File picture of a BTech class in progress at an engineering college in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 6: The department of technical education has relaxed the eligibility norms for BTech admissions for the 2014-15 academic session to get more students for the vacant engineering seats.

The department has allowed inclusion of two more subjects to compute minimum 45 per cent eligibility criteria. According to the current provision, a student would have to secure at least 45 per cent marks in three core subjects — physics, mathematics and chemistry — taken together. But once the relaxed norms come into play, the marks of language and any other subject, according to the student’s choice (with at least 45 per cent), will be taken into account.

“This means, the marks of five subjects will be added instead of three and those getting 45 per cent will be considered eligible,” said a senior official.

This move has come as a relief for private engineering colleges that have been struggling to fill up vacant seats. As many as 37,487 of the 48,687 engineering seats have been left vacant after the final phase of counselling. Following an Orissa High Court order, a special OJEE is in progress to select a few more students.

“It’s a welcome step by the government and will help the colleges in a great way. There are still many students, who are interested in pursuing an engineering course but not able to apply due to shortage of marks. These students can now apply, and it will help the colleges in filling up a lot of vacant seats,” said Binod Dash of the Odisha Private Engineering Colleges’ Association.

Additional secretary of the technical education department P.K. Das said admissions to NITs, IITs and all centrally funded technical institutions through the central counselling board were based on similar eligibility criteria. The All India Council for Technical Education has also approved the criteria, he said.

Besides, the state government will also allow diploma holders from outside the state to take admission through lateral entry. Diploma holders join the second year of BTech. Earlier, the diploma holders, who had studied in the state, would be entitled to take admission through lateral route. Now, candidates who have pursued their diploma programme in approved institutions of other states and cleared the JEE-Main can take admission to BTech courses through lateral entry.

However, these candidates will be allowed for admission under lateral entry only after the state merit list is fully exhausted.

The special OJEE will be held on August 10 and results will be out on August 12. Rank cards will be available for students on August 13, while admissions will take place after spot counselling on August 14.