Sibal gives clean chit to AICTE

Updated on: Thursday, May 20, 2010

New Delhi: All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), which has often been in news for wrong reasons, today got full marks from HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, who said the body has undergone transformation and is functioning as per norms.
"The AICTE has brought transformation from inspector raj to a regime of self-disclosure. I was getting complaints against AICTE earlier. But now I can tell with confidence that there is no complaint against AICTE in the last two months,"
Sibal told reporters after laying the foundation of AICTE headquarters here.

AICTE, the apex body to standardise technical education, has been facing changes of irregularities. Its chairman Prof R A Yadav has been suspended on charges of irregularities while the former Member Secretary is facing a CBI case.

"There was real disorder in AICTE," Sibal said. The council has changed its system of granting approval to  engineering and MBA colleges. It has changed the accreditation system also.

"Wherever I am going, people are appreciating the works of AICTE. They are saying AICTE is functioning well. That means change has come to AICTE and it has impacted the system and work is being done as per norms," Sibal said.

The government has decide to set up National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) as an overarching body in higher education which would replace the AICTE, UGC and NCTE.

Asked whether the new building would be taken over by the proposed NCHER, Sibal replied in negative. "It does not mean that all buildings will go to NCHER. That will be a policy making body. This organisation will continue to perform its own function. AICTE's function will remain but its name may be changed," he said.

The new building, to be constructed in two years by DRDO, will have an auditorium with a sitting capacity of 1,000. Sibal also praised UGC Chairman Prof Sukhadeo Thorat and said the UGC would deliver well under his leadership.

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