BHUBANESWAR : At least eight autonomous government colleges of the state have been found offering technical and professional courses without the approval of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The colleges are BJB college, Shailabala Women’s college, FM college, Government college at Angul, Bhadrak college, Dhenkanal college, Maharaja Purna Chandra college and Samanta Chandra Sekhar college at Puri. The colleges have been offering two-year Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Masters in Computer Application (MCA) courses in self-financing and public-private partnership modes for the last several years.
The institutions have roped in third party educational agencies for running the courses. As per AICTE Act, 1987 and subsequent regulations laid by the council, any institution must seek and obtain its approval before initiating two-year MBA and MCA programmes (full-time).
“Operating these programmes without the necessary approval is a violation of AICTE regulations and a breach of the trust placed in educational institutions to maintain standards,” the department said in a letter to the principals of the colleges. The department has directed the principals to get the necessary approval for 2023-24 academic session and ensure renewal of AICTE approval for consequent academic sessions.