Self-financing arts and science colleges in the city are upset with the new norms by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) on who can offer BBA and BCA programmes.
The AICTE has permitted engineering colleges to start BBA and BCA programmes. In its Approval Handbook for 2024-2027, it has permitted colleges to offer courses of three or four-year duration and has relaxed norms for colleges under its purview that wish to offer them.
An exclusive building and director/principal are not required for non-technical institutions already running UG courses (BCA/BBA/BMS) and PG courses (MCA/MBA) in Management and Computer Applications without its approval, it has said.
Institutions must, however, ensure a separate head for the department, faculty, infrastructure, among others.
The managements of self-financing arts and science colleges are opposing the move.
College principals, who met under the aegis of the Association of Management of Private Colleges here, on Wednesday pointed out that the courses are cash cows and institutions have invested heavily in them. As a result, students are flocking.
The principals say if the AICTE norms were to apply then they would have to invest in teachers. Currently, most non-technical colleges have a student-teacher ratio of 50:1, which would now have to be scaled down to meet the norms. Currently, BBA and BCA courses do not require mathematics as an entry qualification. Students who had taken commerce in class 12 opted for these programmes. But AICTE norms require students to have mathematics in class 12, the teachers said. Besides, they wondered whom they should go to for syllabus approval - the University Grants Commission or the AICTE?
The managements have planned to approach the State government with their concerns. Engineering colleges would have the advantage of existing infrastructure and faculty experience, they pointed out.
The Principal of an aided autonomous college, who participated in the meeting, said students would not be able to afford the courses if the AICTE norms are applied.
“Currently, the fees is low. Also, these courses are under humanities. Once they fall under the AICTE they become science stream courses. We have resolved to request the government to not allow Anna University to offer these programmes,” he said.
