Soon, diploma students in Telangana can exit course after 1st year

SBTET has sent a proposal to the TS BIE seeking grant of intermediate first year equivalency certificate for diploma first-year.

Hyderabad: Students of diploma courses will soon be allowed to exit after successfully completing the first year of their course work as part of the multiple entry and exit policy being planned by the State Board of Technical Education and Training (SBTET). This exit will be permitted provided students secure stipulated credits allotted in the first year.

Such candidates exiting after first year will be awarded a certificate with which they can pursue second-year intermediate.

Towards this, the SBTET has sent a proposal to the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TS BIE) seeking grant of intermediate first year equivalency certificate for diploma first-year. This will enable those candidates who exit the diploma after the first year to pursue second-year intermediate.

The Technical Board offers three-year diploma courses in both engineering and non-engineering areas and this new rule being planned will be applicable only to students pursuing engineering programmes.

To be eligible for the award of diploma, students have to secure a minimum of 130 credits out of the total 150. Students wishing to exit after the first year of diploma course will be awarded a certificate provided they secure 45 credits out of 50.

This apart, those candidates who secure a total of 45 credits either in first year, put together in first and second years, or first, second and third years will also be eligible for the certificate. “We are waiting for the TS BIE to grant intermediate first year equivalency certificate for diploma first-year. Once it is approved, this new exit policy will be implemented,” an official said.

Starting this academic year, the STBET introduced the exit policy after second-year of the diploma coursework and such students are awarded certificates in engineering on securing a minimum of 90 credits. These certificates which are equivalent to the intermediate second-year can be used to pursue conventional undergraduate courses like BA, BSc and BCom. Students who have 90 credits till third year but could not secure 130 credits for award of diploma are also eligible for certificate in engineering.

Presently, students who successfully complete diploma courses and qualify in the Telangana State Engineering Common Entrance Test (TS ECET) are eligible for lateral entry admission into second-year engineering and pharmacy courses offered by the professional colleges in the State.