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SC pulls up AICTE for delaying approval to technical colleges
The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for delaying grant of approval to technical colleges and violating the schedule fixed by it for the purpose.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for delaying grant of approval to technical colleges and violating the schedule fixed by it for the purpose.
“We can exhibit exemplary ruthlessness…Don’t tinker with our verdict. We are not sitting here for nothing, “, a vacation bench of justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy said after counsel for Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University - a nodal univarsity of technical colleges in UP - referred to the violation by AICTE of schedule fixed by the TOP court in 2012.
The delay in approval has forced the UP university to postpone the counselling session for students because it has not completed verification process of the colleges. Verification is must before the university gives affiliation to the colleges once AICTE gives its approval.
In this case when the university started verifying the colleges it learnt there were about 20,000 fake teachers in 612 colleges. The university said it could not give affiliation to such colleges and had moved the SC for more time to complete the verification process.
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AICTE was to give the list of approved colleges to the university by April 10 which was ultimately done on May 7. According to a SC 2012 verdict, universities had to compete the verification by May 15 for grant of affiliation.
The bench extended the time till June 10 for granting or denying approvals to 612 engineering and polytechnic colleges across Uttar Pradesh after the university’s counsel Amitesh Kumar told the bench it was not in a position to follow the SC calendar because of the lapse on the part of AICTE. However, the SC clarified that it was a “one time exception” and can’t be treated as precedent.
“We are final as far as law is concerned. We will issue contempt to you. Let it be clear to all concerned. We know how to enforce our order,” the bench said, adding, “We can exhibit exemplary ruthlessness” in fixing accountability for non-observance of its order.
“There are no colleges in the state where the students of 612 engineering colleges can be relocated. See, what you have done to the colleges and the students,” the bench said.
The bench ordered AICTE to explain within a week why its order was not followed and approval communicated to 612 engineering colleges in Uttar Pradesh to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University in the state.
The court said it can impose cost (fine) for “lapse and latches” on the part of the technical education regulatory body.
