CHENNAI: OF the 577 private colleges affiliated to Anna University (AU), at least 22 have not applied for affiliation this academic year, the university officials have said. The affiliation is mandatory for private engineering colleges to conduct courses. As per rules, non-autonomous colleges have to apply every year for affiliation.
After receiving the application, the University will send a team to conduct inspections —check and review infrastructure and other parameters — before granting permission to these colleges to conduct courses. “These colleges not applying for affiliation is an indication that they want to shut shop,” said a university official.
The official added that the University would stop “all activities regarding the provision of affiliation and other permissions to private colleges on May 15 (Wednesday)”. University Registrar J Kumar confirmed that a total of 22 colleges had not applied for affiliation this year. “As a result, they cannot conduct courses anymore,” he said.
Private engineering colleges in the State have been struggling to fill seats in the last few years. “Last year, too, we had a few colleges shutting down. The real concern is that the number of colleges going out of business is rising every year,” the official added. The list also includes a few architecture colleges. “We thought architecture colleges were doing better,” he said.
After conducting inspections for affiliation, the University has asked 92 colleges to reduce their intake capacity this academic year due to lack of appropriate infrastructure, especially due to the lack of proper facilities and equipment in laboratories. The University has decided to reduce the intake in a total of 300 departments in these 92 colleges in the State.