The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has not granted affiliation for the academic year of 2022-23 for first year undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), and third semester UG (lateral entry) admissions for four engineering colleges in the State.
The colleges that have not been given affiliation are Girijabai Sail Institute of Technology-Karwar, Achutha Institute of Technology-Bengaluru, Sri Vinayaka Institute of Technology-KGF, and Sri Basaveshwara Institute of Technology-Tiptur.
The decision was taken by the VTU executive council during a meeting on July 30, and the Vice-Chancellor approved this on August 6. The VTU has already recommended to the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) to not include these colleges in the engineering seat matrix.
However, affiliation will continue in these colleges for higher semesters - third to eighth UG and third and fourth semester PG programmes - with the existing strength of students.
Norms unfulfilled
VTU officials said all these four engineering colleges had failed to fulfil All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) norms when the inspection was conducted by VTU officials. Shortage of teaching faculty is a major problem in all these institutions. According to the AICTE, the faculty and student ratio is 1:12, which the institutions did not have, officials said, adding that they have a shortage of non-teaching staff also. Poor infrastructure, including proper buildings, were also noted, they said.
A.S. Deshpande, Registrar (Admin), VTU, told The Hindu, “There were some adverse reports from the inspection of these engineering colleges. We had given caution to the colleges many times and they have the same problems again and again. They failed to fulfil the AICTE norms. Finally, the VTU executive council took the decision to not grant affiliation for the academic year of 2022-23.”
“There were lapses in faculty recruitment, infrastructure, teaching-learning. All four colleges are in the same position. We have already recommended to the KEA to not consider these four colleges in the engineering seat matrix,” he added.
