TECHNICAL EDUCATION
8.1.1 Technical education is one of the most significant components of human resource development spectrum with great potential for adding value to products and services, for contributing to the national economy, and for improving the quality of the life of the people. In recognition of the importance of this sector, the successive Five Year Plans laid great emphasis on the development of technical education.
8.1.2 During the past four decades, there has been phenomenal expansion of technical facilities in the country. But, a lot still needs to be done in the field of technical education in respect of increasing its coverage and enhancing its accessibility to the needs of organised as well as unorganised and rural sector and in improving its relevance and productivity. Moreover, the changing scenario by the turn of the century in socioeconomic, industrial and technological areas needs to be considered to enable the system to play its role with greater relevance and objectivity. Based on these considerations, several initiatives were taken to further revamp the technical education system. They include : modernisation and removal of obsolescence, promoting institution-industry interaction, providing continuing education for upgrading the skill and knowledge of technical personnel working in industry and service sector and transfer of technology to the rural sector.
8.1.3 The year under report witnessed some significant developments in the field of technical education. Considerable progress was made in implementing the various programmes and scheme. Major project has been undertaken with the assistance of World Bank, to upgrade the technician education system in the country for enabling the polytechnics to improve their capacity, quality and efficiency, Vested with statutory authority, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) continued to fulfil the tasks assigned to it.
8.2.0 The various programmes/schemes under technical education and their achievements during the year are presented below :
Indian Institutes of Technology 8.2.1 The five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Kharagpur, Bombay, Madras, Kanpur and Delhi were set up in the country as Institutes of National Importance and premier centres of education and training in engineering and applied sciences at the under-graduate level and to provide adequate facilities for post- graduate studies and research.
8.2.2 The IITs conduct four-year undergraduate programmes in various fields of engineering and technology. They also offer integrated Master's Degree courses of five year duration in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, one year and a half M.Tech
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degree courses in various specialisation, and one year post graduate Diploma courses in selected areas. In addition, the Institutes offer Ph.D. programmes in different branches of engineering, sciences, humanities and social sciences. There are also advanced centres of training and research in each Institute in identified areas of specialisation.
8.2.3 Over the years the IITs have succeeded in developing patents and their exploitation by the industry. The IITs have earned a sizeable revenue through sponsored research projects and consultancy undertaken by their faculty members.
8.2.4 These institutes are the leaders for education, training and research for the development of technical manpower at level comparable to the very best in the world. Selection of the brightest students through JEE for entrance to undergraduate courses and the very high quality of training speaks for itself on the importance of IITs system, which is committed to the pursuit of excellence.
8.2.5 During the year under report, the institutes continued to modernise their laboratories with funds provided by the Government of India for the purpose.
8.2.6 A special preparatory course of 10 months duration was continued to improve the intake of SC/ST students in the IITs. Those SC/ST students who fail to qualify the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to the IITs, but score a certain minimum percentage of marks are offered admission to this preparatory course. At the end of the preparatory course, these students are subjected to a qualifying test on the basis of which they are offered admission to the B.Tech. programme without having to appear in the JEE again. This has improved the position of intake of SC/ST students in the IITs. The SC/ST students also continue to get financial support from the Institutes by way of pocket allowance, loans and discretionary grants, apart from free messing.
8.2.7 The student strength of the five IITs during 1992 was as under :-
I.I.T. S T U D E N T S T R E N G T H
U.G P.G RESEARCH
Kharagpur 1706 630 227
Madras 1218 708 564
Kanpur 1202 486 365
Delhi 1336 996 738
Bombay 1246 966 795
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8.2.8 As per the Assam accord, the Govt. of India have, interalia, agreed to establish an IIT in Assam, the sixth in the chain of IITs. The Institute would be fully financed by the Central Government by way of grant-in-aid. A new site measuring 700 acres in North Guwahati has since been identified and acquired for establishing the Institute. The Hon'ble Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone of the Institute on 4. 7. 1992. The first continuing education programme mainly for Industries and Engineering college teachers was conducted from 28th-30th October, 1992 at the Institute of Engineering building, which was made available by the State Government of Assam.
Indian Institutes of Management 8.3.1 The four Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) located at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta and Lucknow were set up by the Government of India with the objective of providing education, training, research and consultancy in the field of management. These Institutions are the premier centres in these areas.
8.3.2 The three Institutes in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta continued their usual academic programmes, viz., PostGraduate Programme in Management (equivalent to M.B.A.), Fellowship Programme (equivalent to Ph.D.), Management Development Programme, Organisation Based Programme and Research & Consultancy for Industries as in the past.
8.3.3 The fourth Indian Institute of Management at Lucknow started functioning only from 1985-86 session. This is still in developing stage. the Institute is conducting Post-Graduate Programme, Executive Development Programme and undertaking Research & consultancy for the Industries.
8.3.4 As a follow-up of NPE, these Institutions have established Research Centres to meet the needs of other non-corporate and under- managed sectors like Agriculture, Rural Development, Public Systems Management, Energy, Health Education, Habitat, etc. These Institutes have also set up computer-aided Management Centres with the objective of promoting the development of application of software in the area of Industry-Oriented Management Techniques.
8.3.5 The Review Committee set up by the Government of India to assess the present status of these Institutes and for initiating necessary steps to make them more self-supporting in the process of broadening their horizon, has submitted its Report and an Empowered Committee has been constituted to examine the Report.
National Institute for Training In industrial Engineering (NITIE)
8.4.1 The National Institute For Training In Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Bombay, was established as an autonomous
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body in the year 1963 by the Government of India with the assistance of United Nations Development Programmes through the International Labour Organisation, with the objectives of providing education, training, research and consultancy in the field of industrial engineering.
8.4.2 The Institute offers Post-Graduate Programme in Industrial Engineering (equivalent to M.Tech), Post-Graduate Programme by Research, Fellowship Programme (Equivalent to Ph.D.) in Industrial Engineering and Diploma Programme in Computers Applications. It has been conducting several short-term Executive Development Programmes ranging from one to two weeks duration in various areas of Industrial Engineering and Management Techniques. The Institute is also engaged in Applied Research and offers consultancy in the various facets of Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Information Systems and Computers, Marketing, Personnel and other productivity related and management fields.
8.4.3 The Institute also offers industry-based programmes known as Unit-Based Programmes. During the year 1991-92, 153 Executive Development Programmes and Unit-Based Programmes have been conducted in which over 3197 executives from industry, Government Departments, etc. have participated.
8.4.4 The institute has set up three Extension Centres, viz., Delhi, Hyderabad and Madras and a Field Research Centre at Muzaffarpur to cater to the needs of industries and organisation in and around these areas. considering the large number of industries in and around Bangalore and Calcutta, many Executive Development Programmes have been conducted at these Centres.
8.4.5 During the 8th Plan period, the Institute proposes to undertake research in Entrepreneurial skills, development of users- friendly software in various applications for service sectors, sectoral research programmes for industrial sectors, viz, coal, steel, fertilizer, petroleum, sugar etc. Apart from this, NITIE is establishing a Case Development Cell for developing Case Studies for the corporate, small scale and noncorporate sectors, Expansion and diversification of Post-Graduate Programmes in Industrial Engineering, development of management films, video and other Mass Media Packages, Computer Literacy Programme and Research Project on Women's Contribution to Science and Technology are on the anvil.
National Institute of Foundary and Forge Technology, Ranchi 8.5.1 The National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi was established in 1966 by the Government of India in collaboration with UNDP-UNESCO as an apex training and educational. institution in the country in Foundry and Forge Technology and to provide trained manpower and uptodate knowhow to the concerned industries. It is an autonomous Institute fully funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education.
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8.5.2 The Institute provides training through Advanced Diploma Courses, M.Tech. Course, Refresher Courses and Unit-Based Programme required by the industries in the fields of Foundry and Forge Technology and provides industrial consultancy and testing services to several organisations.
8.5.3 The Institute has drawn up a Programme of Action for 8th Five Year Plan period for its development under the National Policy on Education 1986. The Institute conducted two unit based programmes. The Institute continued to offer Industrial Consultancy services. Sand testing, Chemical analysis, Mechanical, MDT, Metallography and other testing facilities available in the Institute were provided to various Industries and other Organisations on payment basis. The documentation and information retrieval services are also being strengthened by the Institute. The Institute is endeavouring to extend its research activities bearing direct relevance to current industrial problems as well as in other academic spheres. A four-year Course of Associateship in Manufacturing Engineering has been introduced in the Institute from the session 1991-92 as approved by the AICTE.
School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi 8.6.1 The School of Planning and Architecture was established in July 1955 by the Government of India as a pioneer Institution to provide training facilities in academic programmes relating to human settlements and environment. It is an Autonomous Institution fully financed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education, Government of India conferred on the School the status of a Deemed University in December 1979, to broaden its horizons of academic programmes and to Under-graduate, Post-Graduate and Doctoral Degree. The School conducts (a) Bachelor's Degree Course in Architecture, (b) Master's Degree Courses in Planning with specialisation in (i) Urban and Regional Planning (ii) Transport Planning and (iii) Housing. It also conducts Master's Degree Courses in (i) Urban Design (ii) Architectural Conservation, (iii) Building Engineering and Management, (iv) Landscape Architecture and (v) Prelandscape Architecture; and also Ph.D Programme.
8.6.2 In 1992-93, the total enrolment of 720 students in the School comprises 384 in the Bachelor"s Degree Course in Architecture, 79 in the Bachelor's Degree Course in Planning, 243 in the Master's Degree Courses and 14 in the Ph.D Programme.
8.6.3 The School has drawn up a Programme of Action for 8the Plan period for its development in accordance with the National Policy on Education, 1986. During 1990-91, the Construction work of a students hostel with 290 seats, a Guest House and 72 staff quarters at the Maharani Bagh Campus was completed. The Research and Extension activities have been intensified through specific Programme of Research and Extension Work. A project on "Industrial Design" has been approved for implementation during
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1993-94 to 1995-96 under Indo-Italian collaboration.
Technical Teachers' Training Institutes (TTTIs)8.7.1 The four Technical Teachers' Training Institutes at Bhopal, Calcutta, Chandigarh and Madras were established in the mid-sixties to provide in-service training to polytechnic teachers and also to undertake various services for the overall improvement of polytechnic education in the country. They offer low-term training programmes of 12 months/18 months duration to degree and diploma holding teachers of polytechnics in addition to providing short-term training of teachers and introducing them to curriculum development and related activities. The institutes at Bhopal, Chandigarh and Madras have come up to the level of offering post-graduate courses in technical teaching. They were earlier involved in educational film production, national testing service, preparation of instructional packages and educational research under a UNDP assisted project. During the year under report these institutes continued their activities in various fields falling within their purview and contributed significantly to further development of polytechnic education and to promote interaction between polytechnics, industry, institutions of higher learning, research organisations and other resource systems.
8.7.2 The TTTIs have been included in a major project launched by Government for upgrading the capacity, quality and efficiency of polytechnics in the States, with the assistance of World Bank. The first phase of the project became operational from 1990-91 and the second phase form 1991-92. The TTTIs are assisting the participating States in the training of polytechnic teachers, formulation of curriculum in new emerging areas, providing professional support in education, research & development, human resource development, consultancy etc. besides project detailing and project implementation.
8.7.3 The functioning of the TTTIs and their activities have been reviewed by an Evaluation Committee with a view to intensify their involvement in polytechnic teachers' training and strengthening their links with the State Directorates of Technical Education and the Industry. The Committee in its report has commended the pioneering work done by the TTTIs in the area of technical teachers' training, curriculum development, instructional material development, research & development, consultancy and extension services and have made several recommendations for their future growth and strengthening. The recommendations of the Review Committee have been considered by an Empowered Committee and follow-up action is in progress to process their recommendations.
International Collaboration in the Field of Technical Education 8.8.1 Major Technical Institutions in the country like Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, University of Roorkee,
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Anna University, Madras, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi and National Institute for Training in Industrial Engineering, Bombay are having international collaboration projects on research and development under the umbrella agreement signed by the Department of Economic Affairs and Deptt. of Science and Technology. Assistance from international organisations like UNDP, UNESCO and bilateral funds from advanced countries like Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, U.K., Norway etc. are received for this purpose in the form of equipment, expert services and training. Technical Institutions are also collaborating with their counterparts in U.S.A. for joint research in the fields of science and technology availing of assistance from US- India Rupee fund. The objectives of such collaboration are joint research and manpower development in emerging areas of science and technology. Besides, Major Indian Institutions and European Institutions for management studies are having collaboration under an agreement between India and the EEC. Necessary counterpart budget provisions for these purposes are made by the respective participating Institutions.
8.8.2 During the year 1992-93 it has been decided in principle to have collaboration between Regional Engineering Colleges and other counterpart Institutions in U.K. in the areas of Design, Energy, Information Technology and materials with ODA assistance.
Regional Engineering Colleges 8.9.1 Under the scheme of establishment of Regional Engineering Colleges, a Central Plan Scheme, seventeen colleges have been established, one in each major State to meet the Country's growing requirements for trained technical manpower for various development projects. Each college is a joint and cooperative enterprise of the Central Government and the State Government concerned. While all the seventeen colleges offer 1st Degree Courses in various branches of Engineering and Technology, fourteen of these have facilities for Post-Graduate and Doctoral Programmes. The present admission capacity in all the Regional Engineering Colleges is of the order of 4940 for Under-Graduate Courses and 1420 for Post-Graduate Courses.
8.9.2 In the context of implementation of the National Policy on Education, 1986, Programme of Action documents have been prepared by all the Colleges for their development upto the end of Eighth Five- Year Plan. The documents contain the overall goals, objectives and detailed action points to achieve such objectives in the respective Colleges. The Annual Plan 1992-93 in respect of each colleges has been finalised as per their Programme of Action documents.