TECHNICAL EDUCATION
7.1.1 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.
7.1.2 During the past four decades, there has been a 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.
7.1.3 The year under report witnessed some significant developments in the field of technical education. Considerable progress was made in implementing the various programmes and schemes. A 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.
7.2.0 The various programmes/schemes under technical education and their achievements during the year are presented below
Indian Institutes of Technology 7.3.1 The five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur and Madras were established as premier centres of education and training in engineering and applied science at the undergraduate level and to provide adequate facilities for post-graduate studies and research. These are Institutes of National Importance.
7.3.2 The IITs conduct four-year undergraduate programmes leading to Bachelor's Degree in Technology (B.Tech) 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-and-a half year M.Tech Degree courses in various specialisations, and one-year post-graduate
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Table 7. 1
I.I.T. Admissions Student Out-turn
strength (with reference
(Total in to admissions
1990-91 in earlier years)
UG PG+R UG PG+R UG PG+R
Delhi 327 719 1146 1903 221 530
Bombay 394 845 1447 1461 382 364
Madras 273 412 1071 115 283 544
Kanpur 293 336 1134 867 220 300
Kharagpur 394 413 1606 963 434 397
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. The table above presents the particulars of admissions, student strength and out-turn of the five IITs.
7.3.3 The IITs have made great contributions in the matter of transfer of technology. A large number of industries have benefited from the research work done by these Institutes either under sponsorship or on their own. Over the years, they have also succeeded in developing patents and their exploitation by the industry. Through the sponsored research projects and consultancy work undertaken by the IITs and their faculty, sizeable revenue accrues to the Institutes every year.
7 3.4 Another significant contribution made by the IITs in the development of Science and Technology in the country is the assistance extended by them in the development of curricula etc. for the benefit of other engineering/technological institutions.
7.3.5 These Institutes can take pride in the quality of their students, in as much as they demonstrate by the time they graduate and pass out, high level of competence, values and maturity. Selection of the brightest students and the very high quality of training are the strengths of the IIT system, which is comitted to the pursuit of excellence. During the year under report, the Institutes continued the process of replacement of obsolete equipment and modernisation of laboratories with funds provided for this purpose.
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7.3.6 The Institutes continued to help the Regional Engineering Colleges in the development of their laboratories and faculties under the Institutional Network Scheme.
7.3.7 A special preparatory course of 10-month duration was continued to improve the intake (if SC/ST students in the IITs. Those SC/ST students who fail to qualify in 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 considerably. The SC/ST students also continued to get financial support from the Institutes by way of pocket allowance, loans and discretionary grants, apart from free messing.
7.3.8 During the year under report IIT Kharagpur has notable additions which include a highly sophisticated wave-maker for the Naval Architecture Department and a modern rubber mixing mill and processability tester for the Rubber Technology Centre. IIT, Madras continued to update and create modern experimental facilities in all departments to support its teaching and research activities. IIT, Delhi has launched an Under-graduate Research Opportunities Programmes (UROP) to initiate interested undergraduate students into excitement of research. IIT, Kanpur is soon going to acquire and install a number of computer systems inter-connected by a local area network. IIT, Bombay has taken several steps to strengthen IIT-Industry link and increasing interaction.
7.3.9 Each of the IITs had drawn up its own Programme of Action (POA) to implement the directives indicated in the NPE -1986. As desired by the Planning Commission, the Institutes have also formulated approach papers for the development of specific areas during the Eighth Five Year Plan. The emphasis for further development will be on strengthening the infra-structural facilities including construction of additional hostels and staff quarters, modernisation of laboratories, introduction of new courses in the emerging thrust areas, removal of obsolescence of equipment, institution of new programmes for quality improvement, staff and faculty development, etc.
7.3.10 A high-powered Review Committee which evaluated the working and performance of IITs submitted its report in February 1987. After due consideration and scrutiny, most of the recommendations have been referred to the IITs for implementation. Other recommendations are under consideration of the IIT Council and an Empowered Committee. Implementation of the recommendations will be monitored by the IIT Council and the Empowered Committee.
7.3.11 Under the Assam Accord the Government has agreed to establish an IIT in Assam. This will be the sixth IIT in the
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country. The site for the location of IIT suggested earlier by the State Government could not be procured by it and they have now suggested a new site which has been inspected by the Expert Committee.
Indian Institutes of Management 7.4.1 The four Indian Institutes of Management, one each in 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.
7.4.2 The three Institutes in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta continued their usual academic and research programmes viz. Post- Graduate Programme (PGP), Fellowship Programme in Management (FPM), Management Development Programmes (MDPs), Organisation Based Programmes (OBPs) and Research and Consultancy for the industries as in the previous year.
7.4.3 The fourth Indian Institute of Management at Lucknow which was established in 1984, started functioning from 1985-86 session. This is still in a developing stage. The Institute is conducting Post-Graduate Programme, Management Development Programme, undertaking Research and Consultancy for the industries.
National Institute for Training in Industrial Engineering 7.5.1 The National Institute for Training in Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Bombay was established in the year 1963 by the Government of India as an autonomous body with the assistance of United Nations Development Programme through the International Labour Organisation.
7.5.2 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 and 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 System and Computers, Marketing, Personnel and other productivity related and management fields. The Institute also conducts a special type of programme tailor-made to suit the requirement of individual organisations known as Unit Based Programme.
National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi 7.6.1 The National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi was established during 1966 in collaboration with UNDP-UNESCO as an apex institution for training and research in foundry
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and forge technology. It is an autonomous institution fully funded by the Government of India. The objectives of the Institute are :
- to provide training through advanced diploma courses, refresher courses, M. Tech. course and unit-based programmes required by industry,
- to guide and conduct applied research in foundry and forge technology, and
- to provide consultancy, testing, documentation and information services to foundry, forge and allied industries.
7.6.2 The Institute started its seventeenth advanced diploma course in foundry/forge technology in September, 1990 with a total of fifty-eight students. The fifth batch of M. Tech course with ten students commenced in August, 1989. During the year 1989-90, the Institute -conducted nine refresher courses attended by one hundred and seven sponsored candidates. Faculty members participated in various National and International Seminars/ symposia/conferences and presented/published 28 technical papers. The Institute interacted with several agencies and also undertook a number of research and consultancy projects. The Institute conducted two unit based programmes.
7.6.3 The Institute has a computer centre with a Horison-332 bit, 2 RAM system alongwith various peripherals. A new system is expected to be acquired in the near future. The documentation and information retrieval services were also strengthened by the Institute during the period under report.
School of Planning and Architecture 7.7.1 The School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, was established in 1955 as a pioneer institution to provide training facilities in areas relating to human settlements and environment. It is an autonomous institution fully financed by the Government of India. The School was given the status of a Deemed University in 1979 to enable it to broaden its horizons of academic programmes, to further promote research and extension programmes, and to award its own under-graduate, post-graduate and doctoral degrees.
7.7.2 The School is conducting a Bachelor's degree course in architecture with an annual sanctioned intake of 68 students in two shifts. Bachelor's degree course in Physical Planning has also been introduced with an intake of 20 students from the last year. It is also conducting Master's Degree course in Planning (with specialisation in urban and regional planning, transport planning and housing), architecture (with specialisation in urban design and architectural conservation), building engineering and management and landscape architecture. The total intake of postgraduate courses is 110. The institution also conducts Ph.D.
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programme with an intake of 10. To promote and coordinate inter- disciplinary research and extension programmes, the School had set up a Centre for Conservation Studies. and Centre for Analysis and Systems Studies in addition to the Centres for Rural Development and Environmental Studies, which are acting as resource centres for the teaching departments. The centre for Analysis and Systems Studies has an Apollo DN-560 computer with advanced facilities for computer aided design.
7.7.3 During the year under report, the civil construction works of a hostel, a guest house and 71 staff quarters are continuing at the Maharani Bagh campus of the School. The School organised several seminars, workshops and short-term courses, and also undertook a number of research and consultancy projects.
Technical Teachers' Training Institutes (TTTIs) 7.8.1 The four Technical Teachers' Training Institutes (TTTIs) at Bhopal, Calcutta, Chandigarh and Madras were established in the mid- sixties to provide in-service training to polytechnic teachers land also to undertake various services for the overall improvement of polytechnic education. They offer long-term training programmes of 12 months/18 months duration to degree and diploma holding teachers of polytechnics in addition to providing short-term training to teachers introducing them to curriculum development and related activities. The Institutes at Bhopal and Madras have come up to the level of offering post-graduate courses in technical teaching. Besides teacher training, these Institutes also undertake activities such as resource development, extension work, consultancy and project formulation. They are involved in educational film production, national testing services, preparation of instructional packages, etc. under a UNDP project. During the year under report, these Institutes continued their activities in various fields falling within their purview and contributed significantly to the further development of polytechnic education and to promote interaction between polytechnics, industry, institutions of higher learning, research organisations and other resource systems.
7.8.2 The TTTIs have been included in a major project launched by Government during 1990-91 for upgrading the capacity, quality and efficiency of polytechnics in the states, with the assistance of the World, Bank. They will provide assistance to the 'participating states the training of polytechnic teachers, formulation of curriculum in new and emerging areas, providing professional support in education, research and development, human resource development, consultancy, etc. and also assisting the states in project detailing and project implementation.
International Collaboration in the field of Technical Education 7.9.1 Major technical institutions in the country are having collaborations with their counterparts for joint research and development in the emerging areas of science and technology. Assistance from international organisations like UNDP, UNESCO and
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bilateral funds of advanced countries like Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K. etc. are received for this purpose in the form of equipments, expert services and training. Technical institutions are also collaborating with their counterparts in the USA for joint research in the field of science and technology availing of assistance from US-India Rupee Fund.
7.9.2 During the year 1990-91 IIT Delhi has received a new computer system with assistance from Overseas Development Administration, U.K. It has also been decided, in principle, during this year to have a collaboration between Regional Engineering Colleges and their counterpart institutions in the U.K. in the areas of Design, Energy, Information Technology and Material Science with ODA assistance. In the field of Management Education, a project on International Management Education was implemented during this year with assistance of the UNDP. Besides, major Indian institutions in the field of Management and European institutions for Management had collaboration under all agreement between India and EEC.
Regional Engineering Colleges 7.10.1 Fourteen Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) were set up, one each in the major States, during the Second and Third Plan periods to enable the country to meet the increased need for trained engineering personnel during subsequent Plan periods. These are at Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh, Calicut (Kerala), Durgapur (West Bengal), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Jamshedpur (Bihar), Kurukshetra (Haryana), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Rourkela (Orissa), Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), Surat (Gujarat), Surathkal (Karnataka), Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu) and Warangal (Andhra Pradesh). Fifteenth REC at Silchar (Assam) started functioning in November, 1977, the sixteenth one at Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh in July, 1986 and the seventeenth one at Jalandhar in Punjab in July, 1989.
7.10.2 While all the RECs (except the ones at Hamirpur and Jalandhar) offer first degree courses in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, many of them also offer first degree courses in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Electronics, Production Engineering, Mining Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science. The Regional Engineering College at Hamirpur is presently offering first degree courses in Electronics, Textile Engineering and Industrial Engineering, Structural Engineering and Construction Management, Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Bio-Engineering, and Mechanical Machine Design and Automation Engineering. Fourteen RECs also conduct post-graduate courses. Of these, nine are conducting industry Oriented courses in specialised fields such as design and production of high pressure boilers and accessories, heavy machines for steel plants, transportation engineering, industrial and marine structures, integrated power system etc.