Taking a huge leap in the admission process for working professionals who aspire to have their engineering dreams fulfilled, here is some good news. 

A new set of rules have been introduced by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) where in working professionals with a one year experience can now take direct admissions into second year diploma engineering courses.

A circular has been sent out to all the concerned departments including the technical education departments of state governments and principals of polytechnic colleges nationwide were issued this circular.

Changes in admission for diploma engineering

With the introduction of these new rules, students who have completed their tenth standard and have field experience of one year can get lateral entry, i.e., direct admission into the second year of diploma engineering under certificate-to-diploma (C2D).

Earlier, industrial training institute (ITI) pass-outs were the only eligible candidates who could get direct admission to second-year diplomas under C2D. 

With this rule, working professionals employed in a registered industry, organisation (central/state), or private and public limited company, besides MSMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises), can be granted admission in one of the three branches available in the college. Colleges will have to grant admission for 30 seats across these three courses.

The criteria for obtaining admission to a diploma college are:

(i) One year of working experience.

(ii) The workplace has to be within the 50 km range of the college.

AICTE module to be followed

As per the AICTE circular, diploma colleges would also need to set timings in the evenings or whenever convenient to the students.

Faculties and industry professionals are to be recruited in colleges, which would have to follow the AICTE module.

The reservation policies of the respective states would also be liable for this admission programme for professionals.

The students would also have to complete at least two years of education under the regular mode of study in this course. Credit will be granted to them as per the National Education Policy (NEP).

Bridge between AICTE’s module and states’ implementation

The admission process for working professionals will be conducted under the rules of the directorate of technical education (DTE) for the state.

But, if no fixed DTE policy has been set up by the state government, then diploma colleges will grant admission as per the merit system independently, which DTE would have to affiliate.

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