Parliament impasse punctures BESU’s bid to acquire national character

The deadlock in Parliament over the Opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2G scam has an unlikely fallout — students from across the country apart from Bengal will not be able to get admission to the first Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU).

On October 12, the Union Cabinet had approved the proposal of upgrading BESU to IIEST and consequently the admission to the Central institute should have been through AIEEE. But Parliament should make necessary amendments in the National Institute of Technology Act to make it applicable. With the ongoing impasse in Parliament, BESU feels that the required legislation may not be passed even in the nest Budget session and does not want to take any risk.

“This year, we have no option this year but to take students from West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination - WBJEE. There is a risk if the bill is not passed by the budget session, we cannot take students from AIEEE. By that time, the option of WBJEE will also not be there and we will not able to admit students,” said Ajoy Kumar Ray, Vice-Chancellor of BESU. Every year, the university gives admission to nearly 600 students.