Despite AICTE nod, colleges not interested to offer 3-year evening engineering course for working professionals again

AICTE made a U-turn from four years ago when it stated that if any working professional is interested in engineering courses, they should join regular colleges through lateral entry

Despite All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) nod, no government, aided or private affiliated institution in Karnataka has come forward to offer three-year engineering programmes (B-Tech/BE) for working professionals.

Following a demand from working professionals, the AICTE permitted institutions across India to start engineering courses through lateral entry, and called for applications from affiliated institutions. August 15 is the last date to apply.

According to sources, 170 applications were received by the AICTE, but none of them is from Karnataka.

Earlier, the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), BMS College of Engineering of Bengaluru, and 10 other engineering Institutions were offering evening engineering colleges for working professionals. They were offering three-year engineering courses for diploma engineering pass-out students employed in various sectors. The students were enrolled in colleges through Diploma Common Entrance Test (DCET) conducted by the KEA.

However, with the aim of improving the quality of engineering education, the AICTE had withdrawn permission for three-year degree programmes offered at evening engineering colleges for working professionals in the 2019-20 academic year. AICTE stated that if any working professional is interested in engineering courses, they should join regular colleges through lateral entry.

Hence, all evening engineering colleges were closed from the 2020-21 academic year. BMS Evening Engineering College closed from this academic year.

Days later, on July 24, 2023, the AICTE issued another order permitting affiliated institutions to start three-year engineering courses through lateral entry. A maximum of 3 programmes will be approved by AICTE with intake of 30 seats each. A batch of minimum 10 working professionals will be required to run the course in an academic year.