AICTE lifts moratorium on new engineering colleges

Any interested non-profit society/trust or company can now establish new technical institutions offering engineering and technology programmes across the country

Hyderabad: In a major move, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has lifted the moratorium on the new engineering and technology colleges in the country. Any interested non-profit society/trust or company can now establish new technical institutions offering engineering and technology programmes across the country.

The AICTE had in 2019 announced the moratorium on new engineering and technology colleges owing to 45 per cent seat vacancy in the engineering colleges in the country. This moratorium was for two-years commencing academic year 2020-21 and there was a plan to extend it to the academic year 2023-4 as well. However, the apex technical body on Wednesday released the approval hand book for academic year 2023-24 relaxing the moratorium clause.

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For establishing new institutions, the promoters can apply for one or more programmes. However, in the case of engineering and technology at least three core branches should be opted. The Electronics and Telecommunications programme has been added as a new core branch.

Intake or additional courses in the technical institutions will be permitted subject to that institution offering a minimum of three core branches. The clause allowing permission for a new course only in case of more than 50 per cent overall enrollment in the last year has been deleted.

Another major change the AICTE has brought in was enhancing the maximum approved intake in the engineering & technology and management programmes from 300 to 360, while it was increased from 180 to 300 for the computer application i.e., MCA.

The extension of approval for the pharmacy and architecture institutions, according to the AICTE officials, will not be issued from this academic year. This decision was taken as per the directions of the Supreme Court.

The apex technical body has announced closing down of all its regional offices and approval process will henceforth be done online through the headquarters in New Delhi.