TRIVANDRUM, 1 March 2004 — All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has issued notification setting apart one-third of the 15 percent supernumerary quota for foreign nationals and People of Indian Origin (PIO) in the technical institutions in India for the children of migrant Indian workers in the Gulf.
This is part of an amendment issued last week to the existing norms that also include relaxation of admission norms.
Fifteen percent seats in all the institutions/university departments approved by AICTE, offering technical courses of diploma, degree and postgraduate degree in engineering and technology, architecture and town planning, pharmacy, applied arts, masters in business administration and computer applications, hotel management and catering technology are reserved for the foreign nationals/PIOs/children of Indian workers in the Gulf countries.
The quota was in addition to the approved intake. However, any vacant seats out of the one-third Gulf quota would be reverted to the remaining PIO/foreign nationals quota.
In yet another important decision, the AICTE also relaxed the eligibility norms for engineering admissions waiving the condition of the minimum 50 percent marks in physics, chemistry and mathematics in the qualifying examinations of Plus-Two (Class XII).
It has also removed chemistry from the compulsory subjects at the Plus-Two level. However, the candidates will be required to qualify in the entrance test in all subjects as per requirements of the entrance test.
It was not clear if the new guidelines would be implemented this year as all formalities regarding admissions including the printing of the prospectus had been completed, according to the officials at the education department here.
According to the new norms, students should also study any of these subjects apart from mathematics and physics: chemistry, biotechnology, computer science or biology.
The AICTE has also made changes in the minimum qualifications for admissions to MCA, B. Arch and B. Pharm courses.
For admission to architecture and town planning course, the candidate should pass the eligibility examination with physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects with any one of the following subjects: chemistry, engineering drawing, computer science or biology.
