THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: IN what could be a breather for students in Kerala, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) plans to reform the engineering education by discarding the controversial 'year-out' system in all colleges from the next academic year. Even when the top AICTE sources say the plan is to make a uniform pattern of education system in all universities in the country, the state-owned Kerala Technological University (KTU) has apprehensions about it and plans to proceed with the system.
An exam reforms committee by the AICTE, which has given approval to more than 3,500 institutes, had submitted its draft report in March. The ‘year back and credit system’ results in students losing one year if they fail to obtain the prescribed number of credits. They should obtain the credits by attending around half a dozen examinations in one year. Many universities in other states, including neighbouring Tamil Nadu, have already scrapped the system to attract students from Kerala.
The system led to a drastic drop in the academic performance of students as they failed to achieve the minimum credits. According to sources, the AICTE wants engineering colleges in the state to upgrade in line with the system used in IITs and NITs. "Primarily, many states have withdrawn the year-out system, as it could create a huge disparity in engineering education. So we are planning to unify withdrawal of the year-out system at the national level. If things go well, it'll be implemented from next year," said a top AICTE officer on condition of anonymity.