The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has released the updated National Board of Accreditation (NBA) list, revealing a worrying situation for technical education in Bihar. None of the 38 state government engineering colleges managed to secure a place on this prestigious list. This exclusion highlights a major gap in the quality of education provided in the state compared to neighboring states like Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand which have several accredited institutions.
Why Bihar colleges failed the quality benchmarks
The National Board of Accreditation uses strict criteria to evaluate colleges, and Bihar institutions lagged behind in several critical parameters. The primary reason for the failure is the shortage of permanent faculty members and a poor student-teacher ratio. To receive NBA accreditation, colleges must maintain a specific ratio of 1:15 or 1:20, which most state colleges failed to provide.
- Lack of modern laboratory equipment and updated digital libraries in most campuses.
- Insufficient regular research publications and innovation patents by faculty and students.
- Lack of verified data regarding student placements and industry-linked internships.
- Subpar digital infrastructure and slow high-speed internet connectivity.
Impact of the NBA exclusion on students
Students graduating from these 38 government engineering colleges will face significant hurdles when seeking opportunities abroad. The NBA operates under the Washington Accord, an international treaty signed by countries like the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. Degrees from colleges that are not NBA-accredited are often not recognized for professional practice or direct admission to Master’s programs in these signatory nations.
| Metric | Current Status in Bihar GECs |
|---|---|
| Total Colleges | 38 Government Engineering Colleges |
| NBA Accredited | 0 |
| Global Recognition | Not valid under Washington Accord |
| Central Grants | Risk of losing TEQIP and other funding |
Previously, specific departments in colleges like MIT Muzaffarpur and Nalanda College of Engineering held temporary accreditation, but these have since expired. The Department of Science, Technology and Technical Education (DSTTE) in Bihar has acknowledged the gap and stated that initiatives are now being launched to upgrade infrastructure and improve faculty quality to meet the standards for future applications.
