ICFAI-Tech students refute institute’s claims

[dwarakesh]

HYDERABAD: Engineering students of Icfai Institute of Science and Technology (Icfai-Tech), on Sunday questioned the veracity of the clarification issued by the college management in these columns.

The management claimed that B.Tech students would be conferred with a degree from Icfai University, Dehradun.

The students said G.P. Srivastava, zonal director of Icfai Tech, during talks at the DCP's office on Saturday was unwilling to give them the same in writing.

"He only said they had begun the procedure to get approval from authorities. But we don't know how long the procedure will take and whether we can get valid certificates by the time we graduate. Nothing was given in writing," said a student.

Referring to the No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the State government to Icfai university, Dehradun (Letter No.402/UE-II.2008-2, dated April 2, 2008) to establish off-campus centres, they pointed to the stipulation in the letter that the centre(s) "should satisfy the statutory requirements of the regulatory bodies (concerned) like the UGC, AICTE and the directions of the Supreme Court of India."

The assurance goes contrary to the statement submitted by the same university to the Supreme Court in March this year saying that it had no study centre outside its home State Uttarkhand. "Also the AICTE has not yet granted any approval for setting up a centre. Its rules prescribe that no technical institution offering general/distance education course should work without its prior approval," said P. Ravi Teja, an advocate acting on behalf of the students.

Charging Icfai-Tech with trying to mislead the students and general public by issuing such statements, they explained that around 800 students were engaging in a peaceful protest.