Experts and engineering college managements have demanded that the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) develop objective parameters when granting or renewing affiliation to engineering colleges, which would stem the deteriorating quality of education in the sector. Even as some have suggested indices to measure quality, VTU has rejected these alternatives.

At present, affiliation is granted or renewed to engineering colleges based on observations made by local inquiry committees. Earlier this month, VTU had formed over 55 committees to inspect 220 engineering colleges for the 2019-20 academic year. However, apart from an advisory to colleges, there is little that these committees can judge a college on. This, say experts, has led to unfit colleges being allowed to continue.

As a potential remedy, Sanjeev Kubakaddi, VTU’s executive council member, along with Jyoti Vijay, educationist, have developed a checklist of mandatory indices that colleges can fill before committees visit them.

Mr. Kubakaddi said they have developed several indices, which include analysing various parameters related to the management, faculty, infrastructure, and student performance. The report given to the university had stated certain cut-offs for colleges to achieve: 40% if they want affiliation to be renewed; 45% to enhance intake of students; 50% to sanction additional courses; 60% for permanent affiliation; and 65% for renewal of permanent affiliation.

For veteran teachers, this system may prove to be a better judge of quality of education rather than the rudimentary checklist followed by VTU now, which merely lists the infrastructure that needs to be in place. “For two years now, we have been pressing for the implementation of parameters that can be used by the committee members to evaluate the colleges. This way, colleges that have maintained some standard will get permission for renewal of affiliation, while colleges that do not have good faculty and infrastructure will be forced to invest in education,” said the principal of a Bengaluru-based engineering college.

However, VTU has rejected this demand and has insisted that there will be no grading of colleges. “We have given the Local Inquiry Committees a toolkit with a checklist, and have asked the members to submit lapses observed in colleges. But, they will not be given marks,” said H.N. Jagannatha Reddy, Registrar (Administration) of the university.

VTU’s process has come under criticism on multiple issues: from corrupt practices by colleges to get a favourable report from visiting committees to colleges with little infrastructure or faculty being allowed to take in students. To weed out corruption, the university had compiled a list of dos and dont’s for colleges, which includes a ban on “entertainment programmes” or special functions to be held for visiting committee members. Offering of gifts and cash has also been prohibited.