Thursday, 12 September 2013

Engineering students sit on hunger strike for AICTE affiliation

According to sources many engineering students of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Engineering College of Information and Technology, sat on hunger strike on Monday, demanding affiliation of their college by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Career of many students is at stake as their college is not affiliated to the AICTE. They were joined by junior students also in staging protest. They held posters in their hands which read — ‘We want AICTE affiliation’. They were annoyed over the fact that even after four years of existence, the college had not got affiliation.
The students sat on hunger strike in the morning and continued the protest even at the time of filling of this report. Though the authorities of HBTI tried convincing the students to give up their protest, the latter did not budge. The students vowed to continue protest till their college is granted affiliation by AICTE.
Though the HBTI authorities told students that their college is affiliated to the Mahamaya Technical University and that their career is not at stake, the latter said that since the college lacks AICTE affiliation, they would face problem in finding a job.
The striking students blamed the HBTI administration of “harassing” and “pressurizing” them to end their strike or they would call in the police. They said the HBTI authorities told them to call off their stir as Section 144 was in force in the city and the police could arrest them.
Later, the HBTI administration convened a meeting of the faculty members and the deans of the college and discussed the issue. The meeting was headed by HBTI Director Prof JSP Rai.
A student, on condition of anonymity, said, “As our college is not affiliated to the AICTE, our degree on passing out from here will not be valued. We will not get jobs, specially in the public sector units or top organizations. We demand affiliation from AICTE and that’s why we are on hunger strike.”
HBTI Director Prof Rai said, “the protesting students are confused over the issue of affiliation. Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Engineering College of Information and Technology is a constituent college of Mahamaya Technical University and AICTE affiliation is not required. Hence, the students will not face difficulty in getting jobs or otherwise.”

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