‘M Tech in Computer Sc is not equivalent to MCA’
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, July 22: A controversial decision of the Department of Higher Education Department has marred career prospects of thousands of M Tech students, who have either completed or pursing their Masters in Technology from the premier institutions of J&K.
In a unilateral decision, the Equivalence Committee of Higher Education Department has ruled that Degree of M Tech Computer Science and Engineering conferred by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University Katra , University of Jammu , NIT Srinagar and Guru Nanak Dev University is not equivalent to Masters degree in Computer Application and Master in Information Technology.
The said decision was taken last year by the Higher Education Department allegedly without consultation and deliberations with all members of the Equivalence Committee and the concerned institutions.
“There was no deliberation on the agenda and as soon as we joined the meeting through virtual mode, the Commissioner Secretary told us that decision has already been taken by the Government and the meeting was called just to inform us the same for formality sake,” said a university member of that Equivalence Committee.
Thus, in a clear violation of mandate of the Equivalence Committee, the Higher Education Department also issued minutes of the committee meeting, No.HED/GN/Gaztt/ Equi/ 2018 dated 10/09/2020 without getting the feedback from SMVDU Katra, University of Jammu, NIT Srinagar or from any university.
Interestingly, the authorities in Higher Education Department took this controversial decision in such an arbitrary manner that they forgot even their own decision taken by them on 22/05/2019 in which the Equivalence Committee held that M Tech in Computer Engineering and M Tech in Computer Science and Engineering has equivalence to Master Degree in Computer Application and Master Degree in Computer Science.
In its decision on 22/05/2019, it was also conveyed to the Planning Department that B Tech degree in Computer Science is a graduation degree and it covers syllabus which is for more comprehensive and professional valued course than the Bachelors of Computer Application (BCA), because the B Tech delves into lot more subjects than BCA.
“The B Tech degree is more proficient at the technical level and covers all the parameters of computers which includes hardware, software and applications, whereas BCA covers only application level,” read minutes of the Equivalence Committee meeting on 22-05-2019 .
However, a complete U-turn and unexpected decision of the last year Equivalence Committee has shocked the students who have completed M Tech from SMVDU Katra/ University of Jammu/ NIT Srinagar and are now waiting to apply for recruitment by the Public Service Commission.
The aggrieved students alleged that the Higher Education Department has taken this illogic decision to favour some of the aspirant who are well known to them and to demoralize those who have done M Tech from SMVDU Katra and Jammu University.
Pertinent to mention that UPSC, in its recruitment advertisements, also considers MCA equivalent to B Tech Computer Science and Engineer as more than 80 percent syllabus of MCA is similar to B Tech.
The aggrieved students have also appealed Governor Manoj Sinha to direct the Higher Education Department to implement its own decision taken in the Equivalence Committee meeting on 22/05/2019 and review minutes of meeting taken in haste on 10/09/2020 after getting the feedback from Jammu University, Kashmir University, SMVDU Katra and Principal of Engineering College Jammu.
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