The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : AICTE regional office remains a non-starter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 14, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

AICTE regional office remains a non-starter

College managements forced to run to Chennai office

Office inaugurated in June last year
100-odd new colleges sanctioned

HYDERABAD: Despite boasting of maximum engineering colleges in the country the State is waiting for the regional office of All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to start functioning despite being opened last year. The regional office was inaugurated by Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh in June last year but it still remains locked.

The space was acquired at the JNTU Masab Tank campus paying Rs. 15 per sft as rent per month and even furniture was provided for the office. But neither a director for the office has been appointed nor staff to take care of its activities, forcing the college managements to run to Chennai regional office for their work.

The Hyderabad office is supposed to take care of both Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. College managements are furious over the delay. “There is no valid reason why it should remain a non-starter despite the infrastructure created. They are even paying Rs. 2 lakh rent to JNTU every month,” said the representatives of an engineering college.

“Their problem is that for every small issue we have to run to Chennai, which is already overburdened with work. There is not even space in Chennai office to keep files,” he remarked.

Hectic activity

The 500-odd college managements cannot rush to Chennai every time spending money on travel and boarding. With additional 100-odd colleges sanctioned this year there is likely to be hectic activity like submission of reports, mandatory disclosure of staff and facilities.

“It would have been very convenient if the office functioned here,” said the representative of the rural engineering college managements association that represented the AICTE Chairman last week.

College managements attribute several reasons for the delay. Some of them allege that the focus of media would be quite strong here leaving little scope for “favouritism” and “deliberate delay” in official work.

“They have to be answerable and accountable for every action if the office is located here. There is a deliberate effort on this front,” alleged the correspondent of an engineering college.

APSCHE Chairman K.C. Reddy agreed that it sends a wrong signal if it remains a non-starter despite being opened amidst fanfare. He said the issue has been taken up with AICTE Chairman and some decision would come soon.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh