OPECA wants to bring deemed varsities under JEE-Main

Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) wants to bring all state level private colleges and deemed universities in the state under JEE (Main), the national level entrance examination for enrolling students in undergraduate engineering colleges. It has turned out to be one of the contentions raised by private engineering colleges during the meeting of the policy planning body (PPB) of professional education in the state.

Binod Dash, Secretary, Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA), said, “We propose the government pursues the matter with Union human resources development minister M M Pallam Raju and the UGC. Without this, there will be no level playing field.”

Principal secretary (technical education) Chandra Sekhar Kumar said that they have discussed this matter in the PPB. He further added, “I have already requested the MHRD to look into the matter.”

As per the proposal made by the state government 50% engineering and architecture and undergraduate seats in the deemed universities should be filled through state merit list generate through the JEE Main. The state also mentioned that counselling of these 50% seats should be done through Odisha JEE authorities, similar to the college under state universities.

A spokesperson of the SOA University said the main objective of deemed university status was to offer more autonomy to these institutions. KIIT registrar Sasmita Samant too said the similar thing by adding, “If the Centre evolves a uniform policy for all deemed universities, KIIT would not have any problem.”