No moratorium on establishing new engineering colleges | Fusion - WeRIndia

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) yesterday announced the lifting of the moratorium on establishing new engineering colleges.

The move is a lift to core engineering courses. In addition, new engineering colleges can also come to the field to offer courses in emerging technologies.

AICTE imposed the moratorium three years ago. The reason for this was the low enrolment in engineering and diploma programmes.

Now, it has lifted the moratorium. It will come into force from the coming academic session, i.e. 2023-24.

AICTE released a handbook for the 2023-24 academic session and issued guidelines. As the moratorium clause has been relaxed, any non-profit society or trust can establish engineering and technology colleges.

However, the new applicants must apply for at least three core engineering courses. Besides, they should offer courses in multi-disciplinary areas in STEM.

They must ensure that the courses they offer will be consistent with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Such colleges will be preferred.

AICTE observed many seats remain vacant in numerous engineering colleges. So, the council wished to overhaul engineering education. For this, it constituted a committee. It recommended putting a moratorium on establishing new engineering colleges for two years.

It advised reviewing the outcome every two years. In 2021, the committee suggested putting a moratorium for two more years.

However, it decided to provide exemptions to philanthropic organisations who wish to set up new engineering colleges. But they must have existed for over 25 years. Also, they should not have any other educational institutions. Besides, any company with a turnover of ₹5,000 crores per annum can also get an exemption.

Now, the council has announced lifting the moratorium, which paved the way to aspirants to set up new engineering colleges. The guidelines specify that the existing eligibility criteria apply to students for admission. There is no change in these.

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