TECHNICAL EDUCATION
4.01. The main emphasis of the Fourth Plan schemes of technical education is on consolidating the existing institutions and improving their quality and standard. This is reflected in the various measures already initiated and proposed to be followed during the remaining years of the Fourth Plan.
4.02. Combating Unemployment among Engineering Personnel: In the last three-four years, the problem of unemployment among engineering graduates and diploma-holders caused serious concern. In 1965, unemployment among technically qualified personnel constituted only seven per cent of the total stock. It rose to 17 per cent in 1968 due, among other factors, to the recession in industry. The Union Government decided in 1968 to Implement a series of special measures to create more employment opportunities for engineering personnel. The measures included employment of engineers in pre-investment surveys for irrigation and power, development of engineering con- sultancy services, formation of engineers, cooperatives for cons- truction work, rural engineering services, etc., and assistance to engineers to set up small industrial units of their own. The State Governments, too, initiated similar measures to help their engineering personnel in finding gainful employment. The small industry development organisations at the Centre and in the States, industrial development corporations, financial institutions and even some private industrial groups have implemented programmes designed to promote self-employment among engineers. They are being trained in production, management, marketing and other aspects of entrepreneurship. Several technical institutions are also participating in this programme by conducting short-term courses and. making available the facilities, of their laboratories
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and workshops for design and fabrication of equipment. As a result of these measures, and also because of the gradual recovery in the national economy, this rising trend of unemployment has, been contained and increasing employment opportunities are becoming available in industry and other sectors of national life. A significant outcome of these efforts is self-employment in a big way. The emergence of a new class of engineer-entrepreneuns will not only make for rapid industrial development of, the country but will also assist in the creation of additional employment opportunities.
4.03 Admissions to engineering institutions were reduced by about 30 per cent in 1968 to bring about a better balance between the demand for and supply of technical personnel. Since then, the same admission level has been maintained till the Fourth Plan has made some progress and more precise estimates of the demand for engineering personnel are available. The total admissions to the degree courses in 1970 were about 18,000 students and those to diploma courses about 28,000. The Fourth Plan does not visualise any significant quantitative expansion of technical education facilities. The present opportunity is being utilised to organise the system of technical education on a long-term basis and improve its quality and standard.
4.04. Faculit Development: Since faculty development is the heart of the problem of quality improvement, a comprehensive programme for the in-service training of teachers for engineering colleges and polytechnics was instituted during the year. under review. Special master degree courses, for engineering college teachers were organised at all the Indian Institutes of Technology and about 75 teachers sponsored by the colleges are at present undergoing the master's programme. Each serving teacher is, given a stipend of Rs. 300 p.m., their normal salaries and allowances being continued by their- sponsors. A similar programme was also instituted for the senior teachers of engineering colleges to work for Ph.D. degree. Thirty senior teachers sponsored by engineering colleges are working for Ph.D. each with a stipend of Rs. 400 p.m. Other forms of in-service training like summer
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institutes and short-term courses were also conducted for college and polytechnic teachers. In 1970-71, 55 summer institutes and short-term courses were conducted in which over 1400 teachers, participated.
4.05. Curricular Improvement: The need to revise the curricula of degree and diploma courses on a continuing basis in the light of technological change is important. It is also important, to bring curriculum into intimate relationship with industry's need for different categories of engineers and technicians. Unfortunately, no organised effort was ever made till recently for curriculum development, preparation of instructional materials and improvement of laboratory experience. Towards this end, the Union Government on the recommendations of the All India, Council for Technical Education, has set up seven expert groups for the curriculum development of engineering degree courses at the institutes of technology. Each group consisting of the faculty members of the institutes of technology and senior teachers drawn from engineering colleges will prepare the detailed curriculum in the concerned subject-field along with teaching units in the form of instructional materials for the guidance of teachers. The group will also develop new types of laboratory experience for students, prepare manuals and also fabricate prototypes of scientific instruments and apparatus. The material developed by the groups will be tried out at selected institutions with the help of teachers, refined and made available for general use. Similarly, five curriculum groups have been set up for polytechnic diploma courses at the technical teachers' training institutes and other selected polytechnics.
4.06. The lack of practical content in the degree and diploma courses is a serious deficiency. To remove it, a beginning has been made with sandwich. courses at 18 selected institutions in close cooperation with industry. The sandwich courses, both for degree and diploma, envisage a full 12-month training in industry as an integral part of the entire course. The training will be given in convenient stages alternately between theoretical instruc-
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tion in institutions and practical work in industry. To do full justice to practical training, the duration of the degree courses has been extended to a minimum of 51 years and that of the diploma courses to 3 years. During the 12-month apprenticeship in industry, students of the sandwich courses are given a stipend to cover their lodging, board and other expenses. On the basis of the experience gained, the programme of sandwich courses will be extended to such other institutions as are in a position to establish cooperative relationship with industry.
4.07. Industry-Oriented Education: Reorganisation of polytechnic diploma courses to train the right type of technicians needed by industry is another urgent aspect being taken care of in the Fourth Plan. Many important questions have cropped up in regard to the standard and content of diploma courses, their relationship to industrial needs, and the new directions in which the whole system of polytechnic education should be reoriented. To examine all these aspects and prepare a blue print for the next ten years for the reorganisation and development of polytechnic education, the All India Council for Technical Education has set up an expert committee including representatives from industry. To assist and advise the committee, experts Britain, German, the USA and Japan, where much valuable work has been done in the field of technicians training, have been invited. The expert committee is expected to submit its report shortly.
4.08. During the year, several State Governments initiated schemes to secure the active association of industry in the deve- lopment of technical education in their respective areas. To this end, the Governments of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Mysore, etc., established Industrial Liaison Boards with representatives of industry, major Government departments employing technical personnel, heads of technical institutions and experts. The main responsibility of the boards is to formulate programmes of training, both in technical institutions; and in industry to assess employment opportunities and reorient the
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technical education system to meet the demand for trained personnel. Several State Governments have also introduced a variety of diversified courses at the polytechnic level to meet specific demands for middle-level technicians in industry in their respective areas.
4.09. Indian Institutes of Technology: During 1970-71 the five Indian Institutes of. Technology at Kharagpur, Bombay, Madras, Kanpur and Delhi made further progress in their programmes of postgraduate courses and research. The total student enrolments and out-turn of graduates from the Institutes are given below:
Enrolment in 1970-71
Indian Institute of Total
Technology at Under Post- Research Total Outturn
graduate graduate 1970
Kharagpur 1,857 405 162 2,424 633
Bombay 1,628 519 159 2,306 404
Madras 1,281 436 205 1,922 560
Kanpur 1,400 452 285 2,137 350
Delhi 1,208 408 243 1,859 369
TOTAL 7,374 2,220 1,054 10,648 2,316
The institutes started during the year postgraduate courses and centres as below:
Kharagpur Institute: (1) Agricultural Engineering with specialisation in Crop Progress Engineering (M. Tech.).
(2) The Material Science Centre started with Soviet assistance, including 4 Soviet experts.
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Bombay Institute: (1) Industrial Design (Diploma)
(2) Centre for Advanced Studies in Aeronautical Engineering with Soviet assistance
Madras Institute: 1. M.Tech. in Chemical Engineering with the following new electives:
(i) High Polymer Engineering
(ii) Process Dynamics and Control
2. Postgraduate Diploma in 'Building Science' (Department of Civil Engineering)
Kanpur Institute: 13 new fields were added to the curriculum of undergraduate courses and 62 new fields to that of postgraduate courses in addition to undertaking major research problems in a variety of subjects in science and technology.
Delhi Institute: (1) P.G. Diploma in Technical Education
(2) P.G. Diploma in Systems Engineering
(3) M. Tech. in Applied Mechanics
(4) M.Tech. in Water Resources. Engineering
(5) M. Tech. in Power Apparatus System
(6) M. Tech. in Modern Methods of Chemical Analysis
(7) M. Tech. in Design of Production Machines
(8) M. Tech. in Fibre Science and Technology
The five institutes of technology have now been functioning for over 10 years. It has been decided to review the functioning
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of all the institutes and for the purpose, a reviewing committee has been appointed for each of them. The work of these reviewing committees, is in progress.
4.10. National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi: The Institute is being set up at Ranchi with the objective of providing specialised training facilities for foundry and forge industry. It is designed to conduct long-term post-diploma and post- degree courses as well as a short-term refresher course for supervisors from the industries. Still in the early stage of its establishment, the physical facilities like building, laboratories. workshops, etc. are being provided. The first long-term course of 18 months for technicians is expected to be started in June, 1971. The Institute is, at present, conducting only short-term courses in cooperation with the Heavy Engineering Corporation.
4.11. National Institute for Training in Industrial Engineering, Bombay: The Institute was established in 1963 to, conduct short-term and long-term courses in industrial engineering 'and allied fields, industry-oriented programmes and applied research and to provide consultancy services on a limited scale. During the year, the Institute conducted 33 short-term courses in industrial engineering for 540 persons sponsored by industry. A two year postgraduate programme in industrial engineering is proposed to be introduced from 1971-72. The Institute also conducted seven courses for organisations like the State Bank of India, Indian Airlines Corporation, Hindustan Aeornautics, etc and organised seminars, research and the like in collaboration with the All India Management Association, Indian Institute of Industrial Engineers, Computer Society of India and Productivity Councils
4.12. Indian Institutes of Management: The Ahmedabad and Calcutta Institutes of Management have made further progress in management education at the postgraduate level. The Institutes at present provide facilities for the admission of 120 students each year to the postgraduate courses. In addition,
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they organise a large number of short-term management development programmes for personnel working in industry and commerce and assist the industry with facilities for consultancy.
4.13. School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi: During the year, the School had an enrolment of 365 students. it offers facilities for postgraduate courses in town and country planning and architecture (urban design) in addition to degree and national diploma courses in architecture. It also conducts, a special course in town and country planning and proposes to introduce a new postgraduate course in landscape architecture from July 1971.
4.14. Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad: The School was converted into an autonomous body and declared as a deemed university under the provision of University Grants Commission Act, from July 1967. In addition to the existing courses in mining engineering, petroleum technology, applied geology and applied geophysics, the School proposed to introduce a postgraduate orientation course for graduates in mining engineering from 1971-72. During the year there were 291 students at the School including 23 research scholars.
4.15. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore: It has developed excellent facilities in a wide range of subject fields in engineering; and technology for postgraduate courses and research. To review, the progress made by this Institute and recommend the lines on which the facilities at this Institute should be further developed and consolidated, the Government appointed a reviewing committee under the chairmanship of Prof. T. R. Seshadri of Delhi University. The report of the reviewing committee is awaited.
4.16. Technical Teachers' Training Institutes for Polytechnic Teachers: Of the four Institutes, those at Madras and Chandigarh have completed the programmes of constructing buildings. The Calcutta Institute has undertaken the construction work during the year, while the Bhopal Institute is expected to start
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construction programme next year. During the year all the Institutes together admitted about 110 fresh polytechnic teachers to the courses being conducted by them. In addition, the Institutes have undertaken a variety of short-term courses and curriculum development programmes for the improvement of quality and standards of polytechnic education.
4.17. Programme of Practical Training for Engineering Graduates and Diploma-Holders: Under the expanded programme of practical training for graduates and diploma-holders, about 13,000 training places were secured in several public and private sector industrial establishments and other organisations during 1970-71. For the effective organisation and supervision of practical. training, Boards of Apprenticeship Training have been set up in cooperation with industry for the southern, eastern and northern regions. The Board for the western region is also expected to start functioning shortly. Under this programme, the Ministry extended financial assistance in organising short-term courses for the training of engineers in industrial entrepreneurship at 12 small industries service institutes in collaboration with the Ministry of Industrial Development.
4.18. Postgraduate Courses and Research: In addition to the Institutes of Technology, postgraduate courses for the master's degree in engineering have been instituted at several selected centres. The Board of Postgraduate Studies in Engineering of the All India Council for Technical Education carried out during the year a comprehensive assessment of these centres and recommended several measures to consolidate and develop the facilities further. The Board also recommended that the scheme should be extended to more centres that have built up considerable facilities in various fields of engineering and technology. The Government have accepted the recommendations of the Board and a programme has been drawn up. With its implementation, it is expected that the over-all facilities for postgraduate courses in engineering and technology at the end of the Fourth Plan will increase to about 2500 places at about 40 institutions.
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4.19. Regional Engineering Colleges: The fourteen regional engineering colleges in various parts of the country made further progress in providing the remaining facilities envisaged originally at the time of their establishment. All the colleges are conducting first degree courses in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering. Some of them are also offering courses in metallurgy, chemical engineering and electronics. Seven regional engineering colleges have introduced industry-oriented postgraduate courses in specialised branches of engineering and technology under the programme of assistance from the UNDP. The first phase of the UNDP programme assistance ended in December 1969. However, to consolidate these courses and to initiate selected new programmes in cooperation with industry, the UNDP has agreed to extend this assistance for a further period of two years and a half from January, 1970. The Postgraduate Board of the All India Council for Technical Education has recommended that selected regional engineering colleges should also undertake a programme of postgraduate education in the Fourth Plan. The Government have accepted this recommendation and it is expected that selected institutions will be introducing postgraduate courses on a limited scale in the remaining years of the Fourth Plan.
4.20. Financial Allocations: The major financial allocations for technical education during 1970-71 and 1971-72 are given below:
(Rs. in 000's)
No. Item Provision for 1970-71 Budget
Original Revised Estimates
1971-72
1 2 3 4 5
1. Indian Institutes of Technology 87,746 89,758 93,555
2. National Institute of Foundry
and Forge Technology, Ranchi 4,500 3,767 5,254
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1 2 3 4 5
3. National Institute for Training
in Industrial Engineering, Bombay 1,605 2,036 2,380
4. Indian Institutes of Management 3,800 4,217 6,661
5. School of Planning and Architecture,
New Delhi 1,755 1,947 1,855
6. Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad 2,721 2,816 2,966
7. Indian Institute of Science, Banga-
lore 11,300 11,680 12,000
8. Technical Teacher Training
Institutes for Polytechnic
Teachers 6,107 5,770 6,419
9. Practical Training Stipends Scheme 17,900 22,400 21,574
10. Postgraduate Courses and Research 8,000 6,065 8,500
11. Regional Engineering Colleges 34,400 30,120 34,104
12. Quality Improvement Programmes 7,300 3,597 6,557
13. Central Grants to Private
Institutes 8,000 7,270 7,200
14. Loans for Construction of Hostels 10,680 10,680 10,001