Fourteen new colleges applied for All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) approval by the December deadline, but only four have received it so far. This has made things difficult for the West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT).

After receiving AICTE's approval, WBUT has to conduct an inspection of the college, following which the information is forwarded to the Central Selection Committee (CSC) that conducts counseling for engineering seats. Since AICTE has delayed its approval, WBUT has to complete all the formalities quickly to enrol students by 14 July. WBUT does not know if more colleges will receive approval before this date and has decided to take up the matter with Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

Earlier, AICTE used to grant its approval for new colleges throughout the year. Last year, fresh counselling sessions were conducted to enrol students in two new engineering colleges after these colleges appealed to the court since AICTE's approval came late. Finally, on the advice of the state government, AICTE decided that institutions who wish to enrol students need to apply before December.

"Unless we complete the process fast we will not be able to include these colleges in the list of colleges where counselling in being held, which means that these colleges will not be able to enrol students," said Prof. Sabyasachi Sengupta, vice chancellor, WBUT``