 MINUTES OF THE 1ST MEETING OF 
THE WORKING GROUP FOR 
TECHNICAL EDUCATION HELD AT 
NEW DELHI ON 19-11-77

The Working Group for Technical Education set up by the Union Education Minister to review the present status of technical education at all levels and suggest reorientation and improvements to the existing programmes and identify areas for development in the context of the nation's need during the next decade met at New Delhi at Vigyan Bhavan on the 19th November, 1977, under the Chairmanship of the Union Education Secretary, Shri P. Sabanayagam. The list of those who attended the meeting is at Annexure 'A'.

2. After welcoming the Members of the Group for the meeting, the Chairman indicated to the Group the background of the formulation. of the Working Group in the context of the next National Policy and said that a review of the present status was necessary before formulating the programmes for the future.

3. The Members, in general, welcomed the idea of the review which, it was expressed, was quite due and individually gave expression to the various aspects of technical education and training in the country as also the needs for the future. During the discussions, the following points emerged-

FACILITIES FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION - While the facilities at present existing in the country at various levels were generally quite satisfactory for immediate national needs, it was necessary

to foresee the requirements for the next two to three decades and provide for opportunities/facilities for training in those specific areas: Keeping in mind that the professional career of an individual is over a spun of nearly three decades, it is also necessary that the educational system should be geared to meet the challenges which the professional has to face during this spun of his professional life. To this end, the training programmes should be arranged and wherever necessary facilities for retraining/continuing education should also be provided.

Emerging areas of national interest such as water supply, transport services, environmental management, ocean resources, management communication etc., should be given priority in organising technical education system. Programmes for Postgraduate work and research in these areas have to be organised to be able to cater to national needs. Under graduate curriculum also has to be re- formulated to provide courses in some of these areas at a number of places.

While the products of the undergraduate courses from some institute are easily comparable to any other advanced country, there is a definite need to improve the products of other institute. It is necessary to concentrate on quality improvement so that a minimum higher standard is maintained.

At the technician level, it is necessary to consider the more practical aspects of the requirements of the training both at the Polytechnic and the Industry so that the diploma holder is acceptable to the employer. It might be necessary to re-orient the programme of technician education not merely in terms of duration but also in terms of the content to give more practical content as also making it more practice oriented, by making the courses industrial sector oriented rather than discipline oriented. Both at the technician and craftsman level, it might be necessary to think in terms of multy-trade training rather than training in a single craft or trade.

TRAINING OF TEACHERS - One of the most important aspects for improvement in the instructional standard is to have trained

and better teachers. More concerted measures have to be undertaken to upgrade and update the quality of teachers at different levels to cater to the specific requirements. It is also necessary to provide for appropriate field experience (industrial training) for the teachers to be able to make their teaching more effective and practical. The technique of case studies, as invoked in the case of management education, might also be tried in engineering and technical education.

INDUSTRY INSTITUTION COLLABORATION -Efforts at industry institution collaboration should be strengthened and more opportunities created for a two way flow. Definite steps have to be taken to promote industrial contribution to the educational effort. Sister-hood programme in institutions and industry as also among institutions themselves have to be fostered.

A system of accreditation of departments/courses has to be devised so that motivation for the weaker institutions/ departments to improve themselves can be there. Efforts to make forecasting of manpower requirements in the various sectors by a detailed analysis of the job requirements by the employers in the forceable further periodically should also be attempted. To provide for an effective feedback to enable improvement in the existing situation, a compact information system should also be devised. To facilitate inter-action between industry and institution and assistance of better institutions to those who are not so well off, it is necessary to take steps to improve the mobility of personnel from one system to another. All inhabitations coming in the way such as in the matter of administrative procedures, service benefits etc., had to be looked into. Not less important is the need for a common medium of instruction throughout the country in the area of technical education. For some time to come, it is necessary that the medium of instruction in the area of technical education should only be English. Even at the craftsman and technician level, occasionally it is disadvantageous to have a regional language instruction for specific purposes. Use of common international terminology would greatly facilitate not only the mobility of people but also improve the

standards. A deliberate efforts has to be put in for decentralisation and involvement of institutions in integrated rural development and community services. It might be necessary in this connection to re- orient the objectives of the system to achieve the desired result.

4. The Group decided that more in-depth studies should be made by Specialists in specific areas of interest and, therefore, authorised the Chairman to appoint sub-groups to report back to the Working Group-

(i) To consider the present position of research and development in the area of Technical Education, its planning in relation to national needs;

(ii) To consider diversification and re-designing of existing training and technical education (including Manage- ment Courses) and programmes in relation to emerging manpower requirements with accent on rural development and decentralisation;

(iii) To consider the issue of Quality Improvement Programmes in the area of Technical Education including staff and key personnel, the training etc.;

(iv) To consider the issue of Engineering and Technical Man- power assessment and planning - medium and long-term perspectives; and

(v) To consider the issue of industry institutional collaboration-its modus operandi.

MINUTES OF THE 1ST MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION HELD AT NEW DELHI ON 19-11-77