The Federation of Self-Financing Technical Institutions (FSFTI) and the Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) have jointly approached the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), advocating for the exemption of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) colleges from the mandatory approval requirements.
During a comprehensive discussion with Rajive Kumar, the Member Secretary of AICTE, prominent education leaders Anshu Kataria, President of FSFTI (All India), and Amit Sharma, Senior Vice President of PUCA, delved into the historical context of AICTE regulations. They argued that, since the enactment of the AICTE Act in 1987, BBA, BCA, and Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) had consistently been excluded from the regulatory purview of AICTE, reports EI Online.
The unexpected inclusion of BBA and BCA colleges within the AICTE approval framework, reportedly after an uninterrupted four-decade period, has sparked significant concern within the academic community. Kataria underscored that these specific courses had traditionally operated outside the jurisdiction of AICTE.
The recent policy shift implies that new BBA and BCA colleges would now be compelled to bear a substantial financial burden, manifested in the form of a Rupees 20,000 approval/affiliation fee per course.
There will be a potential impact of this situation on educational institutions in Punjab, where around 150 technical colleges offer BBA and BCA courses, collectively serving approximately 20,000 students. With AICTE mandating approval for these courses starting from the academic year 2024-25, there is a major concern that the financial onus will be transferred to the students. Currently, the affiliation for these courses is granted by the respective state universities, reports The Tribune.
During their meeting with Rajive Kumar, Dr. Anshu Kataria and Amit Sharma reportedly articulated their concerns, underlining the historical precedence of autonomy for BBA, BCA, and BMS colleges. The sudden alteration in policy has created unforeseen challenges for college management, prompting an appeal for a thoughtful reconsideration of the AICTE’s stance on the matter.
Meanwhile, the FSFTI, All-India Unaided Colleges Association, and Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) are planning to challenge the AICTE’s decision to bring the courses under its jurisdiction by filing a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
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