CHAPTER III TECHNICAL EDUCATION
In the development of technical education each Five Year Plan was characterised by major stress on, certain aspects. Up to the end of the Third Plan, the main emphasis was on expansion, infrastructure development, promotion of post-graduate education and research. During the Fourth Plan there was selective expansion in post-graduate education and an attempt to consolidate other programmes. In the Fifth Plan, the effort was mainly directed towards consolidation, diversification, faculty development, industry-institution, collaboration and curriculum development. Like 1977-78 the emphasis was laid on the following programmes specially, in the first half of the current year :
(1) Development of Postgraduate Studies and Research;
(2) Establishment of Linkage between technical institutions and industry ;
(3) Linkage of technical education with manpower re- quirements ;
(4) The programme of Apprenticeship Training to train the graduate and diploma holders in the engineering and technology for gainful employment ;
(5) Consolidation of existing engineering colleges and polytechnics ;
(6) Faculty Development through training programmes;
(7) Curriculum Development;
(8) Diversification of Courses ; and
(9) The Development of Management Education
As a logical step in the direction of growth, it was now necessary to re-organise some of the activities and to identify programmes that need to be supported and promoted in the context of future needs of the country.
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Setting up of a Working Group In November, 1977, the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, Government of India, set up a Working Group for Technical Education to review the present status of the nations needs during the coming decade and to suggest re-orientation and improvements to the existing programmes. At the first meeting of the Working Group in November, 1977 the following five subjects were identified which required in- depth study and which could from the basis for further deliberations: "Technical Manpower "Research and Development", "Diversification and Redesigning of the existing Programme", "Quality Improvement Programme" and "Industry Institutional Collaboration". The Group finally met in, January, 1978 to finalise the recommendations. Working Group recommendations as finally" endorsed by the All India Council for Technical Education, at its meetings held in February, 1978 are given below:-
Manpower Need (1) Within the approved annual intake capacity each institution should increase the supply of technical manpower by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of educational processes. Shifts in the intake capacities between disciplines may be effected to cater to the emerging manpower needs.
(2) All new courses should be based on well- established and well-defined manpower needs.
(3) A reliable information system is a prerequisite to planing, especially, in the field of technical education, and training. A National Manpower Information System should be established with a lead centre in the Institute of Applied Manpower Research for the storage, updating, retrieval add analysis of manpower information to assist technical education planning. The Institute of Applied Manpower Research should be suitably strengthened for this purpose with provision of requisite facilities.
Measures for improvements (4) Credit System with provision for multi-point entry in part-time and full-time programmes should be introduced.
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(5) Industrial and rural development problems be identified and a greater emphasis on research programmes, to tackle such problems, be given in keeping with the national needs. Technical education institutions having the potential and capability to undertake problem-oriented and application-oriented programmes be selected and properly supported to facilitate substantial contribution to rural and community development.
(6) Institutions be encouraged to set up Consultancy Centres to promote Consultancy Activities.
(7) Relevant Management Education be integrated with professional courses at degree and diploma levels.
(8) Courses in Management Education be re-structured to provide for managerial manpower for small and medium sized industry as also for sectoral needs such as transport, power, health, education and agriculture, cooperation and cooperative banks.
(9) Selected Polytechnics act as focal points to promote transfer of technology to the rural community. Such Polytechnics should be designated as 'Community Polytechnics' and adequate support provided.
(10) Selected Polytechnics should be given central assistance to conduct advanced technical programmes.
(11) Support be provided to strengthen the work of Cur- riculum Development and Research related to problems of technical education.
(12) In addition to minimum academic qualifications laid down by All India Council for Technical Education, one year's industrial experience for lecturers and two years for senior staff is considered desirable. All recruitment should be strictly on merit, by open com- petition and on all-India basis, subject to reservation because of constitutional requirements.
(13) To ensure high quality performance, appropriate measures be taken for providing the necessary faci- lities. In this context the feasibility of making appointments to senior teaching posts (i.e. Professors and Heads of Institutions) on contract basis for five years, renewable after assessment be considered.
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(14) Personal Promotion Schemes should be established to enable promotion of deserving young faculty stag- nating at a particular level. Such promotion be res- tricted to 20 per cent of the sanctioned strength.
(15) An appropriate staff appraisal scheme based on a methodology acceptable to the faculty should be introduced. This would also enable identification of the needs of staff development.
(16) Facilities for Masters degree training under the Quality Improvement Programme be progressively reduced. Considering the number of teachers involved, provision for Doctoral Programme under QIP be increased to enable 250 teachers every year to enrol for Doctoral Programmes.
(17) Provision be made to organise short-term courses for Polytechnic and collegiate teachers in educational technology.
(18) Selected Engineering Colleges should organise under Quality Improvement Programmes three-year courses to enable Polytechnic teachers with diploma qualifica- tion to get Bachelor's degree.
(19) Polytechnic teachers should be sponsored under the Quality Improvement Programme for industry oriented post-graduate diploma/degree courses organised for the purposes.
(20) In order to ensure purposeful and meaningful interaction and collaboration between industry and institutions, "Fellowship" in the institution for willing and capable personnel from the industry be instituted. Similarly, 'Residency' for institutional faculty be provided in the industry on the lines of Quality Improvement Programmes. Additional budgetary provision on staff to the tune of 20 per cent should be made to finance these schemes.
(21) Admission to both degree and diploma courses be on the basis of carefully designed entrance tests. These tests should be conducted State-wise common to all institutions.
(22) In order to reduce drop outs and other forms of wastage, it is necessary that special efforts in the form
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of remedial courses be carried out in the initial stages to help weaker students.
(23) Flexible programmes of continuing education through part-time/full-time courses be introduced at all levels for serving personnel.
(24) Representation be given to students in bodies con- cerned with framing the curricula.
(25) Schemes for training of technical supporting staff be started under "Quality Improvement Programme."
(26) To ensure better and more effective library services, qualified and trained library staff be provided.
(27) Adequate support be given to institutions to organise Audio-Visual and Reprographic Services.
(28) On an experimental basis, Learning Resource Centres be established in a few selected institutions.
(29) The replacement of laboratory equipment which have become obsolete due to technological and curricular changes be examined. Laboratories be modernised with relevant, and versatile equipment with more instructional potential.
Management of the System (30) The tasks of planning and organising Technical Education from the level of craftsmen to that of technologists be brought under a single National Agency both at the Centre and States to ensure balanced development through an integrated approach.
(31) It is essential to optimise the utilisation of available resources and provide impetus to all the Centres engaged in Post-Graduate Programmes and Research. The Planning, organisation and prescription of norms for post-graduate and research programmes conducted at universities, Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management and affiliated colleges should be coordinated by the Board of Post-graduate Engineering Studies and Research of the AICTE.
(32) The organisation of short-term courses under QIP be coordinated.
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(33) The Regional Boards of Apprenticeship Training be adequately staffed and strengthened with a view to ensuring purposeful planning and supervision of Apprenticeship Training Programmes.
(34) The Directorates should have organs dealing with Manpower Assessment, planning, coordination, con- trolling, monitoring and evaluation of technical edu- cational programmes. Reorganisation of Directorates to enable them to perform these professional functions effectively be undertaken as a matter of urgency.
(35) Administrative autonomy and powers of financial control be given to all technical institutions including Government institutions by bringing them under suitably constituted governing councils. Academic autonomy be given to institutions on a selective basis.
(36) The concept of 'Adoption of Polytechnics' by industry already recommended by the All India Council for Technical Education be pursued.
(37) Short-term courses under Quality Improvement Pro- gramme in educational management be organised for training heads of institutions and Heads of Departments.
(38) Setting up a Staff College for Technical Educators be examined by an Expert Committee.
(39) Maintenance of uniform standards in technical institutions in the country is the constitutional responsibility of the Central Government. It is, therefore, necessary to coordinate and strengthen existing valuation agencies.
(40) To ensure effective implementation of policies and programmes of the Council, measures other than making it statutory, may be considered for the present.
Financing of Technical Education (41) The Plan allocations for Technical Education should be commensurate with the developmental outlay of the other user departments, since technical education is developmental investment.
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(42) To provide the necessary incentive to industry ex- penditure by industry an technical education including Management Education be deductable for purposes of Income Tax Assessment.
(43) The System of making available the Central Govern- ment's share for approved schemes directly to the institutions should be restored.
Action on a majority of the recommendations is required to be taken by the State Governments and Engineering/Technological Institutions. They have been requested to implement the All India Council for Technical Education recommendations as early as possible. Action on some of the important recommendations is being pursued in this Ministry also. Progress of important schemes is given below:-
1. Direct Central Assistance to Engineering and Technological
Institutions Two Committees to identify Engineering Colleges and Polytechnics for Direct Central Assistance has been constituted. These Committees have selected 35 colleges and 28 Polytechnics for giving assistance for filing the gaps in existing laboratories and workshops in engineering colleges and to provide assistance for new schemes such as Production Centre, Audio Visual Aid Simulation Workshops etc. in Engineering Colleges and Polytechnics selected for this purpose. The total expenditure involved in these recommendations is of the order of Rs. 250 lakhs. Twenty five per cent of this expenditure is to be shared by the respective State Governments. A provision of Rs. 220 lakhs is being made under the Annual Plan 1979-80.
2. Community Polytechnics As recommended by the All India Council for Technical Education, some Polytechnics which have shown initiative to inter-act with environment by organising programmes and activities to meet the needs of the Community are to be selected as focal points to promote transfer of technology to the rural sector. These Polytechnics are to be called 'Community Polytechnics'. The Expert Committee constituted to identify such institutions has already met and selected 28 Polytechnics to be developed as 'Community Polytechnics'. Proposals from some institutions are still under consideration. The total amount involved in the Polytechnics selected so far is about Rs. 13 lakhs.
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3. Advanced Technician Courses As recommended by All India Council for Technical Education on the basis of the Report of Working Group on Technical Education selected polytechnics will be given central assistance to conduct advanced level Technician Programmes. In order to work out the necessary details and to prepare a complete project report for organising these advanced level technician courses at the selected polytechnics a committee has been constituted by the Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education. Further action will be taken on receipt of the Report of this Committee, which is awaited.
4. Quality Improvement Scheme As recommended by the All India Council for Technical Education, a Committee has been constituted to formulate supplementary Quality Improvement Programmes to enable polytechnic teachers to join industry oriented postgraduate/degree Courses and to improve their academic qualifications. The Committee constituted to identify institutions which can offer facilities for continuing education programme for polytechnics teachers is working on the following schemes:-
(i) three year degree courses for polytechnics teachers having diploma qualifications ;
(ii) one year industry-oriented postgraduate diploma course for polytechnics teachers ;
(iii) three months postgraduate diploma course in education technology/management for polytechnic tea- chers.
The Committee's final recommendations would be made available shortly. Action will be taken on the recommendations as soon as these are available.
As regards the existing Quality Improvement Programme, the progress of various schemes is as given below:-
The programme of Quality Improvement was initiated in 1970-71 with a view to improving the quality and standard of Technical Education system in India. The following programmes are being conducted including Faculty Development, Curriculum Development, Preparation of Instructional Material, Textbooks and Laboratory Development: