Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 11: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Delhi High Court alleging widespread exploitation of teaching staff in private engineering colleges, and seeking urgent intervention to enforce regulatory norms laid down by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The petition draws attention to a report by the V V Giri National Labour Institute, which highlights alarming issues faced by faculty members in private technical institutions. According to the report, a significant number of educators are not paid even the basic AICTE-prescribed salary, receive no salary slips, work extended hours, and in many cases, are forced to submit original documents to the institutions for prolonged retention.
Filed through advocate Nandini Sharma, the plea asserts that despite its statutory authority, AICTE has failed to take concrete action against the erring institutions. It cites AICTE’s own refusal to intervene in administrative matters of private colleges as a violation of its mandate under the AICTE Act, 1987 and the AICTE (Grant of Approvals for Technical Institutions) Regulations, 2020.
In July 2024, the Delhi High Court had earlier treated a writ petition on the same issue as a representation to AICTE, directing the council to pass a reasoned order in accordance with law and to act swiftly. However, the latest plea claims that AICTE’s response has been non-committal, stating that it lacks authority to interfere in the day-to-day operations of technical institutions.
The PIL argues that the AICTE has not only the power but also the obligation to ensure proper standards in technical education. It has cited the AICTE’s own regulations issued in 2019 regarding pay scales, service conditions, and faculty entitlements, including implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, along with benefits like health insurance, pension, increments, and training incentives.
“The regulatory authority itself has laid down norms for faculty appointments and their entitlements but is now unwilling to enforce them even when violations are evident,” the plea notes.
Apart from urging strict implementation of AICTE regulations, the petition also seeks broader reforms including increased investment in technical education, expansion of engineering seats, adequate faculty recruitment, improved infrastructure, and greater emphasis on research and development in engineering colleges across the country.
The case is expected to come up for hearing in the coming weeks, potentially setting the stage for a landmark judgment on the rights and working conditions of faculty members in India's private engineering education sector.