The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) announced that two supernumerary seats per course will be set aside for COVID-19 orphaned children who are covered under the PM CARES scheme in all affiliated polytechnic institutions from the next academic year onwards.
This clause was added to the revised approval process norms of AICTE for the year 2022-23. The PM CARES scheme was announced by PM Narendra Modi in May 2021.
The important thing to note is that the reservation would not affect other children since the institutes admitting students under this clause are eligible to increase their sanctioned intake by two.
The scheme takes into account all those children who were orphaned between March 3, 2020 and February 28, 2022. There are 4,302 children who were orphaned as of March 16 and are approved for benefits under the PM CARES scheme.
AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabuddhe said, "Some children orphaned due to COVID-19 are infants, some may be in pre-primary classes or primary classes. Till these children complete their Class X and become eligible for admission to polytechnics, this provision will continue for them.”
AICTE also announced the regulations for multiple entry and exit options during BTech programmes in accordance with NEP 2020. Those who exit after completing one year of the programme will be entitled to receive an undergraduate certificate, an undergraduate diploma if they exit programme after two years and a Bachelor of Vocational Education degree after three years.
In its approval process, the council said, "At each entry, Institution/ University has to identify the educational gaps/skill gaps and suitable bridge courses may be offered. To make the students employable after every exit, the skill component with progressive enhancement in skills in respective disciplines may be introduced in the curriculum right from the first year of the programme."
AICTE has also decided to reserve two supernumerary seats in all its institutes for "gifted and talented" students. Commenting on this, Sahasrabuddhe said, "There are many students who are extraordinarily innovative from a very young age. Some of them create or even patent products. They may not be interested in textbook knowledge and therefore, they may be able to perform well in exams and entrance tests. Such children should also be given an opportunity. AICTE will devise norms for the selection of such children."
