Maharashtra: Raise standards of engineering education, not just fill seats says Vinod Tawde

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Replying to the question if the government can help such students, Tawde said that DTE had already been instructed to come out with instructions within two days on how these students could be accommodated in the fourth round of admissions at the college level.

Meanwhile, a host of other questions were put before the minister, including issues with the implementation of Right to Education Act, delay in reimbursement of scholarship amount by social welfare department to colleges, improving teaching quality and giving approvals for teaching staff appointments and the new Maharashtra University Act.

One of the biggest subjects of discussion remained the vacant seats in engineering and management colleges. Stating that the ultimate objective was to raise the standard of engineering education and not merely fill seats, Tawde said it is important to keep a check on the approval for new colleges since the supply already far exceeds demand. “However, considering the infrastructure already available to us and the scope for such faculties abroad, we are considering on the optimal use for it for which a meeting is convened with Smriti Irani ji and the chairman of All India Council of Technical Education by the end of July,” he said.

Asked about the paucity of seats for medical admissions vis a vis high demand, Tawde said a medical college is being envisaged in every district on a public-private partnership basis.