Friday, February 26, 2010

Kapil Sibal launches E-governance model for AICTE

Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD), today launched web portals of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Board of Accreditation (NBA) at URL://www.aicte-india.org and URL://www.nba-india.org respectively.

This initiative is part of the AICTE's efforts to bring in transparency, accountability, efficiency and swiftness in its decision-making process.

The portals will facilitate a citizen-friendly interactive mode with a responsive public grievance redressal mechanism.

Some other significant initiatives taken by the AICTE, announced today, are as follows:

- Processing of applications for approvals shall be made on line with effect from 10th January, 2010.

- Permission to new engineering and management institutions to admit upto maximum 300 from 240 and 120 from 60 students respectively.

- Reduction in land requirement in metro and mega cities to enhance facility of technical education.

- Permission to technical educational institutions to offer modular educational courses with the provision of credit transfer in extended teaching hours and also to offer programmes in second shift, so as to maximize utilization of their capacities.

- Opening of new camp offices at Gurgaon and Guwahati for the benefit of educational institutions in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and North Eastern Region respectively.

- Establishment of National Board of Accreditation (NBA), as an independent body of AICTE, for making it eligible for full membership of Washington Accord.

- Providing 25% flexibility to management institutions in allocation of seats among different disciplines of Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) to address ever changing requirement of manpower.

- Only MBA and MCA courses, through distance mode, are to be considered for approval.

- Co-option of foreign experts on Academic Boards.

- Conducting of first Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) for Pharmacy Graduates on May 2, 2010, through MS University, Baroda.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

ExtensionNotice

Do we need the AICTE at all?

AICTE is a sanctioning and monitoring agency for technical education in India. This article argues that AICTE should instead play the role of anaccreditation agency that would allow for natural improvement in the system.



AICTE, All India Council for Technical Education, was set up way back in 1945 to monitor all aspects of technical education in India. It oversees quality, administration, intake, eligibility, and many such academic issues for technical and professional colleges. Necessary as these may seem at first in its manifesto, on second thought, one can't help questioning the need for their authoritative implementation as practised by the AICTE.

Technical education has always had to face the complex need of keeping with the fast- growing laboratory knowledge on one hand, and industrial practice on the other, much more so in this era where computing seems to be setting the pace of our lives. It is hardly surprising then that in keeping with such needs, attempts are made to create new academic courses in existing or in new institutions to meet these challenges. How appropriate such courses are, how well they can be delivered, and so on, are all issues that concern students who wish to enter them. 

To be honest, at the end of the day, an institution and its students both share the risks and rewards from such academic ventures. Farcical it is, that the AICTE should step in here between an institution and its students, to sanction or monitor running of new institutions and courses.

A year ago, AICTE was caught on the wrong foot for fraudulent practices in sanctioning new institutions and courses. While action has been taken since, by way of making their application process online, the very idea of having a sanctioning authority here is non causa pro causa. In its present form, that is. Rather than be the legislative body it now is, one would expect the AICTE to be no more than an official accreditation agency that awards rankings or ratings to courses in academic institutions

That accreditation itself must be transparent, supported by online evaluation by students, placements, industry feedback and the like. Such a system will be self- improving, because no institution would survive for long with poor ratings. Eventually every such institution's quality should be comparable with that of premier institutions worldwide.

Would someone in the HRD ministry take note?
 

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

FAQS about AICTE web portal

1. Did New Aicte web portal is required by following details- proof of verification of fund ?
Yes, Aicte is asking for proof of verification fund

2. How long does it take to get verification for a mortgage??
This can take a long time epending on what the problem is? If this is just a standard verification then it shouldn`t take more then 4-5 business days. If there was a conflict in name or number this could take up to 2 weeks to resolve. chase2913 132457

3. What is a bank Verification letter?
Bank vertification letter is a letter written by the bank to prove that account has the ability or resources to contribute the money or verification of deposit letter

4. There are problems in accessing the AICTE Web Portal?
The accessing of AICTE web portal has some system requirements which are available under HELP menu. Kindly ensure that the configuration of your system with respect to hardware, software and bandwidth meet the system requirements.

5. The proformas for different types of applications like Increase in Intake, Supernumerary seats under PIO category, Tuition fee waiver scheme and additional seats etc. are not available on the portal?.
Only two application formats i.e. one for the New Institutions and another for the Existing Institution are available on the web portal.
Form for new Institutions can be used for,
* Applying for new Institution / integrated campus
* Applying for conversion from existing Institution to integrated campus.

Application from for Extension of approval shall be used by existing Institutions for,
* Extension of approval for existing courses.
* Applying for new programme /increase of intake / closure
Applying for schemes, such as, PIO / NRI / TFW

6. The application was submitted during the previous years and has already been processed to a certain stage like Letter of Intent, Expert Committee visit conducted etc. How will such pending applications be processed?
All such applications pertaining to previous years and pending at various stages of processing will have to be uploaded afresh as New Institution”. However, the processing fee already paid during previous years may be adjusted while uploading the online application and only the differential processing fee needs to be paid.

7. Regarding infrastructure, which guidelines i.e. those in old approval process handbook or in new approval process handbook will be applicable?
Since all such pending applications are to be uploaded afresh, these will be governed by the new norms.

8. What intake will be allowed to the pending applications? As per the new approval process handbook or old approval process handbook.
Since all such applications are to be uploaded afresh and will be processed as per the new approval process handbook. These will be eligible for intake as per the new approval process handbook i.e. 300 for Engineering; 120 for Management, Pharmacy & HMCT and 80 for B. Arch.

9. Whether Government or Government-Aided institutions are exempted from paying the processing fees?
Only government institutions are exempted from paying the processing fee. However, the Government-aided institutions will have to pay the processing fees.

10. Uploading of the required documents in a scanned form takes too much of time?
While scanning documents, adopt following,
Scan all your documents to A4 size, 72 DPI, Grey scale and create PDF. This will make file very small and thus easy to upload.
It is suggested first to create a folder to store all scanned files of all the documents required to be uploaded offline and then upload individual files to web portal.
Note : For uploading video (ensure media player compability), showing Institute infrastructure, ensure that total duration of video is less than 5 minutes.

11. How much time it takes to get the User_Id and Password after submission of request?
It takes a maximum of 48 hours to get the User_Id and password.

12. Whether Professors of Applied Sciences viz. Science and Humanities stream are eligible for the post of Principal/ Director?
No.

13. What is the maximum age limit permissible to be eligible for the post of Principal/ Director?
70 years.

14. Keeping in view that the norms regarding infrastructure have been changed in the new approval process handbook, certain alterations in the approved building plan submitted in case of pending application may be required. Is it permissible?
Such alterations are acceptable only if some internal partitioning are involved in such alterations without affecting the layout plan and outer boundaries.

15. Whether collaborations and partnerships between Indian and Foreign University are allowed in second shift?
Yes.

16. To which University a copy of the application should be submitted in case of applications for new PGDM programmes?
Since PGDM programes are autonomous programmes, a hard copy of the application is not required to be submitted to any University.

17. Who will approve the syllabus for PGDM programmes?
It will be scrutinized for approval by the Scrutiny Committee constituted by the Regional Committee.

18. Whether it is possible for the existing institutions to seek integration of few institutions and a newly proposed institution?
Yes. But only if such institutions are offering two or more programmes in technical education.

19. How the existing faculty, which may not fulfill the qualifications as per the new Approval process is to be adjusted?
Faculty cadre and qualifications provided in the new approval process handbook are applicable only for the faculty recruited henceforth. However, the existing faculty will continue to be governed by the qualifications as per the old approval process till the time they continue in the existing institute. However, if they seek a fresh appointment in another institute, new qualifications will be applicable.

20.I am interested in increase in intake. Do I need to fill information of all existing courses in Ext of Approval form.
Yes

21. How do I upload biometric information regarding faculty information?
Use biometric scanner and upload scanned image. Name of the file may be like FirstnameLastnameBIOM.jpg.

22. How do I name scanned files regarding faculty UG/PG/PHD/Other certificates.
Name of the file may be as under so that one can relate files with faculty name.
FirstnameLastnameUG.pdf
FirstnameLastnamePG.pdf
FirstnameLastnamePHD.pdf
FirstnameLastnameOTHR.pdf

Monday, February 22, 2010

Login into AICTE web portal with existing institute id


Login into AICTE web portal with existing institute id you be seeing the Home page as below:


 
Click on the ‘Extension Approval’ tab

Click on ‘Extension - Applicant Views’ for viewing or entering the details of an application
Click on ‘New Application’ button if you want to create a new application record. 

The Application Number is automatically generated by the system. Note down the Application Number. The Current Status is set to ‘New’ while the Sub-Status field is blank.
Fill in the details for all fields displayed on the form (except those fields which are non editable / system fields)
Key Fields :
Institute Type: Select from (Technical Institution / Integrated Campus)
< Select the value carefully which represents type of your institute, you will be allowed to enter information about multiple ‘Programme’ if you choose type as Integrated Campus >
Pending Application? :
Application Ref#:
 Click on Application Details form.
Enter the details under the ‘Application Details’ Tab
Provide details for all the fields displayed on the form


Web Portal Process Overview

L&T Infotech bags e-governance project of AICTE

L&T Infotech, the software solutions providing company of Larsen & Toubro, announced today that it has bagged the e-governance implementation project of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
L&T Infotech will implement Siebel CRM (Customer Relationship Management) modules and will also supply and execute a comprehensive System Integration (SI) network including supply of the requisite hardware for PCs and networking equipment for their office in Delhi and 15 regional offices across the country.
The project also includes a four-year support of the applications and hardware. The company will be integrating payment gateways and biometric features in the e-governance solution. The project is expected to open doors for several critical projects in the education space since AICTE has 20,000 institutions under its banner.

S S Mantha, Acting Chairman, AICTE, said: “Implementing this project will help AICTE to improve the quality of education at a much faster pace. It will provide instantaneous information and status to all stakeholders on the criteria for accreditation of an institution. It will also facilitate the process of making an online application for various approvals easier and thus will be more user-friendly. During the next phase of this project, students would also be able to have a single window to genuine national academic institutions, thereby replacing the current multi-directional process."