A file picture of the engineering college

Siliguri, July 15: The Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College will introduce post graduate courses in electrical and mechanical engineering streams from the current academic year.

Faculty members of the college confirmed that the institution has earned the approval of the West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT) and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) to introduce the courses.

The principal, J.Jhampati, however, refused comment when contacted in Calcutta.

“Our college is affiliated to the WBUT. The varsity has approved our proposal to introduce PG courses in electrical, mechanical and civil engineering courses,” a professor said, on condition of anonymity. “When the proposal was sent to the AICTE for its approval, MTech courses in electrical and mechanical were only endorsed.”

There would be 15 seats in both the streams. “Following the sanctions and considering the necessity to appoint faculties in these two departments to start the PG courses, the state Public Service Commission has issued notice for recruitment in these posts,” said the professor.

Asked when these courses would start, the professor said they expected the teachers would be appointed by August-September and classes would begin by then. In other institutions where PG courses were taught, the session usually commenced around the same time, he added.

The college, which is a network partner of Jadavpur University (JU) under the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme, a World Bank funded project, has also decided to start Master of Computer Application course under the distance learning system.

“The course will be taught by the School of Education Technology run by JU (SETJU),” a faculty member said. “The number of seats has not been finalised yet.”

Students interested to pursue the course need to apply to the SETJU from where the course will be monitored. The college will provide the infrastructure and facilities like video conferencing.

Samar Bhattacharya, the SETJU director, however, could not be contacted.