December 31 is the deadline for new engineering colleges and courses seeking AICTE approval
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has advanced the deadline for new engineering colleges and courses to apply for its approval for 2012-13 academic session to December 31, 2011. The new deadline will not be extended for any reason. 
Earlier, the deadline used to be February 28, which was sometimes extended to March 31 and even to April 30. The first list of AICTE approved colleges in 2011 was released on June 11, the second on June 28, and the third on July 15. This had led to delay in admission process of colleges and universities. As a result, students had got fewer days to attend classes.
The decision to advance application deadline to seek different types of AICTE approvals to December 31 will bring a relief to students from this chaos. Approval for new courses will be started in January itself and AICTE will process and scrutinize all the applications till March 31, 2012.
The different types of AICTE approvals that existing and new engineering colleges may seek for till December 31 are:
- converting existing technical institutions into technical campus,
- adding new technical programmes,
- change of site/location,
- conversion of women's institute into coeducation one,
- extension of approval,
- increase/decrease in intake,
- closure of programme/course,
- change of name of the institute,
- starting second shift or part-time programmes, and
- setting up of new technical campus offering one or more technical programme at degree, diploma and further levels.
Source: Ruchi Shrimali (Shiksha Team)
