ENGINEERING 2011- Over 16K engg seats to remain vacant in state, 5K in NU

ENGINEERING 2011- Over 16K engg seats to remain vacant in state, 5K in NU

With counselling for admissions to technical courses including engineering and diploma starting in a few days, apprehensions of huge number of seats remaining vacant loom large across Maharashtra. Given this situation, AICTE has relaxed eligibility norms for admissions to both engineering and polytechnic courses, highly placed sources from Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) disclosed.

The situation has worsened with the addition of nearly 13,000 seats in the state with many new colleges opening and existing ones increasing intake. As of last month, there were 1,14,238 seats in 309 engineering colleges in state. In case of engineering faculty, there is likelihood of over 16,000 vacancies considering the number of applications received. Till extended last date of forms submission 1,10,842 had applied against 1,27,159 seats that also includes management quota seats.

In case of Nagpur division, considering the total number of forms submitted against seats availability, over 5,300 engineering and 2,800 diploma seats may remain vacant. The seats availability of 21,771 in 58 engineering colleges and 21,755 in 58 polytechnics is of last year and there has been an addition of at least 2,000 seats in both faculties.

Last year over 22,000 engineering seats were vacant across Maharashtra of which 6,000 were in 58 Nagpur University colleges. This year, no new college has opened in NU area but existing ones have enhanced their capacity with addition of new branches.

TOI was first to report about AICTE's decision to lower the bar for admissions to engineering courses to 45% (40% for reserved category candidates) aggregate in physics, chemistry and mathematics (PCM) group in Class XII exam from 50% till last year. Even for diploma courses, pass percentage was relaxed from 50% to 35% in Class X.

After relaxation in conditions and extension in last dates of form submission, about 6,842 candidates applied for the admissions in state, giving some a sigh of relief for the college managements, especially unaided ones. The provisional allotment for first round of engineering admissions under CAP would be made on July 16. The same day, final merit list of diploma aspirants would be released on the DTE website. Even for 1,050 pharma seats in Nagpur region, only 900 applications were received.