BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided not to grant permission for establishment of new private degree or professional colleges for five years from 2020-21 academic session. The High Power Committee of the Higher Education department took the decision recently to check the mushrooming of private colleges, most of which lack required infrastructure and faculties leading to dilution in quality of education imparted to students.
The Committee has, however, decided that an exception can be made in a case where the educational agency proposing to establish a new college is recognised nationally or internationally for its quality teaching. Apart from freezing permission for new degree colleges, the Committee has decided that the good NAAC score will be compulsory for degree or professional colleges and institutions to apply for increase of seats or opening of Sources said many colleges also apply to increase seats, while the existing seats are not filled up. They allegedly do so for their popularity and enhance their face value. new streams/ subjects/ courses. The minimum NAAC CGPA score 2.01 will be the prerequisite for existing degree or professional college or institution to apply for the increase of seats or opening of new courses.
In case of non-availability of NAAC score, the college/ institution need to be ranked by the NIRF in top 200 institutions of the country in the respective category. In the absence of both NAAC score or NIRF ranking, at least one-third of the programmes of the college/institution has to be accredited by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
“Often the non-performing institutes keep applying for enhancement of seats. This affects the student-teacher ratio of the institute leading to dilution of the quality of education. The fresh move will help address this issue,” said Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Prof Soumendra Mohan Patnaik.
Sources said many colleges also apply to increase seats, while the existing seats are not filled up. They allegedly do so for their popularity and enhance their face value. However, it can now be checked. The Committee has asked the Higher Education department to maintain a list of colleges having recognition and affiliation of Government on its website and advertise their list regularly to make students and parents aware.