The Executive Development Programme courses conducted during the year totalled 52 benefiting 951 participants. 24 unit based programmes and 20 more EDP are also to be conducted before the end of the current academic year. The Institute admitted 34 students into a 2 year residential postgraduate programme in Industrial Engineering.

National Institute Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi

The Institute was set up in 1966 with the assistance of UNDP/UNESCO to provide facilities for (i) Forge Education and Research in the form of full-time courses, vacation courses and the like; (ii) the training of senior executive personnel for Foundry Institutes; (iii) the training of suitable qualified personnel for industry in the latest production techniques and methods Design and Development; (iv) conducting Applied Research in the field of Foundry and Forge Technology.

During the year the institute conducted 9 refresher courses benefiting 157 participants from industry. 10 students were admitted to the postgraduate programme and 43 students to the Advance Diploma Courses. The Institute proposed to conduct two more refresher courses by the end of the current year.

School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi

The School is a premier Institute established in 1959 with the object of providing facilities for training and research in rural, urban, regional planning and landscape architecture as

also in other allied subjects. It conducts a 5-year degree course in Architecture, 71/2- year part-time diploma course in Architecture (equivalent to degree) and 2-year full-time Postgraduate diploma course in Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Pre-Landscape Architecture and Town and Country Planning.

During the year the School admitted 34 students for the under- graduate courses in Architecture and 53 students in various Post- graduate diploma courses. The activities of the School are currently being reviewed by a Review Committee appointed by the Government. The future development plans will be formulated on the basis of the report of the Review Committee, which is expected at an early date.

Technical Teachers' Training Institutes

The Institutes at Madras, Calcutta, Bhopal and Chandigarh were set up in 1966-67 to (i) provide professional training for teaching engineering and technology subjects; (ii) provide for instruction and research in branches of Engineering and Technology and for the advancement of learning and dissemination of knowledge in such branches; (iii) arrange for practical training in industry on a cooperative education plan. These Institutes run a 12-month course for degree holders and 18-month course for diploma holders besides organising short-term in-service training courses and curriculum programmes under Quality Improvement Programme.

During the year 129 teachers were admitted into various regular courses. The Institutes also produced suitable material for curriculum development in various fields besides conducting short-term courses, work-shops etc.

The Review Committee appointed by the Ministry has reported that the Institutes have done commendable work in the field of Technician Teacher Education in the country. The Committee has also made certain recommendations about future development of these institutes and these would be taken into consideration while preparing future developmental plans of these institutions.

Indian Institutes of Management

The 3 Institutes at Ahmedabad, Calcutta and Bangalore set up respectively in 1961, 1962 and 1972 continued to provide

facilities for training in management and imporving management practices. Main developments in respect of the Institutes are given in the following paragraphs :

Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta

The Institute continued to run its post-graduate programme to which 123 students were admitted. In the fellowship programme at doctoral level, the institute admitted 9 students during the current year.

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

In its 2-years programme 166 students were admitted, in the fellowship programme 10 students were admitted during the current year. The Institute conducted fourth remedial programme from June 6 to 25, 1977 for 43 students (including 12 SC/ST students) admitted to the 1977-79 session. This programme is meant for students who are identified at the admission stage as weak in Mathematics and/or English.

Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

The Institute continued its progress in its various programmes. 91 students were admitted to the Post-graduate programme and 15 to the Fellowship programme including 9 repeaters.

Grants to Non-Government Scientific and Technical Institutions for Development and Improvement

Under this scheme, grants-in-aid are sanctioned to non Government engineering and technical institutions for their establishment and development of first degree/diploma level education and for various other schemes of technical education such as technical institutions for girls, junior technical schools, etc. Over 100 institutions have been established/developed since the commencement of the scheme during the first plan period in accordance, with the pattern of Central assistance laid down for the purpose. Grants paid to the institutions since the inception of the scheme total over Rs. 10 crores.

Loans for Construction of Students' Hostels in Technical Institu- tions

For provision of hostel facilities for students in technical institutions loans are sanctioned both for Government and non- Govcrnment technical institutions to the extent of the cost on

50% of the student population. Loans amounting to Rs. 19.38 crores have so far been sanctioned under the scheme. The non Government institutions represented that the income from hostel fees was too inadequate to, repay the loan instalments and the loanees had no other resources to pay off the loan instalments. To case the difficulties experienced by them, it was decided in 1973 that 50% of the loans already given should be written off and the balance 50% recovered in the remaining number of instalments.

Till 1976-77, 62,825 hostel seats had been provided through these loans. The provision of Rs. 31.00 lakhs during 1977-78 includes Rs. 10.00 lakhs as loans for Government institutions and Rs. 5.00 lakhs as loan and Rs. 16.00 lakhs as grant for non Government institutions.

The National Council for Science Education

The National Council for Science Education was set up in 1966 by the Government of India as an Advisory Council and also to function as a National Forum as a Joint venture of University Grants Commission, National Council of Educational Research and Training and the Association of Principals of Technical Institutions (now Indian Society for Technical Education), with an aim to promote the programmes intended for the development and improvement of Science Education in the country. A sum of Rs. 6.45 lakhs is likely to be incurred by the NSCE during the year 1977-78.

Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok

The Institute was set up as an independent institution in 1967 for development of Engineering and Technical Education in Asian and South-East Asian countries. The Institute is governed by an International Board of Trustees. On a proposal from the Institute for India's association it has been decided to extend assistance from India in the form of supply of Indian equipment and the deputation of Indian experts. An outlay of Rs. 4.00 lakhs for 1977-78 has been made.

Board of Assessment for Educational Qualifications

The Board is headed by the Chairman, UPSC and consists of representatives of the UGC, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms,ICAR, AICTE, Ministry of Education & Social Welfare and

also the Chairman, UGC. It examines the standards of educational. qualifications and advises the Government of India in the matters of recognition, to, be accorded to an educational qualifications except in the field of medicine for the purposes of recruitment to the posts and services under the Central Government. The Board also examines the proposals for mutual recognition of degrees/diplomas between the Government of India and the foreign country concerned arising out of the Cultural Exchange Programmes between the two countries and advises the Government of India in the matter. A high powered delegation from Romania was on a visit to India from 29th November, 1977 to 13th December, 1977 to study the system of education in India for the mutual recognition of degrees /diplomas accorded by the universities and institutions in the two countries. During their stay they visited Universities/Institutions.

All India Council for Technical Education.

The Council has endorsed the specific recommendations made by the working group set up to consider the policies and programmes for technical education. The recommendations include, among other things, improved efficiency and effectiveness of the course of study, establishment of a national manpower information system etc.