There is good news for engineering students if they find that the credit system set by APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University is too tough. Kerala Higher Education Minister, K T Jaleel, said minimum credit in B Tech had been reduced from 182 to 162 from June 2019 onwards.

In addition to this, the minimum pass mark has been reduced from 45 to 40. Each semester will have five modules instead of six. In seventh and eighth semesters when the students are busy with internships the number of credits has been reduced to 15. The requirement for minimum marks in internal exams have been done away with.

"We have found that the need for minimum internal marks was used by some college authorities to punish students. So the pass marks will be decided by clubbing the marks for theory and internal marks," said Jaleel.

According to him, practical exams will be conducted at the university level from now on. Engineering students who participate in arts and sports will be getting grace marks. The decision to reduce the academic burden came at a time questions have been raised about the increase in the number of engineering dropouts and falling academic standards in engineering colleges.

The Minister on Monday told assembly that nearly 8000 engineering students dropped out of the B Tech course from various engineering colleges in the state during the past five years. Close to 3500 students dropped out from engineering course in 2016-17 alone. The minister said the decision to reduce the burden of students was taken as some of the measures taken by KTU was not effective.