Private tech colleges in Odisha not willing to remain under BPUT

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 14:

Much to the embarrassment of the Odisha government, a majority of private technical institutes are no more willing to remain under the jurisdiction of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT).

While 12 private technical institutes have applied for university status, the Department of Technical Education and Training (DTET) is unwilling to accord university status to these colleges as it feels that the BPUT would be deprived of its status if these colleges go out of its jurisdiction.

On the other hand, these 12 private technical institutes have begun intense lobbying in the DTET and the All India Technical Education Training (AICTE) to get the university tag.

Sources in the DTET said due to the gross mismanagement of the BPUT in not effecting any change in the old syllabus, irregularities in the timely conduct of examinations, delay in examination results, absence of campus recruitment of students, absence of grant-in-aid and a large number of vacant seats, 15 colleges have applied for university status of which 12 have applied since 2009.

As per sources, these 12 proposed universities—Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology (GIET), CV Raman International University, Jagatguru Krupal University, Techno Global University, East University, Synergy University, ASBM University, Koustuv University for Women, Krupajal National University for Health, Medical and Technological Science, RCM University and Silicon University—have decided to put their colleges under their jurisdiction for which they have prepared a detailed project report (DPR).

Reliable sources in the DTET said some renowned universities in the neighbouring states have expressed their willingness to set up their branch in Odisha. Manipal University and Amity University have already applied to the state government to set up de novo university in the state.

The state government has asked the DTET to form a committee led by its secretary to examine the applications of these two universities and submit a report. The committee will have the BPUT vice-chancellor and DTET director as other members and joint secretary, Higher Education as the convener. On the basis of the report of the committee, the government would accord university status.

Citing reasons for the private techical institutes opting for university status, principal of a private technical college said due to gross mismanagement in BPUT, the students of Odisha and outside the state are losing their faith on it.

“Since these colleges are under BPUT jurisdiction, admission in these colleges are held through Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) as a result of which a large number of seats have been falling vacant every year. If these colleges are accorded university status, they will have the dual advantage of admitting students through JEE and through their own entrance test,” he added.