(1) The recognised Polytechnic or Institution considering itself eligible for autonomous status shall apply to the Secretary of Board on or before 31 August, of the year preceding the year from which the autonomous status is applied for in the form prescribed by the Board.
(2) The Secretary shall place the applications before the Academic Committee and the Committee shall scrutinise an application form and decide, having referred to the criteria mentioned above, whether there is prima facie case for consideration of the application. If the Academic Committee decides that there is a prima facie case, it shall conduct a local enquiry also by way of discussion with Principal, staff and students of Polytechnic or Institute.
(3) The local enquiry shall be on the points under criteria and to assess whether facilities exist as per norms [the institution has secured minimum required accreditations and have adequate financial capacity,] etc. wherever specified and additional information that the Committee may find necessary.
(4) The Secretary of the Board shall place the application and the report of Academic Committee on scrutiny of application and local enquiry before the Board in its meeting which shall pass a resolution recording whether the report be accepted or rejected. If the Board rejects the application and report by majority or unanimously and decides not to recommend conferment of autonomous status, it shall record the reason therefor. If the Board proposes to grant the application and recommend conferment of autonomous status, it shall pass a resolution to that effect and also specify the conditions subject to which autonomous status shall be conferred.
(5) The Secretary of the Board shall submit within a period of one month to the Secretary, Higher and Technical Education of Government such recommendations of the Board alongwith a copy of the resolution and such other records to be decided by the Board, for approval.
(6) On receiving approval from the Government for conferment of autonomy on the applicant Polytechnic or Institute, the Secretary of the Board shall inform the Polytechnic or Institute concerned, the matter in writing with conditions, if any.
(7) Rejection of conferment of autonomy is also to be intimated to the concerned Polytechnic or Institute. The activities in sub-sections (1) to (7) are to be completed within ten months from the last date of receipt of the applications for conferment of an autonomy.
(8) Any guidelines, rules, regulations, etc., on autonomy provided by All India Council of Technical Education, New Delhi, from time to time, shall become applicable to the Polytechnic or Institute seeking autonomy and to the Polytechnic or Institute on which the status of autonomy is already conferred.