Council flags anomalies in Chandigarh College of Architecture functioning

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, July 31

The Council of Architecture (COA) has raised concerns over the functioning of the Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) here.

In a letter to UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit over the quality and standard of the institute, the COA, which is mandated to regulate architectural professions and education, has pointed out that quality was steadily deteriorating over the past few years.

“In discussions with alumni of the CCA, we have discovered great and serious discomfort about the happenings at the CCA. The concerns mainly pertain to the quality of graduates of the college. The council is willing to hold the hands of institutes and mentor them to rise to equitable international standards. It has initiated mentorship programmes, wherein we can facilitate mentorship of institutes and help them achieve excellence,” says Habeeb Khan, president, COA, in the letter.

On the alleged flouting of norms, he stated that it had come to their notice that the CCA approached AICTE for various norms, regulations and rules and deliberately bypassed the COA (Minimum Standards of Architectural Education) Regulations, 2020. “This is one more serious violation of the law of the land and is bringing disrepute to the institute,” states the letter.

The letter further points out that the college has deficiency in the faculty as required by the Council of Architecture (Minimum Standards of Architectural Education) Regulations, 2020. “As against the requirement of one principal, one professor, three associate professors and 10 assistant professors, the institution has shown one principal, no professor, nine associate professors and also nine assistant professors. However, none of the faculty shown have confirmed their appointment in the application submitted to the council. Hence, the status of faculty remain suspect. The institution may be advised to rectify these deficiencies immediately to avoid any adverse action from the council’s end,” states the letter written to the UT Administrator on July 5, 2022.

It had come to the notice of the council that the CCA conducted a meeting of a selection committee for recruitment or promotion of the faculty of architecture without a nominee of the council.

As per the regulations 2020, in a selection committee as prescribed by any institution or university for selection process of faculty, there shall be one nominee of the council, who shall act as a full-fledged member of the selection committee.

The COA also stated that they had received complaints from a few faculty of the CCA, complaining about groupism and victimisation against them.

On workshops and knowledge-augmenting programmes periodically and regularly conducted by the council for faculty and institutes throughout the year, the letter reads: “It is pertinent to point out that the CCA has neither participated nor initiated any such activity.”

Key recommendations

• Need for a permanent principal or head at the college
• Formation of board of advisers as well as auditors
• Involvement of reputed professionals in academics
• Participation in national, international competitions
• Involvement of reputed jury in every level of academics