Colleges with extra FSI can now build mgmt institute

In addition to an MBA programme and an MCA programme,“arts and crafts programme” as an institute will be allowed to be constructed on an existing architecture institute,subject to the availability of extra FSI.

“In big cities or metros,availability of land to start a new institute is a major bottleneck. We thus decided to rationalise requirement in terms of area. As per the new regulation,the extra FSI can be used to construct a management/MCA institute,” AICTE acting Chairman S S Mantha said.

Earlier,the AICTE had relaxed the norms for land requirement in urban areas for all technical institutions from 4 acre to 2.5 acre. For programmes like management/MCA/architecture and town planning,the land requirement is 1 acre for urban areas.

“Due to the non-availability of land in big congested cities,meeting land requirement norms for starting a new institute is a massive task. Hence,this is a good decision. It will encourage more institutes like ours to come forward and utilise the extra space to start a new management or MCA institute,” a senior professor of an engineering institute said.

Among other guidelines introduced by the AICTE,a PG division will be allowed to admit 30 students from 2012-13,up from 18 currently. The move is an attempt to promote and encourage PG education in the country.

Yet another norm stipulates that all technical institutes will have to subscribe to a certain number of journals relevant to the subject being taught in that institute. The AICTE,which looked at various e-journals,has prepared a list of minimum journals,which need to be subscribed and also worked out best pricing with the publishers. The aim,said an AICTE official,is to expose teachers and students to the best research and development work published globally.

“Teachers and students will have unlimited access to those journals. This will help improve the overall quality of education and research at our institutes,” an official said.