Vestiges of feudalism in technical education

Like an ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes, who sarcastically tried to search for “Man” with his lantern in broad day light amidst the teeming people in the streets of Athens, now one has to frantically search for qualitative engineers, despite the existence of 700 odd engineering colleges in AP and Telangana States. AICTE, the mandatory statutory body for approving and sanctioning engineering colleges in India, has totally ignored the vital significance of qualitative instruction and is hell-bent upon sanctioning colleges without any modicum of pragmatism. Result: hazardous consequences in quality education, impending bankruptcy of investors in colleges, and corrupt practices in technical education.

The emerging engineers from the ill-equipped colleges are qualified with coveted ranks sans employability skills. Thus, in the present scenario, a prospective engineer’s plight and predicament is “Apply, apply but no reply” AICTE is solely responsible for the proliferation of colleges with inadequate laboratories and their mush-room growth on the same, single campus. The inspection of AICTE is a mere eye-wash and a farcical exercise and the managements are adept at luring them with their extraordinary courtesy and extravagant dinners.

As per the old guidelines of UGC, no other college would be permitted within a radius of 30-40 km but today 3 to 4 colleges are sanctioned on the same campus, bearing different names. No inspection would ever take place for such colleges simultaneously and adequate time is provided to manipulate and manoeuvre for the subsequent inspections of different colleges on the same campus.

With the boon of “fee reimbursement scheme” containing numerous loopholes, various colleges on the same campus have become profit-mongers for draining public exchequer with scant regard for ethical values and laudable goals of higher education. In the wake of bifurcation of the State and consequent financial constraints, it is imperative to curb the imperialistic designs and monopolistic tendencies of certain private managements.

The time is ripe now to take stringent measures for effective, qualitative improvement of engineering colleges in both Telugu States. The fee reimbursement scheme should be limited to only one college on the same campus and to one management despite it having numerous colleges elsewhere. This will root out commercial exploitation by private managements and their unwholesome expansionist plans.

The government should not permit 2to 3 colleges on the same campus for the sake of better quality and bright future of engineers. The two State governments should issue guidelines to the AICTE in the matter of sanction of colleges and enhancement of seats as they have to shoulder the financial burden.

It is imperative that no colleges shall be sanctioned beyond 120 seats for each course. This will certainly facilitate equity in the distribution of seats for many rural colleges at the time of counseling and allocation for the students. In the event of closure of any private college, particularly in rural areas, the AICTE should bear the burden of financial loss and such stipulation would put an end to indiscriminate, unimaginative sanction of colleges and seats to them.

Unfortunately, intellectuals in India assume the role of a spectator in Greek tragedy, and hence the autocratic functioning of the AICTE. Let us hope that the educated elite would awaken to the nagging realities and quickly respond to end the vestiges of feudalism in the present technical education. (The writer is a retired government degree college principal from Veerabhadrapuram,Rajahmundry)

By N K Visweswara Rao