swarm of engineering colleges

TIMES OF INDIA,CHENNAI: Stressing on the need to revisit the policy of the AICTE to grant approvals for engineering colleges, the Madras high court has lamented that several thousand colleges are churning out several lakh unemployable engineering graduates every year. Justice N Kirubakaran, noting that repayment of education loans burdened parents and students, besides the society itself, suo motu imp asked the AICTE,HRD ministry, Tamil Nadu government and theAnna University, to answer a set of questions.

They are: How many colleges, state-wide, are in existence in India since 1980? How many seats are filled up and how many seats go vacant since the year 2000? How many engineering graduates are passing out every year since 2000? How many engineering students are getting placements every year? Are authorities taking note of the acute unemployment problem among engineering graduates? Do the Centre and AICTE have any manpower policy? Why AICTE is not stopping new engineering colleges in view of the fact that Tamil Nadu alone has more than 525 colleges already?

Justice Kirubakaran also asked as to why the Centre should not appoint a commission or expert body to analyse the problems of engineering education, revisit approval norms, standards of teaching, unfilled seats and employment prospects. "The matter is of deep concern affecting the public interest, as parents admit their children in engineering courses with a fond hope and dream. That apart, services of our engineering graduates are required outside the country also. Hence, our country's image in the international arena is also involved. It is the need of the hour to revisit the approval policy of AICTE and take remedial measured to improve engineering education. Otherwise, the future of engineering education will be bleak," Justice Kirubakaran said.

The judge was making these observations on a petition filed by an engineering graduate who was cheated by a placement firm, which collected huge money from several graduates promising them to train them and then get then placements in 2008.