AICTE revises schedule for 2020-21 academic session; classes to begin from 1 December

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has once again revised the academic calendar for 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the revised schedule, the last date for students to get admission in first-year engineering courses in AICTE-approved institutions and universities has been extended till 30 November. Classes will now commence from 1 December. In a statement, the Council said that due to prolonged emergency conditions in the country and requests from various state Governments and the ongoing admission process of IIT’s NIT’s, it has decided to extend the last date of admission to first-year Engineering courses. According to a report by Careers 360, AICTE has also extended the last dates for admission to diploma lateral entry courses till 30 November. Earlier, the academic session to first-year engineering courses in all AICTE approved institutes and universities were scheduled to begin from 20 October. A report by NDTV said that the Council has also asked universities to commence classes in online, or offline, or blended mode (online and offline) adhering to the prescribed guidelines issued in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council has also asked its institutions to postpone the classes if they have already started. Institutes who are yet to conduct final-year or final-semester exam have been asked by the council to conduct special classes. Earlier, the AICTE directed all institutes approved by it to commence classes for existing students from 1 July. The Council also said that the academic session for newly admitted students will start from 1 August.