Patna: Six government engineering colleges and 10 polytechnic institutes would start their courses from the current academic session of 2016-17 as the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has given its nod for the purpose, Bihar government said on Monday.


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"AICTE has given its nod to start six government engineering colleges and 10 polytechnic colleges in the state from the current academic year," Bihar Science and Technology minister Jai Kumar Singh told reporters here.


The decision to open 16 technical institutions is a part of Nitish Kumar-led Grand Secular Alliance government's 'Saat Nischay' (Seven resolves) that promised one engineering and one polytechnic college in every district in the next five years, Singh said.


With this, the total number of engineering colleges and polytechnic colleges in the state will go up to 13 and 32 respectively.


The minister said the six new engineering colleges would start their courses in Begusarai, Madhepura, Sasaram, Katihar, Sitamarhi and Bakhtiarpur.


These colleges would offer engineering courses in the steams of Computer science, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and Electronics and Electrical.


Similarly, 10 polytechnic colleges would be opened at Kaimur, Gopalganj, Munger, Jamui, Tekari in Gaya, Sheikhpura, Raghopur in Supaul, Banka, Madhepura and Samastipur, he said.


Courses which would be taught in these polytechnic colleges include Mechanical, Civil, Electronics, Electrical.


The AICTE's approval would increase the seats in government engineering colleges from 1643 to 3002, he said adding the number of seats in polytechnic colleges rose from 6015 to 8416.


Bihar cuts a sorry figure so far as the number of engineering and polytechnic colleges are concerned.


An official said neighbouring Uttar Pradesh has 423 engineering and 461 polytechnic colleges whereas Bihar has altogether 29 engineering colleges and 62 polytechnic colleges, both private and government.


Going by Bihar's population, which is around 10 per cent of the country's population, it should have 447 engineering colleges and 435 polytechnic colleges, the official said.


There are 4472 engineering and 4354 polytechnic colleges in the country with the seat capacity of 17,45,021 and 13,03,664 respectively.