The department of higher education has urged eight autonomous colleges in Odisha to obtain mandatory approval from All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for MCA and MBA courses in their colleges.
Eight autonomous colleges have been offering two-year full-time MBA (master of business administration) and two-year MCA (master of computer applications) programs in self-financing and public-private partnership (PPP) modes without getting the required approval from the AICTE, according to a department letter.
Rajata Kumar Mansingh, Deputy Director, Higher Education Department said in a letter to principals of the eight autonomous colleges and informed that “Operating these programmes without the necessary approval is a violation of the AICTE regulations and a breach of the trust placed in educational institutions to maintain standards.”
The colleges were: Bhadrak Autonomous College, Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College Cuttack, Dhenkanal Autonomous College, BJB Autonomous College Bhubaneswar, Maharaja Purna Chandra Autonomous College Baripada, Government Autonomous College Angul, Fakir Mohan Autonomous College Balasore, Bhadrak Autonomous College, and SCS Autonomous College Puri.
In the urgent letter, Mansingh stated, “You are requested to initiate necessary steps at your end for AICTE approval for two-year MBA and MCA courses for the session 2023-24 and renewal of AICTE approval for subsequent academic sessions.”
The AICTE Act, 1987, as well as the guidelines and regulations that followed, established by the council, mandate that any institution must apply for and receive AICTE approval prior to offering two-year full-time MBA and MCA programs. According to the official sources, this approval process guarantees the caliber and norm of technical education being given to students.
