The Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College (JFEC) has been granted autonomous status for the next five years by the University Grants Commission (UGC), allowing the institution greater academic and administrative independence.
Following the UGC’s directive, the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), to which the college is affiliated, formally declared the college autonomous on Friday.
Amitava Roy, the principal, said the college had received the official communication from the UGC on Thursday. The development was celebrated on the campus on Friday, with faculty members and students marking the occasion.
“With this status, we will now be able to devise our own curriculum, manage academic programmes, conduct examinations, and form internal administrative bodies such as the board of studies and board of administration. It will also help gain greater control over financial planning within the framework set by regulatory authorities,” he said.
The college offers courses in disciplines, including electronics engineering, computer science and technology, mechanical engineering, electrical Engineering, civil engineering, and information technology, with around 1,600 students currently enrolled.
To be eligible for autonomy, institutions must be accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which evaluates colleges based on infrastructure, academic quality, results, placement records, and overall learning environment.
Under the guidelines of the UGC and the All India Council for Technical Education, the college will operate within a prescribed academic framework while enjoying flexibility in course design and evaluation systems.
Roy clarified that while the institution now has academic autonomy, it will not have authority over faculty recruitment.
“However, we will be able to introduce our own PhD programmes, certificate courses, and diploma courses, and independently design syllabi in line with UGC and AICTE norms,” the principal added.
He also mentioned that the college will be able to form a board of administration comprising academicians, researchers, engineers, IT experts, legal advisors, and industry professionals.
“Such a board will help enhance the overall quality of education and institutional development at the college,” said Roy.