Looks like engineering and degree colleges are in for a shift system. The Karnataka government plans to have shifts in government degree colleges first, and then extend it to private colleges to make higher education more accessible. If the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has its way, engineering colleges in Karnataka and the southern states will function in two shifts - 7 am to 1.30 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm.

Though this move will be implemented in states where the number of seats available in engineering colleges per lakh population are less than the all-India average, it's bound to affect Karnataka's 159 colleges which have a large number of students from outside of Karnataka.

Since the move will largely apply to northern states which have fewer engineering colleges, this will ensure that students will no longer need to travel out of their home state to study engineering. "This means middle-class families will need to spend less on education. This move will definitely affect the number of students coming to Karnataka,'' S Kumar, Comed-K executive secretary, said. A majority of the outstation students study in Comed-K colleges.

What will happen to colleges that are thriving on non-Karnataka students? "Anyway, 40% of the colleges are below par. With no takers, these colleges will fade out. Otherwise, they will have to upgrade themselves to ensure quality.'' Former VTU vice-chancellor K Balaveera Reddy said: "This is a good move, but how will AICTE address the problem of shortage of teachers? The existing faculty are overworked. If it can solve this, then it will be a good plan."

Source: TNN