The other two courses which will not mandatorily require PCM subjects in class 12 are fashion technology and packaging technology.

The technical education regulator had last year announced that students who have not studied physics, chemistry or maths (PCM) in Class 12 will be able to seek admission to engineering and technology programmes, causing a huge uproar.

“We had constituted an expert committee to make recommendations on admissions for which courses PCM can be made optional. On basis of the panel’s recommendations, three courses have been chosen,” a senior AICTE official said.

Besides PCM, the subjects which are eligible for admission in the three courses include computer science, electronics, information technology, biology, informatics practices, biotechnology, technical vocational subject, agriculture, engineering graphics, business studies and entrepreneurship.

The AICTE has also decided that two supernumerary seats per course will be reserved for Covid-orphaned children covered under the ‘PM CARES’ scheme in all affiliated polytechnic institutions from the upcoming academic session 2022-23.

The reservation of two seats per course will not impact other children because institutes admitting students under this clause can increase their sanctioned intake capacity by two.