Port Blair, Nov 25: Pondicherry University extended a Conditional Provisional Affiliation to Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, for 2019-20 to offer the existing 3 B.Tech. Courses on the conditions that – (1) Andaman & Nicobar Administration shall constitute a three member Enquiry Committee with two University Nominees on the functioning of the College and the faculty complaints against the present Principal and submit a report within 8  weeks; (2) Sharing of the space, faculty and facilities of the Engineering College with the Polytechnic College should not be permitted as per the AICTE instructions; (3) A qualified Principal as per AICTE norms should be appointed within three months; (4) The Board of Governors (BOG) of the College should be reconstituted as per the AICTE norms and include two University Nominees.  The two University Nominees are to be invited to all the Meetings by giving sufficient time and notice; (5) All other deficiencies pointed out by the Inspection Committee of the University  with respect to faculty, Lab Equipments, Library books and Journals and Sports facilities should be rectified within three months;

Earlier, the University has not granted affiliation for this college due to various deficiencies.  The Engineering College is functioning in the same premises of a Polytechnic College.  The faculty of  the Polytechnic College are made to take classes for B.Tech. students keeping away the UPSC posted qualified teachers exclusively for Engineering courses. The college has no Engineering workshops and using only Polytechnic college resources.  Even the class rooms are used for both Engineering and Polytechnic classes.   The project work guidance and supervision are not allotted to the UPSC selected qualified Engineering College teachers.

Inspite of repeated instruction from the University, the Principal of Polytechnic College is allowed to continue as Principal of Engineering College.  His eligibility and qualifications are challenged in the Court of Law.  Due to lack of quality teaching the pass percentage of students in every semester is very low. The college has not taken any steps to provide a remedial coaching to enable the students to clear their backlogs.

It is also brought to the notice of the University that there is a constant unrest in the college as the qualified faculty are harassed by extending their probation, giving memos and denying permission for their legitimate travels for attending conferences and seminars, etc.

In the light of the above deficiencies, the University was compelled to withhold the affiliation for the current academic year.  However, realizing the need for technical education for the island students who have no other alternatives to pursue their higher studies, University has reconsidered the issue and accorded conditional provisional affiliation for the current academic year 2019-20 in the interest of the students alone.