Yoyahoo

BHUBANESWAR: Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) is seriously thinking of suggesting enhanced qualifying criteria for admission into professional institutes in the State.
In the past decades, a student aspiring for an engineering degree had to secure a prescribed score in Plus Two and then qualify in the JEE. Not anymore.
Currently, anyone who has cleared Plus Two Science can enrol into engineering course since the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) does not disqualify anyone.
Its merit list ranks all the candidates who have appeared in the test because the all-India trend is such entrances be ranking tests in nature including the AIEEE.
With virtually no checklist, the quality of intake has been a casualty and the BPUT, which is the affiliating body, feels the same.
“The technical committee is seriously considering to suggest raising the bar of the qualifying score,” BPUT sources said.
BPUT, however, has no control over it. The Policy Planning Body (PPB) of the State Government, the apex entity for professional education, can take a call on the matter but the technical university could seriously push its suggestion.
The enhancement in qualification could come in the shape of a selection criteria for the JEE. After the JEE merit list is out, a candidate can seek admission basing on combined weightage of entrance score and Plus Two marks for which a cut off level could be set.
The Orissa Private Engineering Colleges Association (OPECA), the umbrella body of the private technical institutes, too echoes similar feelings.
“Three years ago, we suggested that equal weightage be given to Plus Two performance and JEE ranks during counselling. This will help improve the intake and help the cause of the students as well the colleges but the Government is yet to take a call,” honorary secretary of the association Binod Dash said.
In the last couple of years, the recession and huge number of vacancies have posed serious questions on the standard of technical education, a major component of which is the intake.
Interesting though is a sharp rise in the number of colleges in the last two years, leading to many vacant seats. Last year itself, over 8,000 seats in engineering colleges remained untouched even after more than one round of counselling. Currently, there are 93 colleges in the State.
However, much would depend on the PPB and the State Government’s response to the suggestion which is likely to be made sooner than later.