Additional 3000 Engineering Seats for TG EAPCET Mopup Counselling 2024
The court directed the higher education department to conduct TG EAPCET 2024 mop-up counseling for these newly available seats. However, the court emphasized that these admissions will be subject to final court orders regarding the ongoing legal battle.
Breakdown of Additional Engineering Seats:
- Convenor Quota: 2,100 seats
- Management Quota: 900 seats
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Several engineering colleges, including Vidya Jyothi, MLR, Malla Reddy, CMR, Martins, Anurag, and Marri Laxma Reddy, had challenged the government's earlier refusal to approve their requests for increasing seats in high-demand branches like Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Cybersecurity, and merging certain courses to streamline offerings.
The colleges argued that both AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and JNTU (Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University) had already approved their proposals. Additionally, they emphasized converting existing courses into new ones wouldn't require additional faculty or infrastructure, thereby avoiding increased financial burden on the state for fee reimbursements.
Arguments Presented:
- College Petitioners: Represented by senior advocates Desai Prakash Reddy, S. Niranjan Reddy, and Sri Raghuram, the colleges argued that the government's refusal was arbitrary and unfair, especially considering similar approvals granted to other institutions.
- State Government: Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy countered that increasing seats could lead to problems like unfilled seats in existing courses (e.g., CSE). He further emphasized the government's right to make decisions regarding seat allocation and course mergers.
Court's Decision:
Setting aside the earlier single-judge order, the High Court bench led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Srinivas Rao directed mop-up counseling for the increased seats. However, the court stressed that students must be informed about the ongoing litigation and the conditional nature of their admissions. Additionally, the court requested a swift hearing on the main petitions filed by the colleges. The court clarified that this interim order doesn't prejudice the final outcome of the case.