Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Sept 16: In what can be termed as apparent discrimination with Jammu, the State Government is adopting a different yardstick to give its formal nod for introduction of Lateral Entry Scheme of AICTE in the Jammu University affiliated Engineering Colleges here and has thus spoiled yet another precious year of the admission seekers, who are Diploma holders in Engineering.
Notwithstanding approval of Jammu University for implementation of the scheme from session 2013-14 onwards, the Department of Higher Education is wasting time since then on formulating so called modalities before issuance of a formal order to introduce Lateral Entry in Jammu based Engineering Colleges even as the same is already allowed in the Kashmir based Engineering Colleges for the last three years.
The un-precedent as well as un-necessary delay on part of the Higher Education Department is depriving Jammu students with Diploma in Engineering from getting direct admission in Semester III of the Bachelor in Engineering courses here. As the class work of semester III in all the JU affiliated Engineering Colleges began last week and the Government has not yet issued formal order on permission for Lateral Entry, this is for the second consecutive year that Jammu students are being deprived of admission for further studies.
Official sources told the Excelsior that before giving its nod, Higher Education Department was analyzing feasibility of the Lateral Entry system in JU affiliated college and the process is likely to take a couple of days for the completion. The Department has sought data of the number of Degree holders and Diploma holders passing out every year vis-à-vis their employability index as the Government has apprehensions that permission for Lateral Entry System will only add to number of degrees without jobs, sources explained.
“We are working out some modalities and the formal notification for Lateral Entry in JU affiliated Engineering colleges will be issued within days,” said the Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar. In response to a query, whether the admission seekers would be admitted this year as semester III class work has already begun, the Minister replied in affirmative.
However, on the other hand, the aspirants for Lateral Entry are running from pillar to post as they have genuine apprehension that another year of their career would get wasted this time also. “Had this Government been serious, modalities, if any, could have been worked out since March and moreover there is no logic behind denying the same Lateral Entry, which is already allowed in Kashmir based Colleges for the last three years,” said father of a Diploma Holder female candidate, who is eligible and interested for admission to B E Degree course under Lateral entry Scheme.
Pertinent to mention that a number of female Diploma Holders in Engineering, who want to apply for further admission to four-year BE Degree, are allegedly discouraged for the same by their family members as they avoid to send their wards outside the State while Lateral Entry Scheme is not implemented in Jammu based Colleges of Engineering.
Under the Lateral Entry Scheme of AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education), Diploma Holders with a minimum of 60 percent marks in the aggregate in any branch of Engineering from any State Board of Technical Education recognized by AICTE, shall also be eligible for admission directly to the third semester of the four-year BE Degree Course, provided they pass the Common Entrance Test of EE, second semester as private candidates. The Common Entrance Test shall be conducted by the Competent Authority constituted for the purpose.
As the Lateral Entry was adopted and introduced by Kashmir University for its affiliated colleges three years ago, the Jammu University also approved the scheme by JU Council resolution number 75.20, in its meeting on 11-10-2013, for its implementation from the session 2013-14 onwards. Even as the Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET) Jammu, which is Nodal Engineering College here, immediately took up the matter with the Administrative Department of the Government for issuance of a formal order with regard to Lateral Entry Scheme, the Department of Higher Education is neither according its approval nor rejecting the same and thus spoiling career of hundreds of Jammu based Diploma Holders, particularly female and economically weaker students.
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