All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has been established by an Act of Parliament (52 of 1987) for proper planning and coordinated and integrated development of technical education and regulation and maintenance of norms & standards in the technical education system throughout the country. The courses/programmes offered in Engineering & Technology, Management, Computer Applications, Architectures Town Planning, Pharmacy, Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Applied Arts and Crafts, come under the purview of AICTE. To safeguard the interests of stake holders, All India Council for Technical Education has revised its existing Regulations vide Notification No. 37-3/Legal/2004 dated 28.11.2005 for grant of approval for starting new technical institutions, introduction of courses or programmes and increase/variation of intake capacity of seats for the courses or programmes and Extension of approval for the existing technical institutions and maintenance of norms and standards in Universities including Deemed to be Universities. Under their revised regulations: I) No new technical institution of Government, Government Aided or Private (Self Financing) institution, whether affiliated or not affiliated to an University shall be started and no new courses or programmes shall be introduced and no increase and/or variation of intake in Technical Education shall be effected at all levels without obtaining prior approval of the Council. The Council will take Legal action against such defaulting Institution/Society/Trust/Company/Associated Individuals as the case may be. II) No existing technical institution of Government, Government Aided or Private (Self Financing) institution, whether affiliated or not affiliated to a University shall conduct any technical course without prior approval of the Council. III) No University including Deemed University shall conduct technical courses/ programmes without ensuring maintenance of the norms and standards prescribed by the Council. IV) No University, Board or any other body shall affiliate courses/programmes of technical education not approved by the Council. V) No admission authority/ body/ institution shall admit students to a course/programme of Technical education not approved by the Council. Under the regulations, the defaulting Institutions/Society/ Trust/Company/Associated Individuals as the case may be, are liable for stringent legal action including action under the provisions of Indian penal Code and other relevant Indian Laws for conducting courses/ programmes, without prior approval of AICTE in technical education as defined under AICTE Act. Attractive advertisements luring students seeking admission to technical courses are being issued by many institutions. Students desirous of joining any technical programme of any institution must confirm the status of its approval by AICTE as joining unapproved programmes can have serious consequences in terms of eligibility for employment, higher studies etc. AICTE has opened Students Facilitation Counters at the Headquarters and Regional Offices located at Bangalore, Bhopal, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kanpur, Kolkata and Mumbai, where all required information in respect of approved technical programmes/courses is available. STUDENT VOICE has been added on AICTE website, where students can send both their QUERIES AND SUGGESTIONS.

News of AICTE