http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040425/ncr1.htm
Two institutes offering B.Arch told not to admit students
Manish Kumar Singal
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 24
The two institutes affiliated to Indraprastha University offering Bachelor
of Architecture programme would not be allowed to admit more students this
year. The Council of Architecture (COA) has refused to give them permission
to admit more students as they allegedly did not fulfil the basic norms of
the council like basic infrastructure and faculty etc.
In a letter dated August 18, 2003, the AICTE has said, "The approval granted
to the institution to a five-year degree course in Architecture be withdrawn
from the academic session 2004-05." This letter was written separately to
the Secretary, Training and Technical Education, Pitampura, on the same date
for two institutes viz. Vastu Kala Academy School of Architecture & Interior
Designing, Institutional Area, and TVB School of Habitat Studies, Vasant
Kunj.
The AICTE had also given 10 conditions in writing to these institutes
following which they could get the permission to admit students for the
coming session.
According to the officials of the Council of Architecture (COA), "Last year,
a survey of these two institutes was conducted and it was found that both
the institutes were not having adequate infrastructure to run an institute.
So we cancelled their application to admit more students during coming year
2004-05."
They said these institutes were being allowed to admit students earlier as
they had promised they would improve their infrastructure and fulfil the
norms of the Council. But they did nothing in this regard.
Interestingly, the copy of the order number (765-61-203(A)/ET/96) had
already been sent to the Registrar of Indraprastha University but they
reportedly, while ignoring it, gave the names of the two said institutes in
their fresh list of institutes for admission for the academic session
2004-05.
When contacted, the Vice-Chancellor of IP University, Prof K. K. Aggarwal,
said that the university would not allow these institutes to admit the
students if they did not get the permission of the COA.
The COA officials also said that Vastu Kala Academy was already facing trial
in the court of law over the issue of admission. He said that a copy of this
notice had already been given to the Vice-Chancellor of Indraprastha
University.
On the other hand, officials said Vastu Kala Academy had rented its premises
to other companies and banks and was running its college from some small
rooms. Similarly, TVB School of Habitat Studies had its building made on
agricultural land so it was against the norms of the council. When
contacted, the Registrar of the COA confirmed the allegations and said that
permission was not given for not maintaining proper infrastructure. On the
other hand, officials of the Council of Architecture also clearly said that
these two institutes did not have infrastructure to run the courses so last
year itself they had been refused permission.