Kutch district may soon get its second government polytechnic college in Anjar ahead of the new academic year, subject to timely approvals from authorities.
Officials said a proposal for the institute, with an intake capacity of 300 seats, has been sent for ministry approval and is currently awaiting clearance from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). At present, Kutch has only one government polytechnic college, located in Bhuj.According to officials, the proposed Anjar polytechnic is expected to offer both core engineering disciplines and emerging technology branches, although the final list of courses is yet to be finalised.
“The objective is to provide students in Kutch with more diploma engineering options after Class 10,” an official said.
Currently, the Government Polytechnic in Bhuj offers Civil Engineering with 112 seats, Computer Engineering with 150 seats, Electrical Engineering with 112 seats, Mechanical Engineering with 112 seats, and Mining Engineering with 38 seats.
However, the timeline for launching the new college remains challenging. AICTE has already closed its approval process for the academic year, while registrations for diploma admissions after Class 10 have already begun.
Sources said the state government is planning to approach AICTE with a special recommendation within the next few days. Discussions are also underway to temporarily operate the college from an existing government school or similar premises, as construction of a permanent campus could take several years.It is noteworthy that the Minister of State for Higher and Technical Education hails from Anjar.
Meanwhile, some academics have expressed scepticism over the proposal.They pointed out that although the project was announced in the state budget, the education department delayed seeking approvals, and any AICTE clearance granted at this late stage could create confusion among students during the ongoing admission process.