The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Row over eligibility criteria

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Row over eligibility criteria

A.Srivathsan

"Anna University's norm for B. Arch admissions is not acceptable" As per CoA norms, 50% aggregate in higher secondary with maths as a compulsory subject and aptitude test are enough

CHENNAI: A new controversy has surfaced over the eligibility criteria adopted by the Anna University this year for B.Arch admissions.

The Council of Architecture (CoA), a statutory body responsible for regulating architecture education and practice, stipulates that an aspirant to the five-year B.Arch course should have secured 50 per cent aggregate in higher secondary with mathematics as a compulsory subject, and compulsorily written an aptitude test in architecture.

However, Anna University has included Physics and Chemistry marks along with mathematics to determine eligibility. The CoA has taken objection to this. Admissions to B. Arch at Anna University's School of Architecture and Planning and at the Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai will begin once B.E./B.Tech counselling ends.

Vijay Sohoni, president, Council of Architecture told The Hindu that the Anna University's norm was not acceptable. He cited the earlier Delhi High Court judgment in which it was ruled that while higher eligibility criteria were acceptable, additional criteria were not. Additional criteria could deprive those who would have otherwise qualified for admission, of a seat. If Anna University pursues its course and does not revise its eligibility criteria it may draw punitive action from the Council of Architecture, Prof. Sohoni said. Anna University sources said they would adopt the CoA norms from next year and not for the present admission process.

At present the eligibility norm that considered the physical sciences marks also, besides the mathematics and ATA scores, had been fixed by the Board of Studies. Amending it to suit the CoA norms now would not be possible for the current year, as any statute change would have to wait for ratification by the academic bodies.

One of the Deemed Universities, said it was neither aware of these norms nor the situation. It had planned to consider all the subjects for admission. However, if the CoA norms suggested that only Mathematics is to be considered they would adopt it.

About 400 students have taken aptitude tests for 40 seats in the School of Architecture and Planning of Anna University. This is almost the same number of applicants as last year. Deemed Universities can either adopt the National Aptitude Test in Architecture or have their own admission test.

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