Chairperson of AICTE, Mr. Anil Sahasrabuddhe confirmed that NAAC-affiliated institutes across the country should become autonomous institutions in the next ten years. At present, close to 50% NAAC-affiliated institutes in India are autonomous. According to AICTE Chairperson, institutes must go for autonomy after reaching certain academic standards .
Mr. Anil Sahasrabuddhe further hoped that the percentage of NAAC-affiliated autonomous institutes in the country should increase from 50% to 70%. In a decade, it would be better if 100% NAAC-affiliated institutes go for autonomy, he expressed.
AICTE Chief also emphasised that institutes must not encourage rote learning, and should enable the students to think on their own. Already, AICTE has come up with a new examination system that will evaluate the outcome of education and learning, he added.
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AICTE Chief stated that certain state-run universities are reluctant to go for autonomy. There aren’t any technical or causal difficulties in this regard, and it all depends on the mindset of universities. If these universities attain autonomy, some amount of work will definitely increase, he added.
Highlighting the advantages of autonomy, Mr. Anil Sahasrabuddhe pointed that the status gives complete freedom to higher learning institutes in framing curriculum and conducting exams. However, most government institutes are in assumption that the autonomy status would lessen the government funding and it will be treated similarly to the private college. The existing assumption is false and government institutes need not worry about funding, he indicated.
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AICTE Chief also directed the institutes to encourage students to take up internships and encourage start-ups. More start-ups must come up to address the challenges and problems that are being faced by the society, he hoped.
AICTE has always been trying to improve the quality of technical education in the country by taking up unique initiates and measures.