CHENNAI: The All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has resolved to enable academics from civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering disciplines to teach courses in developing fields once they finish 10-credit online courses.
“After finishing online courses on Swayam or NPTEL Swayam platform they may teach courses in growing areas within the department,” said AICTE chairman T G Sitharam at a stakeholders meeting with engineering institutions recently.
Nevertheless, experiencing staff scarcity in computer science and other related branches, private engineering schools in Tamil Nadu have petitioned the council to enable them to utilise professors from core disciplines to teach computer science-related areas as well.
“Several institutions have boosted their enrollment in innovative degrees such as BTech in artificial intelligence and data science owing to demand. If the AICTE enables students to attend classes within the department following online courses, then they should also allow them to take classes for other branches,” said R M Kishore, deputy secretary, Consortium of Self-Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges in Tamil Nadu.
Several administrators stated the AICTE’s action will assist institutions since it would lessen the burden of computer science professors. “As of present, computer science teachers are accustomed to taking computer-related courses in all departments including ECE, EEE and mechanical engineering. The decision will minimise the burden of computer science faculty members,” stated P Deiva Sundari, principal of KCG College of Technology.
AICTE also said that it will concentrate on awarding minor degrees to all branch students to increase their employability.
“Anna University has already established minor degrees. Third-year students would start completing the courses in which they seek a minor degree from next year,” stated Anna University vice-chancellor R Velraj.
A student has to obtain 18 out of 160 credits to get the minor degree.
AICTE also declared that it will review the prohibition on launching new engineering institutions until 2024. The council may also authorise an expansion of sections in a branch from three to four.
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