Guwahati, May 13: The Students' Federation of India (SFI) has criticised the recent decision of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to slash 25 per cent seats (106 seats) from Assam Engineering College here.

The student union today made the claim at a news conference here while demanding the immediate intervention of chief minister Tarun Gogoi for restoration of the seats. It will also move the Union human resource development minister and AICTE chairperson.

Assam Engineering College, a premier engineering college of the state has, 420 seats available in eight engineering disciplines. Established in 1955, it is the first engineering college in the Northeast all its courses are affiliated to Gauhati University.

The SFI said the recent decision of AICTE to curtail 106 seats will adversely affect those students from the state who were aspiring to pursue engineering. The reason for reducing seats has not been clearly spelt out either by the AICTE or by the Assam Engineering College, it added.

The union said one of the reasons could be inadequate infrastructure and alleged that the authorities had been allegedly callous in addressing the problems of the institute. "Students and the institute must not suffer because of the negligence of the authorities," it said.

It has called for an inquiry and those guilty should be booked and in no case the seats be curtailed.

The decision of the Supreme Court in making National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) mandatory for admission to undergraduate medical courses has already sparked furore among the student community in Assam.

The KMSS has already said the state government should immediately oppose the Medical Council of India's move to hold NEET for students in Assam.

Dispur had submitted a review petition with the Supreme Court, seeking an exemption from NEET till 2019.