Updated on: Thursday, December 17, 2009
Hyderabad: The long-pending second shift in private engineering colleges was finally approved with the state government allowing 67 colleges to introduce polytechnic courses in the second shift from this academic year.
Though the All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE) had approved 91 engineering colleges in the state for the purpose, the state government has rejected permission to 24 colleges for not complying with the stipulated norms.
While some colleges failed to submit the joint fixed deposit receipts, others did not have the required infrastructure and sought permission to run the second shift from the next academic year.
The state already has 40,000 seats in 160 polytechnic colleges. With the latest decision, another 13,500 seats will be added to the existing intake.
A total of 1,90,348 candidates in the state appeared for the polytechnic entrance exam, of whom 1,54,328 candidates qualified recording a pass percentage of 81.08. The available intake was not in tune with the demand.
Although one engineering graduate is expected to supervise at least four diploma holders at his or her workplace, the state is producing just one polytechnic diploma holder for every six engineering students.
The governments decision of starting polytechnic courses in engineering colleges will help in utilising the existing facilities to the optimum.