Cuttack, Dec. 13: The Odisha Private Engineering College Association has requested the state government to modify the eligibility criteria for private professional and technical colleges to get the autonomous status.

Association secretary Binod Dash yesterday sent a letter in this regard to skill development and technical education minister Sanjay Kumar Das Burma.

The department had issued guidelines for the institutes to get no-objection certificate required for the status.

The guidelines included 15 conditions. The first condition stipulated that a college must have completed minimum 15 years of operational existence without any break and with the approval of All India Council of Technical Education. Besides, the college should be under the University Grants Commission and obtain "A" grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (Naac) or achieve the NBA accreditation in three courses.

However, Dash, in his letter, urged to "reduce the minimum years of existence from 15 years to 10 years" and "modify 'A' grade Naac accreditation to at least 'B'".

The association contended that the conditions were contradictory to the UGC guidelines for autonomous colleges during the 11th Plan period, which specified that "a technical college is eligible to apply for autonomous status if it has completed 10 years of existence and has at least 'B' grade Naac accreditation while applying for autonomous status".

"The UGC guideline has just these two conditions. But, the state government has added 13 more conditions, which are irrational. We have urged for modification in the eligibility criteria, so that it is in line with the UGC guidelines and not contradictory to it," Dash told The Telegraph today.

"The contradictory nature of the guideline is evident from condition number 15, which says NOC for the autonomous status will be given according to the UGC guidelines," Dash said, adding: "We feel that the modification or change will not harm anybody rather more technical colleges can apply and benefit like in other states."

At present, of the 88 private engineering colleges in the state, none has autonomous status. The government has to recommend the name of a college to the UGC, along with an NOC for the status.

According to the notification issued by the department for applying for the status, a college is also expected to have good track record in the field of academic performance, placement and adherence to discipline in managing the institutions for the past five years along with at least 70 per cent pass rate and 80 per cent placement in the past three years.

According to the guidelines, self-financing professional colleges are expected to deposit Rs 1 crore to the government before getting the status. The amount will be returned after six years, after examining its functioning.

The status will be provided only for six years and extension of autonomy thereafter will be subject to examination of the performance of the institution. Before getting autonomy, the concerned colleges have to submit an affidavit to the government giving an undertaking that it will not violate Orissa Professional Education Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee) Act, 2007.

The autonomous status will be revoked if the college violates the guidelines and the act.