Keeping in view the inefficiency of AICTE that was exposed few months back, the HRD Ministry has come up with a series of fool-proof web-based methods for scrutinizing the functioning of the apex body, which grants recognition to technical institutions in India. Through the new system, which will be launched on January 10, 2010, the procedure of granting approval for new institutions will be made transparent. As per the new system, an identification number will be assigned to each application of the technical institutes that seek approval from AICTE.
The new web-based system would also help the HRD Ministry to ensure that a faculty member does not offer lecture in more than one institute. A biometric system, which would be used to mark attendance of the teachers, would serve the purpose. Moreover, the Ministry would assign students ID number, to keep a track on the admissions in the institutes and make sure that they do not exceed their given intake capacity. HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said that the new web-based method aims to ensure that the inspection raj regime in AICTE will be over.
In addition to the web-based initiative, the Ministry also announced relaxation in the land requirement norms for the institutions and proposed an increase in the number of engineering and management seats allotted to each institute. As per the decision, the intake capacity of each engineering college has been increased from 240 to 300. On the other hand, management institutions would be allotted to increase their intake capacity from 60 to 120. Further, it has been decided that National Board of Accreditation (NBA), which provides accreditation to technical institutes in India, would be made an autonomous body.
