Government Orders but some people were misquoting the SC judgment, Dr. Reddy said.

He said the VTU was sending letters to the principals of technical colleges asking them to follow the admission rules as per the Government Orders and the AICTE regulations. Action would be taken against erring institutions. T

he results of the CET were expected to be out by June 25, and with academic session scheduled to commence on September 1, 2003, admissions needed to be completed by that time as per the directions of Karnataka High Court.

Ads. by colleges

To a question, Dr. Reddy said private managements could conduct entrance test to fill only the quota allotted to them, or make selections from the list provided by the Government. But, it was binding on them to first fill the seats under the Government quota before filling the management quota. He warned that the VTU would take suo motu cognisance of advertisements reportedly issued by institutions for admissions.

Dr. Reddy said certain institutions were voluntarily declaring that they would comply with the Government Orders and start admissions accordingly. The Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumkur; the Dayanand Sagar College of Technology; and the Adichunchanagiri Institute of Technology, Chikmagalur, had written to the VTU declaring their stands, he added.

When pointed out that managements were filling NRI seats without conducting an entrance test, Dr. Reddy said they would have to observe the regulations evolved on the basis of the Supreme Court judgment, and any violation would invite action as per the VTU Act.

The Registrar (Evaluation), Sudhakar Nayak, was present.

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