College with no NBA stamp? Enggs abroad could lose job

College with no NBA stamp? Enggs abroad could lose job

HYDERABAD: Getting a degree from a college not accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) might cost Indian engineers working in foreign countries dear as their degrees might not be considered ‘valid’, which can make them ineligible for the required work permits. 

Sounding an alarm at a conference in the city, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe said a mere 10-15% of technical colleges in the country are credited by NBA.

“With the change in the employment scenario across the globe, it would be mandatory for colleges to apply for NBA accreditation or else their students seeking employment in foreign countries would face problems. The Kuwait government’s decision to not renew work permits of thousands of engineers from India for having done their graduation from a non-NBA accredited college should be considered a wake-up call. If other countries follow suit, our engineers will be at the receiving end,” said Sahasrabudhe. 

TimesView: Students close to a lakh join engineering colleges in Telangana every year, and a sizeable section of them seek employment in foreign countries, which makes it extremely crucial for the concerned authorities – including the state government to step in and create awareness about the importance of the NBA accreditation and encourage them to seek the same. Regulatory bodies should take strict action against erring colleges. 

And it is not just India, state figures too present a sorry picture with only 40-45 colleges attaining NBA accreditation in Telangana. 

“Many colleges are still unaware of the fact that NBA accreditation is important. A majority of them have not opted for it as they lack the required infrastructure and facilities. To attain NBA accreditation, a college should have designated faculty for different fields like research and teaching and should maintain their records properly. Colleges are given weightage for parameters like research work, senior faculty, among others, during accreditation. However, in the past couple of years, colleges in the state have started opting for accreditation,” said Gautam Rao, president, Telangana Private Engineering Colleges Management Association. 

“There might not be an immediate threat, but gradually NBA accreditation would be made mandatory and only students obtaining a degree from a college with NBA accreditation would be eligible for employment across the globe,” Rao added

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/66359606.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst