After the problems with wrong evaluations with respect to IIT JEE question papers, NEST, the entrance examination for NISER and UM-DAE, plans to take a cautious approach. Following is from NISER-NEST 2009 web page:
NEST question papers and correct answers to the questions of NEST examination conducted on May 10 2009 will be available HERE on May 12 at 4 pm is available HERE Since May 12, 4:00 pm.
Candidates or any other persons may send their comments to feedback [at] niser.ac.in
Comments received till May 20 will be put before the NEST Examination Committee. These comments will be reviewed by the committee and the final correct answers will be announced.
The decision of the Paper Setter’s Committee regarding the correct answers will be final.
This show of humility by the NEST question setters is refreshing.
May 12th, 2009
The AICTE application status for engineering colleges until 12/31/2008 is at https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/2162. Until then 68 engineering colleges had AICTE approval, 5 (=68-63) of which are probably new and 53 more had applied for AICTE approval. As per a recent report in Pioneer 40 new engineering colleges and 5 new medical colleges have applied for state government approval and at present there are 63 engineering colleges in the state.
Since as per https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/2162 53 engineering colleges have applied for AICTE approval, I assume the engineering colleges apply for state approval and BPUT affiliation after they have received AICTE approval and except in rare cases they get the state approval and BPUT affiliation. So it is possible that there will be 40 new engineering colleges this year.
The order of the steps for medical colleges is perhaps different. In their case the key is to get approval from MCI, the Medical Council of India and it is not clear if the 5 medical colleges that have applied for state approval have approval from MCI.
May 12th, 2009