CUTTACK: Acting on a writ petition filed by Odisha Private Engineering Colleges Association (OPECA) challenging the decision of Government-run engineering colleges to increase their seats without having required approval from All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), the Orissa High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the State Government.
OPECA has filed the writ petition alleging that six Government-run engineering colleges in the State, which have increased over 500 seats, did not have the appropriate approval from AICTE to do so as required under law.
The division bench comprising Justice I Mohanty and Justice DP Choudhary has directed the Government and authorities of the six colleges to file their replies within July 6, the next date of hearing. The six colleges which have been issued notices are Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Saranga, Government College of Engineering, Keonjhar, Parla Maharaj Engineering College, Berhampur, Government College of Engineering, Kalahandi, College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar and Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla.
The petitioner has alleged that as per AICTE norms, the enhanced seats should be accredited by National Board of Accreditation (NBA), but the State Government blatantly violated the norms and hiked the seats in its engineering colleges without upgrading infrastructure at these institutions.
Seeking court’s intervention in the matter, the petitioner has appealed to the court to quash the illegally hiked seats.