The supreme regulatory body for technical institutions AICTE is planning to close down engineering institutes which are registering less than 30 per cent admissions for the last five years, said its top official on Friday.
"With over 27 lakh, or nearly 50 per cent, engineering seats lying vacant across various engineering colleges in the country, the All India Council for Technical Education will shut down number of such centres from the next session," said Chairman of AICTE Anil D. Sahasrabudhe at the World Education Summit 2017, according to the statement issued by the organising NGO Elets.
"In the past few years, the AICTE has been actively working on reducing the quantity of engineering institutions across the country due to increased institutes, poor demand and falling quality in education," read the statement quoting Sahasrabudhe.
"The regulatory body has also reduced the penalty for closing down an engineering institution that was a deterrent for many colleges which were willing to shut in the midst of poor demand," it said.
There are 10,361 engineering institutions in the country that are approved by AICTE, he said, with a total intake of 37,01,366 students.
To increase the number of employable individuals, the regulatory body is focussing on imparting soft skills to the students and training them in real-life problem solving skills.
Moreover, through its 'National Student Startup Policy', the body is aiming to create "one lakh technology-based student start-ups and a million employment opportunities in the next 10 years", the Chairman said.
The two-day summit, which will end on Saturday, is scheduled to see 300 eminent education experts, ministers and higher officials from India and abroad.
The conclave is being organised by NGO Elets, along with Rajasthan government, AICTE and National Skill Development Corporation.
--IANS
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