OPECA move to overcome problem of vacant seats

BHUBANESWAR: With the entrance examinations to the engineering colleges nearing, the Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) submitted a letter to the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Aditya Prasad Padhi suggesting steps to deal with the problem of vacant seats in engineering institutes. The major point presented in the letter was the need for greater freedom to the private colleges in filling up the seats in the State. OPECA’s major demand has been the amendment to the Odisha Professional Educational Institution (OPEI) Act, 2009. They have also mentioned their long- standing request to transfer the reserved seats to general category, if they remain vacant after the counselling for all reserved seats is over. “We are hopeful that this time something constructive will materialise as the State Government officials were receptive to our demands and gave us a patient hearing,” said OPECA honorary secretary Binod Dash after their meeting with Padhi. If the State Government agrees to the amendments, then a major chunk of problems surrounding the vacant seats will be solved. During the 2011 academic session, around 42,722 engineering seats remained vacant. Citing the OPEI Act as one of the major reasons for the huge vacancy, they want immediate amendments to the Act. “All the seats are with the State Government. We are positive that this time the Government will do the needful and we will not have as many vacancies,” said Dash. If this works out, then the engineering colleges of the State will be able to retain the numerous students who have to go out of the State to pursue further studies. The private engineering colleges in the State have been in a tussle with the State Government for quite some time, trying to overcome the problem of vacant engineering seats after the completion of admission process. There have been numerous attempts by OPECA in the past where they have asked the Government to help them fill up the piling vacant seats. In a bid to solve the problem, the State Government had even asked the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) not to give affiliation to new institutes, but the order was turned down by the AICTE.