BTech Students Allowed To Take Lateral Entry Into Other Courses; Colleges Shocked!

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has ruled that BTech students can admit themselves into other engineering branches on top of their main course, via lateral entry.

How This Can Help Students And Job Prospects

The decision should come as good news for those wanting to branch out in hopes of improving job prospects.

Anna University former vice-chancellor E Balagurusamy cited different combinations students can consider under the new scheme.

Combinations To Consider

• A mechanical student can pursue mechatronics
• Electronics students can study computer science
• Computer science students can pursue AI and data science

What Prompted The Decision

AICTE took the decision after being requested by students to be allowed admission to an additional BTech course through lateral entry.

Now technical universities can help these students gain admission to BTech /BE by allowing “admission at appropriate level of BTech programme in another discipline/branch of Engineering.”

The council said that students are not required to study already covered courses in their first discipline when they enter an additional programme.

Practical Component

Coming to the practical component of a programme, students will have to “take admission in an institution/college as a regular student and the concerned university will ensure this and make necessary provision in their statutes accordingly.”

Duration Of Additional Course

AICTE further clarified that the additional course will be wrapped up in 2-3 years.

This will not infringe on the “credit requirements in core discipline and attainment of learning outcomes of the new programme.”

Potential Concerns

The move did not come without opposition.

S Vaidyasubramaniam, vice-chancellor of Sastra University, expressed concerns that allowing 2 degrees at the undergraduate level could lead to “artificial demand for popular courses.”

He suggested that existing UG degrees be made interdiscipilnary in place of allowing 2 engineering degrees at UG level.

Comprehensive PG degrees can also be pitched to students.

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