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Engineering and Other Technical Education Colleges In Odisha Are In Dire Straits

The number of engineering colleges have more than doubled in the last five years, however students appearing for engineering joint entrance examinations have not grown at the same pace. As a result, all engineering colleges [read those affiliated to technical universities] are on the back foot to start with.

What has made things much worse for them, is that only 14,000 students have taken admission after the first phase of admissions. This is far less than that students who took admissions last year and just about thirty per-cent of the intake capacity of Biju Patnaik University of Technology [BPUT] affiliated engineering colleges. This is clearly certainly unsustainable.

If one examines objectively, it is obvious that a part of the problem is because of the larger issues of employability of engineering students – which ails colleges from all over the country. The other part of the problem are clearly local factors, which have been building up over the past few years.

The first problem, is no one knows where does the buck stop? A case of mis-alignment of authority and accountability. The Orissa Joint Entrance Examination [OJEE] Committee, which is entrusted with conducting the admissions has no incentive to efficiently manage the admissions process. Many stakeholder allege that highly student unfriendly systems and processes are one major factor for the same. Also, OJEE which is making almost Rs. 3-4 crores through selling of admission forms is not taking adequate steps of spreading the awareness of BPUT in possible catchment areas outside the state. It is time the OJEE – which was set in a time when the number of applicants far exceeded the number of seats – re-orient its functioning to meet the market realities. In a situation were local colleges are bleeding, OJEE needs to be accountable to be efficient. It would need to seriously introspect buck itself up on all counts – awareness, application process, examination process, counseling, admission. It is no longer the domain of the academicians. It might be a good idea to give the responsibility to OPECA or any other stake holders [with due checks and balances] who have an incentive to do a good professional job. A point to note, that Punjab Technical University’s distance education program has been continuously growing in size because the entire admission process is handled by the learning centres.

The second problem – is a deep systemic in-efficiency at BPUT, which has been getting worse every year. BPUT whose job is to conduct exams in time, declare results, focus on capacity building of faculties and enhance employability of students is way away from par score in terms. BPUT’s team does not have the necessary execution muscle and manpower to carry out its hygiene responsibility. No wonder that its other eco-system developing responsibilities are not in the radar. It is either a structural problem or it is a governance problem. Whatever is the root cause – the end result is that students are starting to find it risky to enroll in the BPUT system. One story doing the rounds is that students from Bihar who used to come in large numbers to BPUT colleges are exploring other options. Time for BPUT and Industry Department [which for antiquated reasons runs the mother department of Technical Education] to take note to do something drastic. Else, even Odisha students will stop taking admission in BPUT. Forget about attracting students of other states here.

There are other factors which can further strangle the engineering colleges – like unbridled admission in-take of private universities or the second shift allowed by AICTE. But they could be less important factors. If BPUT can provide quality education, provide time exit at reasonable costs there is no reason that students will prefer more expensive education at private universities. Also, like is any other industry, there will always be a segment of customers [read students] who will seek premium offerings and premium pricing – but they will always be the niche segment. So that is not a threat, as long as BPUT performs. On the issue of second shift, one must commend the industry department to not issue the NOC to institutes. This will result in a more equitable distribution of scarce student population.
Bhubaneshwar
Sept 10, 2011

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