In News: AICTE, India’s technical education regulator, tweaked the entry-level qualification for undergraduate engineering programmes making students who haven’t studied either physics or mathematics (or both) in Classes 11 and 12 eligible for admission.
About New AICTE rules
- Under the new norms, a candidate is expected to have scored at least 45% in any three subjects out of a list of 14 — physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, electronics, information technology, biology, informatics practices, biotechnology, technical vocational subject, engineering graphics, business studies, and entrepreneurship.
- Earlier, an engineering aspirant should have passed high school with physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects.
Significance of new Rule
- The regulator defended the changes on the ground in line with the new National Education Policies multidisciplinary approach.
- This will “open a window of opportunity” for students from diverse academic backgrounds to pursue engineering, especially branches like textile and biotechnology.
Drawback of new Rule
- A high-quality biotechnology course without, at the least, a strong high-school level training in physics and mathematics to start with is difficult to progress through.
- An engineering programme spans four years. A student with a background in physics and mathematics will have to study the bridge course for at least two semesters. Such a student (needing remedial courses) will be completely at loss in (B.Tech) class.You cannot attend the bridge course and normal classes simultaneously.(Advanced knowledge of physics and mathematics can be fulfilled with bridge courses in college.)
- There is a renewed focus on STEM. Even MBBS doctors are now using mathematics.
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
- All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) was set up in November 1945.
- National-level apex advisory body to conduct a survey on the facilities available for technical education and to promote development in the country in a coordinated and integrated manner.
- And to ensure the same, as stipulated in the National Policy of Education (1986), AICTE was vested with:
- Statutory authority for planning, formulation, and maintenance of norms & standards
- Quality assurance through accreditation
- Funding in priority areas, monitoring, and evaluation
- Maintaining parity of certification & awards
- The management of technical education in the country
