TIRUCHI: Efforts made by some of the managements of poorly-patronised engineering colleges based in rural areas in the central region to convert their institutions into agricultural colleges has not borne fruit as the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) had decided in 2017 to stop affiliation of private institutions.
The managements are learnt to have approached the government to facilitate their affiliation to TNAU, with the reasoning that the existing infrastructure could be put to optimal use. However, the government seems to have only a limited leverage on this issue, a functionary of the management of a private engineering college said.
A private agricultural college in the fold of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) at Musiri in Tiruchi district, which will start functioning from the coming academic year, will be the last affiliated private institution to offer B.Sc. Agriculture programme, Dean – Agriculture, TNAU, Coimbatore, M. Kalyanasundaram said.
MIT College of Agriculture and Technology at Vellalapatti in Musiri taluk had secured the approval of the TNAU to offer B.Sc. Agri programme prior to 2017, when the university’s Academic Council had decided not to affiliate any more private institutions.
With the inclusion of the institution in Musiri, there are eight TNAU affiliated colleges in the central region: three in Tiruchi district; two each in Perambalur and Pudukottai districts; and one in Thanjavur district. The two other Colleges in Tiruchi are Imayam Institute of Agriculture and Technology at Thuraiyur, and Nalanda College of Agriculture, Nedungur. The rest constitute Thanthai Roever Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Agriculture College in Perambalur district; Mother Teresa College of Agriculture and Pushkaram College of Agricultural Sciences in Pudukkottai district, and RVS Agricultural College in Thanjavur district.
These private institutions were affiliated by TNAU after fulfilment of infrastructure requirements: class rooms, laboratories, instructional farm, library, livestock, transport, playground, administrative office, recreational facilities and hostel, besides qualified staff for teaching and allied works and administration .
The institutions had started the B.Sc. Agri programmes with a sanctioned strength of 60. The TNAU had posted its officers as the Deans of the private colleges, and the managements provide them all the facilities as extended to the deans in the university’s constituent colleges.
The pay and allowances of the deans in the private colleges are paid by TNAU from the funds transferred in advance by the private managements before admission of students.
The TNAU charges affiliation fee of ₹. 20 lakh for each degree course with the sanctioned strength of 60 students, besides application fee of ₹ 1 lakh and registration fee of ₹ 50,000.
The TNAU deputes scientific personnel once a year for inspection of the progress of courses. The affiliation is valid for four years whereafter it should be renewed.
Eom
Source: Read Full Article
