The University of Mumbai (MU) and Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women’s University may allow their affiliated colleges to change the names of three ‘professional’ courses that will allow them to bypass the regulatory control of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
While MU will likely let all its colleges choose between getting their Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS), Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) recognised programmes by AICTE and having their nomenclature changed as BCom (Management Studies), BSc (Computer Application) and BCom (Business Administration), respectively. However, the proposal is yet to have a stamp of approval from the varsity’s academic council.
On the other hand, SNDT University has mandated all its conducted colleges to bring these courses under the ambit of AICTE. While it has also urged its affiliated colleges to follow the same path, it has also given them an option to apply for a change of name instead.
While BMS is a popular programme in the city, offered by over 250 MU-affiliated colleges, there aren’t many institutes with BBA and BCA courses.
The three courses were recently categorised as professional programmes and brought under the purview of AICTE, the apex body for technical education in the country. The move allows AICTE to set and enforce standards for these programmes and makes students eligible for various schemes of the council.
While some colleges in the city have begun the process of getting these courses recognised by the AICTE, several others are wary of subjecting themselves to the relatively stringent norms meant for professional courses. They believe that many colleges will be forced to shut the courses as they won't be able to meet the new requirements and running these programmes would become financially unviable. Recently, the Association of Non-Government Colleges (ANGC) wrote to MU, seeking a resolution for the issue.
The universities believe that changing the nomenclature will result in the three courses being treated as traditional prorammes, not professional courses. “There are benefits to being an AICTE-recognised institute, as it will allow colleges to easily start other professional courses in future. However, many of our colleges are not keen on it. Hence, we will give them both the options, though many of the colleges have already approached us for getting AICTE recognition,” said a top MU official.
The final decision on the matter will be made by the varsity academic council. The university will, however, also seek approval of the state government and AICTE before moving ahead with the plan.
