Jadavpur University has introduced a two-year MBA programme from the 2024-25 academic session replacing the three-year evening MBA course, which is no longer recognised by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The university ran the three-year evening MBA programme for working professionals through the Institute of Business Management, affiliated to JU.
“Working professionals can enrol for the two-year day programme. But the 75-per-cent-attendance rule will be applied to all, including working professionals,” a JU official said.
Interim vice-chancellor Bhaskar Gupta said the JU executive council had decided at the last meeting to replace the three-year MBA programme, which was launched in 1984, with the two-year one in compliance with the AICTE’s directive.
The university runs a five-year evening BTech programme in three disciplines — civil, electrical and mechanical — although the AICTE only recognises a four-year BTech course.
“The AICTE only recognises two-year MBA programmes. So we cannot continue with the three-year evening course. The executive council decided on May 24 to replace the three-year course with a two-year one,” VC Gupta told Metro.
An AICTE notice, issued on December 28, says: “As per the Hon’ble Supreme Court judgement, NO institution/ University can run technical course (s) including MBA/management courses (leading to Post Graduate degree) without taking approval from AICTE. MBA is a two-year postgraduate degree course designed to equip individuals with advanced skills and knowledge in various aspects of Business and Management.”
An official at the Institute of Business Management, located on the Jadavpur University campus, said the need for the two-year programme was felt more because they are going to apply for accreditation by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
“NBA only accredits a programme that is run in compliance with the AICTE directives,” the official said.
The accreditation helps an institute get funds from agencies like the UGC.
Asked about the fate of the five-year evening BTech programmes, the VC said: “If there is any directive from the AICTE, we will decide accordingly.”
