Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government's emphasis on technical education has resulted in doubling of polytechnic institutions across the state with the intake capacity rising by 140 per cent since 2011.
"The state presently has 174 polytechnic colleges that includes both government and private and the total number of seats are 39,947. The number of government polytechnic colleges are 73, three are state- aided while 98 are private run through Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology. Three polytechnic institutions are presently under construction," said Purnendu Basu, Minister for Technical Education, Training and Skill Development. Basu was present at the inauguration of a new government polytechnic college at Parnasree in Behala on Saturday. State Education minister Partha Chatterjee who is also the local MLA inaugurated the programme. The college has come up on 1.5 acre land with an expenditure of Rs 48 crore.
Basu maintained that very few colleges have such developed infrastructure as the Behala Polytechnic College and expressed his optimism that it will soon develop as a centre of excellence.
The college has already received the nod from All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) to start courses in three subjects like Computer Science & Technology, Interior Decoration and Cyber Forensic and Information Security. The total number of seats is 180 and 60 students each can be accommodated in the three courses. " We are going to start at least 3 more courses after getting necessary approval from AICTE," said Basu.
Partha Chatterjee has urged for rechristening the college as Jai Hind Polytechnic College which is under active consideration by the concerned authority.
Chatterjee said that two colleges in Behala – Behala College and Sarsuna College have already been upgraded to offer post graduate courses. "The second campus of B.Ed College has already come up at Sarsuna which will be inaugurated on October 15," he added.