Court Directs State to Recognize AICTE-Approved "Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence)" for Admissions
In a significant development, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the State Government to include the Diploma course "Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence)" in the upcoming counseling sessions, ensuring that the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Technology can admit students to this program. The decision comes in the wake of the State's failure to recognize the course due to a nomenclature discrepancy despite prior approvals from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
The institute, represented by counsel Mr. G. Sekhar Reddy, had filed a writ petition challenging the State's decision not to include the AI course in its counseling sessions, arguing that this exclusion was contrary to the approvals granted by AICTE and the State's own Skills Development and Training Department. The AICTE had initially approved the course under the name "Artificial Intelligence" with an intake of 120 students, which the State subsequently renamed to "Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence)" in its revised nomenclature list.
Justice Kiranmayee Mandava, presiding over the case, emphasized that the petitioner institution could not be deprived of its right to conduct the course based on the discrepancy in nomenclature. The court acknowledged that both AICTE and the State had permitted the commencement of the course and that the institute had complied with all requisite approvals and inspections.
The judgment mandates the respondents to recognize the course under its revised name, "Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence)," and reflect this change in the counseling proceedings, thus allowing the institute to admit the approved intake of 120 students. The court's decision ensures that the institute can participate in the counseling process scheduled to extend till July 4, 2026, thereby facilitating student admissions in line with the approvals.
The ruling underscores the importance of consistency in nomenclature and administrative processes, aiming to prevent educational institutions from facing undue barriers due to bureaucratic discrepancies. This decision is expected to pave the way for smoother incorporation of new and emerging fields like Artificial Intelligence into the educational framework, aligning with national and state educational objectives.
The writ petition was disposed of without any order as to costs, and all pending miscellaneous petitions were closed, marking a decisive victory for Sri Venkateswara Institute of Technology and its prospective students.
Bottom line:-
Inclusion of course "Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence)" in counselling process directed, based on approval granted by AICTE and Government of Andhra Pradesh, despite difference in nomenclature.
Statutory provision(s):
- All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
- Skills Development and Training (TE.A1) Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh
