With Plus Two results round the corner, heads of arts and science colleges offering Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) and Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) programmes are looking for timely guidance from the State Government for proceeding with admissions against the backdrop of AICTE bringing these courses under its purview from 2024-25.
According to a public notice issued by the AICTE recently, more than 4,200 institutions had secured approval and many are in the process.
While existing institutions approved by other regulatory bodies are also required to get the AICTE approval for the three programmes, a number of arts and science colleges in Coimbatore region are understood to be in a ‘wait and watch’ mode.
There are instances of some of the arts and science colleges freezing admission for these programmes until the Higher Education Department brings out its guidelines, according to a college head in Coimbatore.
As per AICTE guidelines, non-technical institutions already running BCA/ BBA/ BMS courses are spared of the need to have exclusive building and Director/Principal. However, the institutions should fulfil all other norms as specified in the approval process handbook such as separate head of the department, faculty, infrastructure, and built-up area.
There is a general sense of fear among the heads of arts and science colleges that students will have a first preference for securing admission in engineering colleges offering these programmes.
The AICTE had already announced 3,000 scholarships for girl students opting for BBA/BCA/BMS courses. Faculty/students from AICTE approved BBA/BCA/BMS institutions will also be eligible for other current AICTE schemes like ATAL FDP programs, Innovation initiative, IDEA (Intelligent Data Engineering and Automation) lab, QIP (Quality Improvement Program) schemes, research promotion schemes, Swanath, Saksham Scholarship schemes, and Internship programmes.
The AICTE, in its public notice, urged the students to take advantage of the schemes, and has ’strongly advised’ them to opt for admissions in AICTE-approved institutions for BBA/BCS/BMS courses.
On its part, the Bharathiar University has conveyed the apprehensions of the heads of arts and science colleges to the Higher Education Department. “We are awaiting guidelines for sustaining admissions to these three programmes,” a university source said.
