Gujarat Technical University to offer vocational courses as seats go vacant in pvt engineering colleges

Speaking about the experiment, GTU Vice Chancellor Navin Sheth said, “As an initiative to use the existing infrastructure of technical colleges which is otherwise not used in the wake of vacant seats or less student intake, this has been worked out. To start with, five institutes have been given permission.” This is also an attempt by the state government to implement the Centre’s Skill India campaign.
The courses offered range from diplomas to bachelor’s programmes in production technology, refrigeration and air conditioning, software development, automobile servicing, banking and financial services and insurance and industrial tool management.

In the coming months, GTU plans to grant permission for short-term certificate courses, too. “We will also explore six-month or even 10-day certificate courses,” Sheth said.

As another solution to the large number of seats that go vacant not only in engineering but other technical courses too including MBA, MCA and pharmacy, the GTU plans to recommend that the state government allow students from other states to take admission in these colleges.

There is no other possible solution to the issue, said Sheth. “Where against over 65,000 engineering seats, excluding the management quota ones that may lead to an addition of nearly 5,000, only 30,000-35,000 Class XII students are eligible for admission. How can these seats be filled then,” he asked. At present, in over 110 self-financed colleges only per 5 per cent of the 25 per cent management quota seats are open to students from other states.

Every year, over 50 per cent seats lie vacant degree engineering colleges. This year, too, nearly 60 per cent of engineering seats are expected to stay vacant.

150th Gandhi Jayanti celebrations

Gujarat Technological University has planned lectures for the 150th Gandhi Jayanti celebration in several of its 450-plus affiliated colleges. The lectures would focus on Gandhi allegedly expressing support for Ram Rajya, Gauraksha, Ram Naam, and Hindi Sanskriti.

In total, GTU has planned 150 lectures on eight subjects, to be completed by April 2020. These include – Gandhi and Geeta, Ram naam and Samrasta, Gandhiji and Ram naam, Gauraksha and Gandhivichar, Hindi Sanskriti in Gandhi’s perspective, Gandhiji’s Rashtra vichar, Ramrajya and Gandhiji, Gandhiji’s ideas on Hindi.

GTU Vice-Chancellor Navin Sheth said on Tuesday, “These topics were selected by the university only. There were no directions from the state government, though it has given us a broad outline on the celebrations for the 150th year of Gandhiji’s birth.”

Other events include setting up 150 start-ups at the GTU Innovation Council during the year 2019-20, 150 seminars on cyber security and giving away five awards in the fields of water harvesting, gram utthan, best start-up and two for best innovation, one each for a male and female innovator.