 TECHNICAL EDUCATION

The main objectives of the Fourth Five Year Plan are improvement of the quality and standards of technical education on the one hand, and on the other, the development of adequate training facilities in critical fields like management education, industrial engineering, etc. The Plan also visualises consolidation of existing engineering colleges and polytechnics and development of postgraduate courses and research. These objectives are reflected in the progress of technical education during 1972-73.

As a result of the unemployment among technical personnel, and recession in economy, admissions to technical institutions were reduced by about 30 to 40 per cent in 1969. This reduced level of admissions is being maintained since then. However, during 1971-72 there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for admission in technical institutions throughout the country. The actual admissions made in 1971-72 were 18,197 to first degree courses and 33,154 to diploma courses.

The overall progress of expenditure on the various schemes of technical education included in the central sector has been very satisfactory during the first four years of the current Plan. No major scheme has shown any significant shortfall in expenditure. Against the total Plan outlay of Rs. 56 crores for the schemes of technical education implemented by the Ministry, the actual expenditure at the end of the current Plan is likely to be of the order of Rs. 70 crores.

Quality Improvement Programmes

These programmes initiated during 1970-71 include long-term and short-term courses for serving teachers from engineering colleges and polytechnics, summer schools, short-term practical

training in industry and curriculum development of degree and diploma courses. These schemes fall broadly in two categories (a) those aimed at the development of faculty and (b) those aimed at the improvement of curriculum.

(a) Faculty Development

These programmes consist of long-term and short-term training programmes for serving teachers designed to improve their professional competence and programmes of training in Industry to equip serving teachers with adequate practical experience. The first part of the programme is being implemented through the Institutes of Technology, Teachers Training Institutes and other selected engineering colleges and polytechnics. The response to these programmes particularly those leading to Master's or Doctoral Degrees has been extremely satisfactory. During 1971-72, 167 teachers enrolled for these programmes while in 1972-73 a fresh batch of 120 teachers has already joined various institutions. In the various short-term programmes organised for teachers from engineering colleges, 407 teachers participated in 1972-73 against 376 in 1971-72. For similar programmes organised for polytechnic teachers, 912 teachers participated so far in the current year against 945 in 1971-72. The Summer Institutes programme organised by the Indian Society for Technical Education also attracted about 1400 teachers from colleges and polytechnics in 1972-73. As for the programme of training in industry for serving teachers, the total number of teachers deputed for training in 1971-72 was a little over 250 while it is expected that in the current year about 500 teachers would have undergone training in various industrial establishments.

(b) Curriculum Development

The Programme of Curriculum Development initiated as an experimental project in 1970-71 has made satisfactory progress in 1972-73. The groups of experts set up at the Institutes of Technology and the Roorkee University have initiated modernisation and revision of the curriculum for, engineering degree courses. Curriculum materials consisting of teaching units and

teachers' guides have already been produced in selected topics by these groups in collaboration with serving teachers from engineering colleges. These materials will be further refined and improved after proper trials and tests, before they are made available to engineering colleges for adoption. The polytechnic level curriculum development groups have made substantial progress with preparation of curriculum materials like teaching units, teachers' materials, students' work books, textbooks, etc. The Programme of work of these groups is proceeding on the basis of definite commitments undertaken by them with the State Boards of Technical Education which have agreed to adopt the materials produced by them. All these groups have initiated the programme of curriculum development in all the three major branches of engineering diploma courses and the complete material for the first year curriculum has already been prepared. State Boards of Technical Education in Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, etc., have also introduced the revised material produced by the centres. It is expected that by March, 1974 these groups will be able to produce. a model national curriculum for diploma courses in all the three major branches of engineering.

Industry-Oriented Education

The programmes of sandwich courses for improving the practical content in degree and diploma courses have been extended to a larger number of institutions in 1972-73. There are at present, 90 technical institutions conducting sandwich courses in close cooperation with industry.

The report of the Expert Committee set up by the All India Council for Technical Education to recommend measures for reorganising polytechnic education was discussed with the State Governments. On the basis of the consensus reached through these discussions, a plan of action has been formulated for implementing the major recommendations of the Committee. This plan of action was later approved by the All India Council for Technical Education and all the State Governments have been requested

to take steps to implement it. The plan of action visualises far- reaching changes in the polytechnic education system, like estab- lishment of State Boards of Technical Education as statutory bodies to coordinate and control diploma courses, grant of autonomy to certain polytechnics, revision of staff structure including training of teachers, establishment of close coordination and cooperation with industry in the training of technicians and so on.

Apprenticeship Training

Following the establishment of four Regional Boards of App- renticeship Training, one in each region, the programme of practical training of graduates and diploma holders has been reorganised in cooperation with industry, to equip the trainees with adequate practical experience under supervision. During 1972-73, it is expected that about 10,000 fresh engineering graduates and diploma holders will be deputed for training in various industrial establishments in both public and private sectors

It has also been decided that under the Programme of Appren- ticeship Training, small and medium industrial units which agree to employ fresh engineering graduates and diploma holders will be assisted on the same lines as is being done by the Government of Punjab. An engineering graduate is paid a stipend of Rs. 400 per month and a diploma holder Rs. 250 per month under this scheme. The expenditure on stipends will be shared in equal parts by Central Government and industrial units for one year after which the entire expenditure will be borne by the industrial units concerned. A provision of Rs. 50 lakhs has been earmarked for this purpose in the current year and the scheme is being implemented in cooperation with the State Directors of Industry,

Indian Institutes of Technology

For the last 15 years, the Institutes of Technology at Kharagpur, Madras, Bombay, Kanpur and Delhi have grown in stature and made a deep impress on technological education and research in India. The Institutes are offering first degree courses in a

wide range of subject fields, Masters Degree courses in different engineering specialities and also facilities for research at the Ph.D. and postdoctoral levels. The total student enrolment and out-turn of graduates from these institutes in 1972-73 are given below :

        
                                          
        
        Indian Institute       Enrolment during 1972-73                  Total
         of Technology                                                   out-
                             under-    Post-     Research     Total      turn
                             graduate  graduate
        
                                          
        
           Kharagpur          1549         435       112       2096       698
        
           Bombay             1454         477       221       2152       584
        
           Madras             1246         520       419       2185       489
        
           Kanpur             1256         410       346       2012       406
        
           Delhi              1144         407       326       1877       415
        
                                          
        
                  Total       6649        2249      1424     10,322      2592

During the year under report, the Delhi Institute introduced a programme of 5-year integrated course leading to a degree of Masters of Science in applied science. This programme is offered in physics, chemistry and mathematics with an intake of 35 students in each subject. The Madras Institute introduced Master's degree courses in chemical engineering with specialisation in particle technology and chemical plant design, in mechanical engineering with specialisation in machine dynamics and fine techniques and in civil engineering with specialisation in building technology.

All these institutes have also extended facilities for faculty development of engineering colleges by organising M. Tech. and doctoral courses, short-term in-service training programmes and summer schools. They have also initiated curriculum development work for engineering colleges, besides offering extensive consultancy and testing facilities to industry in the public and private sectors and to other organisations.

The Reviewing Committees for the Madras and Delhi Institutes have submitted their reports. The reports for the other institutes are expected to be submitted during the course of the current year.

National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi

The Institute which started functioning from December 1967, is making satisfactory progress with the provision of physical facilities like buildings, equipment and staff. A short-term refresher course on instrumental analysis was conducted in December 1972. The second long-term course of 18 months' duration for the training of foundry and forge technicians has started in January, 1973.

National Institute for Training In Industrial Engineering, Bombay

As in the previous year, the Institute conducted a number of short-term and long-term courses in Industrial Engineering and allied fields, several industry oriented programmes and applied research in addition to providing consultancy services to industry. During the year, 58 inter-company programmes with 800 participants and 7 unit- based programmes with 140 participants were conducted. Besides, 4 seminars were organised in which 405 people working in industry participated. The first batch of 18 students of the full-time postgraduate course in Industrial Engineering will complete their studies in June 1973. A fresh batch of 25 students was admitted to the postgraduate programme during the current year.

Indian Institute of Management

The Ahmedabad and Calcutta Institutes of Management have made further progress in management education at the postgraduate level. Each institute is at present providing facilities for admission of 120 students to postgraduate courses. The Ahmedabad Institute is also conducting a one-year programme in management for Agriculture and an advanced programme in Business Administration. The programme in Business Administration is

comparable to a doctoral programme and is intended primarily to train people who can be absorbed on the faculty of business management in universities and other institutes. Both the institutes have also conducted a large number of executive development programmes for personnel working in industry.

Two more institutes, similar to those at Ahmedabad and Calcutta, are being established at Bangalore and Lucknow. All the preliminary arrangements for the establishment of the Bangalore Institute are now complete and it is expected that this Institute will start functioning from the next year. Necessary steps to establish the Lucknow Institute are at present in progress.

School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi

During the year, the School had an enrolment of 393 students. It offers facilities for postgraduate courses in town and country planning and architecture (urban design) and landscape architecture in addition to the degree and national diploma courses in architecture.

Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad

The school is conducting 5-year courses in Mining, Petroleum Technology, Applied Geology and Applied Geophysics. It had also undertaken research programmes sponsored by industry and other organisations during the year 1972-73. There were 250 students in the School--235 in degree courses and 15 in research.

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

This is a premier institution of higher learning and research in science and technology. It has made further progress with its postgraduate courses and research activity in a wide range of subject fields in science, engineering and technology. The total student enrolment at the Institute during the year under report is 977 of which 709 are at postgraduate degree and research levels.

Regional Engineering Colleges

The 14 regional engineering colleges established in various States are.,making satisfactory progress with the programmes of consolidation and further development in engineering education. All these colleges are offering first degree courses for civil, mechanical and electrical engineering. Some are also offering courses in metallurgy, electronics and chemical engineering. 10 of these colleges have entered the second phase of their development with introduction of postgraduate courses. Of these, 9 are conducting industry-oriented postgraduate courses in specialised fields like design and production of high pressure boilers and accessories, heavy machines for steel plants, transportation engineering, industrial and marine structures, electronic instrumentation, integrated power system etc.

The 15th college proposed to be established in Assam is expected to start functioning at Silchar from 1973-74.

The Central Government has already appointed a Reviewing Committee in consultation with the Planning Commission to review the present progress of the Regional Colleges and to suggest the lines along which they should be consolidated and further developed. The Committee has also been asked to recommend the new financial arrangements that should be made for the maintenance of these colleges, after the end of the 4th Plan keeping in view the need for these colleges to maintain their all-India character. It is expected that the report of the Reviewing Committee will be available shortly.

Technical Teachers Training Institutes

The Institutes at Madras and Chandigarh have almost completed their major building programmes and also provided essential equipment. The construction programme of the Calcutta Institute has been delayed as the Government of West Bengal decided recently to shift the Institute from its present campus to a new site. The State Government has acquired a piece of land in the Salt Lake area where it is expected that the Institute will be

able to commence its major building programmes in 1973-74. As for the Bhopal Institute, the State P.W.D. has undertaken the construction programme and it if expected that the major building programmes of this Institute will be completed by the end, of the year 1973-74.

During the year under report, the response from teachers to undergo-training at the Institutes has been very satisfactory. The admissions made in 1972-73 are as follows :-

 
        
                  Madras                                       65
        
                  Chandigarh                                   51
        
                  Bhopal                                       40
        
                  Calcutta                                     35

In addition to the normal training programmes these Institutions have also undertaken the programme of curriculum development for diploma courses including the production of teaching aids, laboratory manuals, model equipments, film strips, slides, etc. Some of the teaching aids, designed and fabricated by these institutes are widely in use. The Institutes have also initiated work relating to job and occupational analysis to determine the educational needs for those jobs and occupations and restructure the programme of training in the diploma courses to suit those needs.

Programme of Postgraduate Courses and Research

This programme seeks to develop a network of facilities for advanced studies and training at the postgraduate level in selected State Government and non-Government engineering colleges in the country. During the year under report, besides assisting the existing postgraduate courses, for their consolidation, the Central Government has approved grants to more institutes for introducing postgraduate courses on the recommendations of the Board of Postgraduate Engineering Education and Research. It is expected that when the scheme is fully implemented, there will be 38 Government and non- Government engineering

colleges covered by the scheme with a total admission capacity of 1200 students per year for various postgraduate courses in engineering and technology.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION