Academic autonomy for two Cusat engineering colleges in the pipeline

SOE, CUCEK to have power to revise their curriculum

The Cochin University of Science and Technology has set the ball rolling for providing academic autonomy to its School of Engineering (SOE) and the Cochin University College of Engineering, Kuttanad (CUCEK), by the academic year 2015-16.

Senior officials of the varsity recently held a preliminary discussion on the autonomy issue and decided to chalk out a roadmap for executing the proposal aimed at overhauling technical education in the State. Academic autonomy holds key to the release of funds to engineering colleges under the Central government’s Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP).

The Hindu has reliably learnt that the proposal will be placed before the academic council and syndicate for approval by next year. Key officials of the varsity will come up with recommendations on how to sanction academic autonomy to SOE and CUCEK.

As a first step towards realising the project, committees for drafting question papers and conducting examinations will be formed. SOE faculty members will prepare the question papers for the examinations to be held at the Cochin University College of Engineering in the first phase. SOE and CUCEK will have the power to revise their curriculum and evolve a question bank for their various examinations. The varsity will not interfere in the academic affairs while ensuring that the programmes help in revitalising the quality of engineering programmes offered to the students.

As reported by The Hindu on December 2, the SOE will also initiate steps to hold its examinations online in a phased manner from next year. The varsity hopes that both the institutions will be able to cut down on the delay in publication of results and conduct of examinations by switching to the digital mode.