TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Technical Education in India has been expanded to accelerate
the Socio-economic progress of the country and today India has one
of the largest pools of engineers and technicians at various levels.
This expansion and diversification have been brought about systemati-
rally through the Five Year Plans. During the Sixth Five Year Plan
major emphasis has been on (a) Optimum utilisation of existing facilities,
(b) consolidation, (c) expansion of facilities in areas where weakness
exists, (d) creation of infrastructure in area of emerging technologies,
(e) improvement of quality and standards of technical education (f) efforts
to develop and apply Science & Technology as an instrument of
country's Socio-economic progress. Activities started on the above
areas will be continued during the, Seventh Plan period. In addition
emphasis will be laid on the implementation of schemes for (i) modern-
isation and removal of obsolescence in the technical institutions,
(ii) application of Science and technology for rural development,
(iii) vocationalisation, (iv) institutional linkage between technical edu-
cation and developmental sectors, (v) Providing computing facilities
in technical institutions, (vi) Removal of regional imbalances.
Activities under the approved schemes and in the Central Insti-
tutions in the year under report are given below :-
Quality Improvement Programme The programme of Quality Improvement was initiated in the
year 1970-71 with a view to improving the quality and standards of tech-
nical, education imparted in the various technical institutions in the
country. Under the scheme the following programmes are conducted :
(i) Faculty Development
(a) M. Tech. Programme and Doctoral Programmes;
(b) Short-term courses at Quality Improvement Programme
Centres;
(c) Summer School Programmes through Indian Society for
Technical Education;
(ii) Curriculum Development which includes preparation of
instructional material, text-books and laboratory development;
and
(iii) Practical training in Industrial Organisations to the teachers
of Engineering Colleges and Polytechnics.
M. Tech. and Doctoral Programmes are implemented at the 5 Indian
Institutes of Technology, University of Roorkeee, Indian School of
Mines, Dhanbad, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Banaras Hindu
University, a few Regional Engineering Colleges, A. C. College of
Technology, Guindy, Madras and Jadavpur University. The programme
relating to short-term courses is implemented through above centres
for the degree level teachers and for the diploma level teachers through
the four Technical Tear-hers' Training Institutes and the Institute of
Engineering & Rural Technology, Allahabad. The Programme of short-
term training in Industry is organised by the regional offices of the
Ministry and Summer/Winter schools are, organised by Indian Society
for Technical Education.
37
Till the year 1984-85, 940 teachers were trained for M. Tech,
courses and 1000 teachers for Ph. D. Programme. Similarly 700 short-
term courses were organised by QIP Centres at the degree level in
which 10,000 teachers participated and 1200 courses were organised at
the diploma level in which 22000 teachers participated. Under the
short-term programme in industry, 1800 teachers at the degree level
and 4000 teachers at the diploma level had benefited till the year
1984-85. Besides, nearly 1100 Summer/Wintcr schools were organised
by Indian Society for Technical Education where 20,000 teachers
participated.
The scheme continued during the year.1985-86. The target during
(The year under report was to train 100 teachers for M. Tech. and 150
for Ph. D. in addition to those continuing from the, previous years.
Through Summer School Programmes 1800 teachers were expected
to be benefited. As in the past, curriculum development programmes
were conducted by the 14 groups at the QIP Centres. About
210 teachers of degree and diploma level institutions were expected to
be trained in the industrial organisations under the programme
relating to short-term training in Industry.
National Technical Manpower This scheme was instituted in the year 1983-84 with the objective
Information System of providing uptodate, meaningful manpower projections on a con-
tinuing basis to enable the concerned educational authorities to plan
the areas of growth in the field of Engineering and Technology on'
a systematic basis to meet the technical manpower requirement in the
country. The system comprises a lead centre in the Institute of
Applied Manpower Research and 17 nodal centres at selected Engi-
neering colleges and technological institutions/Boards of Apprentice-
ship training. The system has already made a good beginning
in the year under report and it is hoped that this will immensely assist
in proper planning for growth in technical education in a meaningful
way oriented towards needful manpower generation.
Advanced Technician Course The scheme was started in the year 1981-82 with the main objec-
tive of providing avenues for advancement of diploma holders. Under
this scheme higher courses of studies at advanced level are provided to
enable the technicians possessing diploma in various branches of
engineering and technology to advance professionally in their respective
lines. The quality of the pass-outs of these courses has been well
appreciated by the industrial sector. The scheme is at present being
implemented through the following 5 institutions :
1. YMCA Institute of Engineering, Faridabad.
2. CM Kothari Technological Institute, Madras.
3. SBM Polytechnic, Bombay.
4. Institute of Engineering & Rural Technology, Allahabad.
5. JC Ghosh Polytechnic, Calcutta.
It is proposed to set up one Institute in each State during the coming
years.
Centres for Development of Under the scheme of Direct Central Assistance, Centres for Deve-
Rural Technology lopment of Rural Technology (CDRTs) are being established at
various diploma level institutions since 1980-81. Upto the end of 1984-85,
14 CDRTs were established. During 1985-86 one more CDRT has
been established. The Centres established during the previous years were
continued and necessary grants in accordance with the prescribed
norms were given to these Centres to modify, adopt and manufacture
technologies relevant to the rural needs.
Community Polytechnics The scheme was instituted under the Central Sector in the year
1978-79 under which 36 polytechnics were selected 'to serve as
Community Polytechnics. In addition to offering diploma courses in
various, branches of Engineering and Technology, these polytechnics
are required to interact with environments and serve as focal points to
Promote transfer of technology to the rural sector. The activities
38
under taken by these polytechnics include imparting of skill training to
the rural youth, providing technical services to the rural people, instal-
ation and maintenance of relevant items of appropriate technology
already developed and adopted, establishment of information and demons-
tration centres and undertake experimental model projects for rural deve-
lopment. During 1984-85, 10 polytechnics, situated in close proximity to
predominantly minority concentrated areas, were added to teh stream of
Community Polytechnics to impart skill training to the youth from the
neighbouring areas. During the year under report, 61 more polytechnics
have been brought under the fold of "Community Polytechnic Scheme".
In view of the impact produced through the implementation of the scheme,
it is Proposed to extend this scheme to the remaining polytechnics
also in the years to come.
Technical Teachers' Training Four Technical Teachers' Training Institutes at Bhopal, Calcutta,
Institutes Chandigarh and Madras were established in 1966-67 to provide in-service
training to polytechnic teachers and also to undertake various activities for
the improvement of polytechnic education. These institutes offer long-term
training programmes of 12 months/18 months duration to degree and dip-
loma holding, teachers of polytechnics in addition to providing short-term
training to the teachers in curriculum development and co-related activities.
Two of the institutes at Bhopal and Madras-have come up to the level of
offering post-graduate courses in technical teaching. Besides the normal
activities, these institutes also undertake diverse activities under the UNDP
project like Educational Film Production, National Testing Services.
Instructional package etc. The TTTI, Madras hosted a regional workshop
of UNESCO on "Initial and In-service training of technical and vocational
education personnel."
Direct Central Assistance This scheme was started in the year 1976-77 to extend central assistance
on 100% basis to the selected Engineering Colleges and polytechnics for
identified projects relevant and important for improvement of quality and
standards of technical education. The scheme continued during the year
under report. The National Expert Committee set up for selecting technical
institutions both at degree and diploma levels have selected 30 Engineering
Colleges and 41 polytechnics for assistance during the year under report.
Experimental Pilot Projects for, This is a new scheme, instituted during the current year of the 7th Five
Application of Science and Year Plan. The scheme is to help selected community polytechnics to take
Technology to total Rural up experimental pilot projects for application of science and technology for
Development total rural development to make our educational efforts more relevant to
life situation in the rural areas. The present scheme envisages 100 villages
as a single unit in a cluster to be taken up for total rural development. The
project is to be implemented at block level, cluster of villages level and
at individual village level. The project is to be managed by a team of pro-
fessional managers who will be responsible for implementation of the whole
project. The total project is to be administered taking into account the
core managerial staff, government functionaries, technical institutions,
village co-operatives, etc.
During the current year, one project in each of the four regions is
proposed to be implemented. The current year's budget provision is
Rs. 200 lakhs.
Special Institutes of appropriate This is also a new scheme being instituted from the current year of the
Technology and Rural 7th Five Year Plan. The Institutes are expected to be centre of excellence
Development for development of now disciplines in appropriate technology and rural
development through research, formal and non-formal training and extensive
extension work in rural projects. In addition, the Institute will also, be-
come a focal point to provide back-up support to various institutions/
organisations and agencies involved in rural development. The Institute will
have three main wings viz. a Centre for Research & Development in appro-
priate Technology, a centre for training and a Centre for Integrated Rural
Development. The Institute will be an autonomous one, fully financed by
the Central Government. Since collaboration and co-operation is the key to
success in rural development, these Institutes are expected to Play the role of
nodal centres which would provide new knowledge to all those concerned
with technology transfer and rural development. There is a budget provi-
39
sion of Rs. 200 lakhs for the current year. To begin with, one such Insti-
tute in each of the four regions is proposed to be established during the cur-
rent financial year.
Development of New During the year under report, one Engineering College and seven
Institutions Polytechnics have been started in the various States in the country with
the approval of Union Minister for Human Resource Development who is
also the Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education. The ap-
proval has been given keeping in view the guidelines laid down by the All
India Council for Technical Education for establishment of new technical
institutions and introduction of new courses. In the establishment of the
new institutions, care has been taken as far as possible to remove regional
imbalances.
Institutional Network Scheme Institutional Network scheme which was introduced in 1981-82 con-
tinued during 1985-86, as Continuing Scheme. The Scheme attempted to
bring developed institutions such as Indian Institutes of Technology, to
collaborate with less developed institutions like Regional Engineering Col-
leges and private autonomous Colleges as a process of internal technical
assistance in the area of Laboratory Development and faculty exchange
programme. In accordance with the provision of the scheme, grant-in-aid
of Rs. 2.50 lakhs was sanctioned for upgradation of each approved labora-
tory under the Scheme and an equal amount of Rs. 2.5 lakhs had to be
spent by the concerned institutions from their normal budget. During the
sixth plan period, a sum of Rs. 247.50 lakhs was spent for the develop-
ment of 99 laboratories at the rate of Rs. 2.50 lakhs per laboratory. The
break-up of the grant-in-aid release for upgradation of these laboratories
was as under :-
Financial Year No. of laboratories Amount released
(Rs. in lakhs)
1981-82 25 62.50
1982-83 32 80.00
1983-84 20 50.00
1984-85 22 55.00
247.50
During 1985-86, there is budget provision of Rs. 100.00 lakhs under
Plan for utilisation during this financial year.
Expansion of Facilities in The scheme was instituted during the Sixth Plan period with the ob-
Areas of Weakness jective of filling up the gaps in certain identified areas to meet the National
requirement in an adequate and effective manner through strengthening of
infrastructure, diversification and further expansion of base for
postgraduate education. The scheme was to improve the areas
of Computer Science. Electronics, Maintenance Engineering, Instru-
mentation. Product Development. Bio-Sciences and Engineering,
Material Science and Technology, Management Sciences etc., by provid-
ing Direct Central grant on 100% basis. The Details of grant-in-aid ex-
tended to Engineering and Technological institutions for various projects
under this scheme are as follows :
Financial Year A mount released
(Rs. in lakhs)
1981-82 85.00
1982-83 285.00
1983-84 238.00
1984-85 448.90
1056.90
There is a budget provision of Rs. 750,00 lakhs in 1985-86 which will
be utilised in full by the end of the current financial year.
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Creation of Infrastructure The Scheme was instituted during the Sixth Plan period with the ob-
Emerging Technology jective of keeping pace with the advancement in important areas of emerg-
ing technologies. The areas include Microprocessor applications,
Remote Sensing, Micro-Electronics, Atmospheric Sciences, Optical Com-
munications, Fibre optics, Bio-Conversion, Laser Technology, Reliability
Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Water Resources Management,
Computer aided Design and Manufacture, Environmental Engineering,
Energy Sciences, etc. The details of grant-in-aid extended to Engineering
and Technological Institutions for various projects under the Scheme are
as follows :
Financial Year Amount released
(Rs. in lakhs)
1981-82 115.00
1982-83 384.50
1983-84 350.00
1984-85 582.75
1432.25
Modernisation of Engineering There is a budget provision of Rs. 550.00 lakhs in 1985-86 which
Laboratories and Workshops will be utilised in full by the end of the current financial year.
The Scheme was instituted during the Sixth Plan period with the ob-
jective to provide modem instruments and machines to meet the require-
ments of latest technological advancement and curricular changes on the
basis of 100% direct Central assistance. The details of grant-in-aid ex-
tended to, various Engineering and Technological institutions are as under :
Financial Year Amount released
(Rs. in lakhs)
1981-82
1982-83 120.00
1983-84 243.55
1984-85 398.85
762.40
Indian Institutes of Technology During 1985-86, there is budget provision of Rs. 1500.00 lakhs. The
amount will be fully utilised during the current financial year.
The five Indian Institutes of Technology at Kharagpur, Bombay, Madras,
Kanpur and Delhi were established as premier centres of education and
training in engineering and applied sciences at the undergraduate level and
to provide adequate facilities for post-graduate studies and research.
The Institutes conduct four-year undergraduate programmes leading to
Bachelor's degree in Technology in various fields of Engineering and Tech-
nology. They also offer integrated Master's Degree Courses of, five-years'
duration in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, one and a halt year
M.Tech. degree courses in various specialisations and one year post-graduate
Diploma Courses in selected areas. In addition, the Institutes offer Ph.D
Programme 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.
During the year under report, the Institutes further expanded their infra-
structural facilities by way of sophisticated equipment and showed better
involvement in the transfer of technology to the user agencies. The research
projects of these institutes under the sponsorship of various agencies as also
the consultancy assignments grew in number thereby bringing revenue to the
respective Institutes. The relationship between these institutions and various
other academic and commercial orgamsations assumed greater importance
for exchange of technical know-how through workshops/conferences/
seminars, etc.
The Humanities and Social Sciences Departments in each of those
Institutes continued their efforts to bring on an engineering student an
awareness of the significant social aspects of modern technology.
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In IIT, Kharagpur 67 specialisations at M. Tech level are being offered. The Institute also offers M.Arch./MRP/MCP courses and M.Sc courses in five specialisations. The Regional Remote Sensing Centre at IIT, Kharagpur Centre at IIT, Kharagpur is the eighth and the latest addition to the list of its research centres. It is t of its research centres. It is also one in the chain of five centres which the Government of India has Government of India has decided to set up with a view to creating an infrastructure for training and servicing for remote sensing in the,country. As visualised by the Department of Space, these centres would conduct short and long range training pro- grammes from time to time, help users in solving their problems and would be engaged in R & D activities involving utilisation of remotely sensed data by different disciplines.
At IIT, Bombay, a new interdisciplinary M. Tech., programme, in Reliability Engineering, a new 2-year Master of Design (M.Des.) programme in, Visual Communication as well as a 5 year-Integrated cooperative M.Tech, programme in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering were started from the academic session 1984-85.
The Advanced Centre for Research in Electronics of IIT, Bombay car- ried out research work in the fields of radar and communication relevant to defence needs, undertaken nine important projects in the area of Antenna Signal Processing and Microwave Magnetic Material for Radar Communi- cation.
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and the Cement Research Insti- tute of India, New Delhi have signed an agreement to establish a Joint Col- laboration Unit devoted to undertake studies on topics connected with quality control and R & D problems pertaining to cement and cement products. The Joint Collaboration Unit has started functioning with effect from 1 st October, 1984 and is located in the, Structural Engineering Laboratory of the Depart- ment of Civil Engineering.
The Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research of IIT Madras organised an orientation programme for candidates to be admitted to M.S. in Entrepreneurship course of the Institute, with the financial sup- port from Industrial Development Bank of India, State Bank of India,State level like industrial Development Bank of India, State, Bank of India, State level organisations like ITCOT, SIPCOT, TIIC extended their support by lending their faculty for organisation of the course.
IIT Kanpur undertook and completed a socio-economic survey of a selected backward area in Uttar Pradesh, the Jamo Jagdishpur Block, which will help in carrying out. some, field work in collaboration with the local authorities and the State Council of Science and Technology. The faculty of, IIT Kanpur continued to do interdisciplinary research contributing to the national needs. As a member of the Institutional Network Scheme between the, Regional Engineering Colleges and the IITs, IIT, Kanpur continued to assist the Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College, Allahabad and the Maulana Azad College of Techology, Bhopal in the area of Laboratory development.
IIT Delhi focussed its research thrust in several areas of paramount National importance, during the year under report. One such area is storm surge prediction and climate simulation studies. The outstanding problem of surgetide non-linear interaction in the Bay of Bengal has been resolved. monsoon General Circulation Model has been developed which can be used both for climate simulation studies and the medium range weather prediction purposes. The model has been used in successfully forecasting the onset of the monsoon circulation during 1984. The Institute has been identified for collaboration with USSR in the area of Hydrology and Mathematics, colla- boration has also been developed with some universities in USA under the scheme of Indo-US Science and Technology Sub-Commission.
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 in the Joint Entrance Examination for admissions to the IITs but score a certain minimum percentage of marks are offered admission in this preparatory course. At the end of the preparatory course, these
42
students are subjected to a qualifying test on the basis of which they are
offered admission to the B.Tech programme of the five IITs, without having
to appear in the JEE again. On the basis of the preparatory Course the
IITs were able, to admit 48 SC/ST students to the various IITs in addition
to those who qualified through JEE.
The SC/ST students continued to get financial support from the institutes
by way of pocket allowance,loans and discretionary grants apart from free
messing.
In each of the five IITs one additional seat was made available as was
done earlier for the physically handicapped students who qualified in JEE.
They are given the Institute and course of their choice provided they were
otherwise considered fit to pursue that, course.
The Students strength and out-turn of the five institutes during 1984-85
is given below :
IIT Undergraduates Post-Graduate Out-turn
and research
Kharagpur 1411 1343 874
Bombay 1439 538 699
Madras 1089 970 650
Kanpur 1147 667 622
Delhi 1256 1735 680
The Government of India have established four Indian Institutes of
Indian Institutes of Management Management at Calcutta Ahmedabad, Banglore and Lucknow in year 1961,
1962, 1972 and 1984 respectively in order to provide educational facilities
for training of men and women for Management centres and for developing
experienced administrator; to conduct research and contribute to the growth
of knowledge of management and administration and to provide for deve-
lopment of teachers in management and administration. The Institutes conti-
nued to conduct Post-Graduate Programme in Management as well as Fellow-
ship Programmes and a number of Executive Development Programmes for
managers in the industry. The institutes also conducted in-company training
programmes. The New Institute at Lucknow has started its academic session
from July 1984 with the student intake of 36. The Institute will admit 180
students every year to its PGP programme when it is fully developed. The
Institutes have made efforts to cater to the requirements of the small scale
industry as well as the area of public sector. The collaboration between the
Institutes and the industry was of a high order during the year under report,
Management Education at The objective of the programme is to provide assistance to certain non-
Non-University Centre university centres which are functioning at all India level and are offering
two-year full time MBA programme and 3-year part-time post-graduate
diploma course in management studies. The assistance is given to institutions
on the recommendations of the Board of Management Studies of the All
India Council for Technical Education. At present the Central Government
is giving assistance to the following institutions for consolidation and deve-
lopment of management programme
1. PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore.
2. Xavier Labour Relations 'Institute Jamshedpur.
3. B.I.T., Ranchi.
4. Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management,
Calcutta.
5. L. N. Misra Institute of Economic Development and Social
Change, Patna.
National Institute for training The Institute was set up in 1963 with the assistance of UNDP to provide
in Industrial Engineering, facilities for training in industrial engineering and allied fields. The Institute
Bombay conducts (i) Executive Development Programme, (ii) Unit based pro-
gramme, (iii) Post-graduate Programme in Industrial Engineering (iv) Post-