The Hindu : Front Page : Architecture college admissions frozen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
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Architecture college admissions frozen

Conflict between HRD Ministry and CoA snowballs into a major controversy

Admissions frozen by Council of Architecture in three colleges in State
College managements worried over CoA move

HYDERABAD: The conflict between the Council of Architecture (CoA) and the Ministry of Human Resource Development over the ‘authority’ on admissions into Architecture colleges is snowballing into a major controversy even as the admissions in the State are set to begin on August 27.

The CoA has frozen admissions in three of the seven Architecture colleges in the State citing the reason that they had not facilitated inspection for the courses for 2007-2008.

These colleges include School of Planning & Architecture, JNTU, Hyderabad; School of Architecture of Andhra University, Visakhapatnam and the Sri Venkateshwara College of Architecture, Hyderabad.

However, the CoA website indicates that admissions can be taken up in MNR College of Architecture, School of Architecture in CSI Institute of Technology, School of Architecture in Holy Mary Institute of Technology & Sciences and for the M.Arch course in Sri Venkateswara College of Architecture in Hyderabad.

The CoA has totally frozen admissions in 50 colleges in the country.

College managements here are worried over the CoA move. Dr. Shinde, Principal of Sri Venkateshwara College, maintained that inspection was done by the CoA and a confirmation letter also issued.

But the latest development has rattled the students who are worried over the recognition of their degrees since they have to register with CoA to practice in India.

Aptitude test

The whole problem seems to be emerging from the National Aptitude Test for Architecture (NATA) conducted by the CoA. The Council maintains that NATA is must for admissions. However, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) in a directive issued in April 2007 made it clear that CoA doesn’t have the legal powers to conduct NATA. The Ministry said the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is already holding such an aptitude test along with AIEEE. Based on HRD Ministry’s directive, the State Government revived the Planning and Architecture Common Entrance Test (PACET) this year.

Made mandatory

Private colleges say that they went without students last year when NATA was made mandatory and their survival is now at stake. But they say students would also be advised to appear for NATA.

“The issue should be solved at the earliest in the interests of students,” says a student. Meanwhile, the APSCHE Secretary M.D. Christopher said that admissions with PACET ranks would be done on August 27 and next day with the NATA scores.

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