AICTE guidelines: Affiliated B-Schools to commence classes from 1st July and new session from 1st August

As per the latest AICTE guidelines, all B-Schools that fall under All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) are to commence classes for existing students from 1st July 2020. These apply to all Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) and Post-Graduate Certificate in Management (PGCM) institutes affiliated to AICTE.

The coronavirus pandemic has a life-threatening grip on our nation and the world. The government of India and all its functionaries are doing their best to manage the situation. The aim is to ensure health safety alongside maintaining growth and progress. The end to the lockdown might not be in sight but remedial measures to best function during these trying times are. Keeping this in mind, AICTE guidelines have been released for the commencement of classes for current students and the subsequent batch.

The academic session for the first year (new) students will start on 1st August 2020. 25th July will be the last date for the cancellation of seats for PGDM/PGCM courses. And, the admissions will end on 31st July for these courses. Though candidates for open and distance learning courses can be admitted from 15th August, the AICTE informed.

AICTE has also asked institutions,

• not to hike the admission or other fees for the academic year 2020-2021

• not to force the selected candidates to pay advance fees during the COVID lockdown

• to enroll students on a provisional basis in case the result of the undergraduate courses is not available or declared due to the COVID lockdown. Though students needed to submit relevant documents by 31st December 2020

Plus, currently, the sessions may start as per the issued academic calendar through virtual classes. And, that institutes/B-Schools can only shift to in-person/regular mode once Ministry of Human Resource Development issues such guidelines.

AICTE also asked institutes to promote the existing students of the 2019-2020 session whose exams were not conducted due to the lockdown as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.