Scope for arts and science colleges on campuses of engineering institutions

BDU grants affiliation to one college each in Tiruchi and Pudukottai districts

Having granted affiliation to two new institutions during this academic year, Bharathidasan University (BDU) anticipates more applications from private managements next year to start arts and science colleges.

The university's inspecting teams of subject experts had granted affiliation to one college each in Tiruchi and Pudukottai districts during this academic year. BDU Vice-Chancellor P. Manisankar said the university had ensured that the newly-affiliated colleges had the infrastructure and faculty as specified by the UGC.

After the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) reduced land requirement to set up engineering colleges in 2016, institutions that were started earlier are now in a position to apportion the surplus land and buildings in their possession to start arts and science colleges, according to a functionary of a private engineering college in Tiruchi.

The land requirement has been reduced to 1.5 acres from 2.5 acres in mega and metro cities. As for the colleges located in rural areas, the requirement was reduced from 10 acres to 7.5 acres, and subsequently to four acres.

Due to decline in admissions, private engineering college managements have been expressing keenness to start arts and science colleges affiliated to the local general universities.

There was immense scope for private engineering colleges to set apart a portion of their land and buildings for starting arts and science colleges with BDU affiliation, Prof. Manisankar said.

The affiliation for new colleges, sources said, will be conditional.

Permanent affiliation will be granted only after five years of temporary affiliation, renewable annually. As per the guidelines issued by UGC to universities, the colleges must not grant admissions to students to any program of study with the anticipation that affiliation will be granted. Likewise, colleges cannot discontinue with any previously approved programme without prior permission of the university.

After permanent affiliation, the self-financed colleges qualify for applying to the UGC for recognition under Section 2 (f) to gain eligibility to reeeive Central assistance (UGC grant) under Section 12 (B) of UGC Act, 1956, as per approved pattern of assistance under various schemes.