Thursday, Jun 25, 2009

• Lack of qualified faculty, facilities the reasons
• Warning issued to colleges collecting capitation fee

Chennai: PMR Engineering College, Adayalampattu, and the GGR College of Engineering, Vellore, have been barred from admitting students in the current academic year, Higher Education Minster K. Ponmudy told the Assembly on Wednesday.

In Sri Ram Engineering College, Tiruvallur, and VKK Vijayan Engineering College, Sriperumbudur, the ban is on one course each. Lack of qualified faculty and basic infrastructure were the reasons that led to the ban, the Minister said.

Mr. Ponmudy warned colleges collecting capitation fee, saying a five-member committee would continue its surprise checks. Besides writing to the AICTE recommending withdrawal of approval, the government would take action against them through universities.

Rejecting arguments that the State had miles to go to improve the quality in higher education, Mr. Ponmudy said Tamil Nadu could take pride in the fact that access to higher education was 14 per cent against the national average of 9 per cent. “We will touch 15 per cent.”

When Congress whip Peter Alphose drew the Minister’s attention to the lack of librarians and physical education directors, he promised to fill the vacancies