22 of de-affiliated college left in lurch

Sometimes, it’s bad to get good academic scores. Twenty-two engineering students of Parshvanath Engineering College, Thane, which lost its All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) affiliation in August 2012 and a subsequent appeal in Supreme Court in December 2012, are now sitting at home as they didn’t get admission in other engineering college. The new semester in all engineering colleges affiliated to University of Mumbai started on January 7.

After the SC order, Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Maharashtra, started taking measures to transfer 1,400 students to other colleges. While most have got admission, 22 meritorious students who were allotted to DJ Sanghvi Engineering College, Vile Parle, have been left in a lurch.

A second year mechanical engineering student, who scored 75% in diploma, said, “Sanghvi college refused us admission citing no vacancy in any course/year. Even after repeated visits and pleas to the college authorities and DTE, we failed to get admission.”
Principal of the Vile Parle college, Hari Vasudevan, said, “Session is already in full swing. Also, we don’t have a single seat in any branch. We have asked DTE to reconsider its order or increase our intake capacity.”

DTE director SK Mahajan couldn’t be reached for comment. A top DTE official claimed, “Sanghvi college is already facing a Rs44 lakh penalty imposed by us for giving admissions beyond its intake capacity a year ago. They are now throwing the same rule book to us.”

Panicked students have been trying their luck in the other options on their priority list of four but have failed to get a positive response. A third year student said, “Seats in all city colleges are full now as they accommodated our classmates. We may have to compromise with a low-rated college in Karjat or Kalyan.”

Parshwanath College lost its affiliation on technical grounds as it didn’t acquire occupancy certificate from the TMC for its new building, where it shifted in 2010. AICTE had barred it from admitting new students then. However, it allegedly got a stay order from the high court and continued admissions.