KOTTAYAM: The students have protested against the renewal of the affiliation of the Toms College of Engineering at Mattakara by the AICTE. The students who studied there earlier and the union leaders said that the college lacked infrastructure facilities. The officials of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (KTU) had cancelled the recognition of the college after the students complained about the lack of facilities. “The college did not have labs as well as computer and other provisions,” said Prince B. Paul, a former second-year chemical engineering student who discontinued his studies at the college in January. Over 155 students had left the college and are waiting for the government to allocate them seats in other colleges.
Only 35 among the 190 students of five engineering branches are now continuing in the college. They were affiliated under the (KTU). Another 78 final-year students of B.Tech streams affiliated to the MG University are continuing their studies there. There were allegations about college chairman Tom P. Joseph intruding into the privacy of girl students. SFI district president Rijesh Babu told DC that the college lacked infrastructure. KTU registrar G.P. Padmakumar said they had previously asked the AICTE not to renew the affiliation for the college. “We have not renewed its affiliation for the academic year 2017-18,” he told DC. But the college authorities claimed that the AICTE renewed the affiliation after visiting the college.
Govt will examine decision, says Education Minister C Raveendranath
Education Minister Prof C. Raveendranath said that the government will examine the decision of the AICTE which renewed the affiliation given to the Toms College of Engineering, Mattakara. “The college should not be given affiliation. We will examine under what circumstance the affiliation has been renewed", Mr Raveendranath who came to inaugurate the state meet of the All Kerala Private College Teachers Association (AKPTCA) told reporters at Kottayam .
Inaugurating the 'education meet' as part of the state meet of AKPCTA at the Maman Mappila hall here the minister said that corporate lobbies were taking policy decisions in the education sector. "Throughout the world there have been challenges and issues in the public education sector. The main reason for this is that it is the corporate lobbies that are taking decisions instead of the experts in education or experienced persons. This is a dangerous scenario and it needs to be curtailed", he said. AKPCTA state vice-president Dr D.K. Babu presided over the function, AKPCTA state president Prof OG Oleena, and Dr K.L. Vivekanandan were present on the occasion.
