Technical education norms relaxed in Himachal
Nahan: To stop the exodus of the students of the states to get admission in polytechnic colleges of the neighboring state Punjab the Himachal Pardesh technical education department has reportedly been relaxed the norms to get the admission in the colleges located in the state. Sources said that now the students who had secured 90 marks in the entrance test would be eligible to get the admission instead of 120 marks in the general category. However the students of the schedule caste and schedule tribe would be needed 60 and 50 marks respectively for getting the admission. Earlier there was a cutoff list of 120 marks in the polytechnic entrance test (PET). Sources said that if despite this relaxation seat remains vacant than the students having 50 percent marks in the matriculation examination would be entitled to get the direct admission in the colleges. Sources said that 31st august would be the last date for taking the admission as the session have already begun in the state. As per as the information state government had a idea to promote the technical education in the state by opening large number of polytechnic colleges in the private sector but due to the complicated procedure of admission the students were not getting the chance so they had no option to go in Punjab. As per as the information there was 5500 seats in 25 polytechnic colleges of the state but only 2200 seats were filled in 25 polytechnic colleges of the state. Sources said that most of the seats were filled in the government colleges. It is worthwhile toe mention here that maximum colleges in private sector have come into the existence from the current academic session. Sources said that it was a temporary arrangement to fill the seats in the polytechnic colleges in the state which have been granted on the prior approval of the state government. The Hindustan Times had already highlighted the chance of vacant seats before the second counseling on 8th August at the directorate of technical education. Sources also said that now the management of the colleges would directly be entitled for granting the admission otherwise there was a role of directorate of technical education. The directorate of technical education has claimed that the state have a better infrastructure and fee structure as compare to other states for the education of polytechnic.
On the other hand special secretary and director technical education Sh S.S. Gularia confirmed the relaxation of the norms, when contacted. He said that this was a one time relaxation for filling the vacant seats in the colleges. He also admitted that most of the colleges were opened from the current session.
