 REPORT OF THE SUB-GROUP ON 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

1 ADMISSION CAPACITY

1.1 Prior to independence, there were only half a dozen institutions offering facilities for post-graduate activities in the field of technical education. During the last three decades, particularly after the Second Five Year Plan period, the facilities for post- graduate work have been considerably expanded. Apart from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, there are five Indian Institutes of Technology which have been established to specially cater for post- graduate and research work in the field of engineering and technology. In addition to these institutions, there are 21 university departments and 44 State Government and Government aided institutions as also Regional Engineering Colleges offering courses at post-graduate level and also catering for other post-graduate activities. The post- graduate programmes being run in the institutions are mostly the two years Master's Degree Programmes. Certain institutions also offer programmes leading to Doctoral degree and also are engaged in research and development activities. The total admission capacity at the Master's Degree programme in these institutions is of the order of about 3,000 which works out to about 15 per cent of the total intake capacity at the Under-graduate level. 5

1.2 Of the approximately 3,000 seats available nearly 40 per cent are in the Institutes of Technology which have the special res- ponsibility of organising post-graduate and research activities. The admission capacity in all the institutions is not always fully utilised because of various reasons such as non-availability of type of courses in a desired field at a particular Centre; non- availability of adequate physical facilities and some times even the expertise at some Centres where these courses are run, the drop-outs during the course (again because of various reasons such as the candidates getting employment during the course or changing their interest of activity etc).

1.3 The total capacity available at the Master's Degree appears to be commensurate with the needs of the country till at least 1983 even when marginal increased activity in certain emerging areas is taken into account. Similarly a greater emphasis in certain of the existing areas might also demand a larger admission capacity in these specific areas. All these adjustments would easily be possible within the total intake capacity as indicated above since what is required is only to be more flexible with regard to the sectoral intake in the specific areas, with marginal adjustments, keeping in view that it is not necessary to continue the post-graduate courses being offered in those areas where very little demand or no demand at all is felt. An objective review for re-orientation of the existing facilities and consolidation is necessary to provide for diversification to meet the emerging situation. Specific requirements in the changing pattern of development can be put into quantitative terms only after a detailed man power assessment. The need for training adequate number of personnel in both the emerging and existing areas is possible only then.

1.4 The capacity at the Doctoral level cannot be easily quanti- fied, for the reasons that the offer/conduct of Doctoral programme is also the requirement for the Doctor's degree aspirants pre-suppose a certain expertise, and independent and original thinking, since these programmes are highly individually oriented. However, on a rough estimate it could be mentioned that about 10 per cent of the Master's Degree holders would go for the Doctoral programmes. The Doctoral students normally are required by academic institutions as faculty members as also for research and developmental

activities in industries and other organisations. With the increased activity at the post-graduate level in general, and commensurate with the needs of the country, where the post-graduates have to take on responsibility for research, development and design, it is expected that in the years to come a large number of Doctoral candidates will be deemed necessary.

2 THE STRUCTURE OF THE POST-GRADUATE PROGRAMMES

2.1 The post-graduate programmes being run in the institutes mostly are the two year's Master's degree programmes (generally the M.Tech.). In certain cases there are programmes leading to Doctorate degree. Most of the post-graduate programmes are broadbased. However, there are also certain facilities in some centres to have one years' post-graduate diploma programmes for special subjects, and tailored to the needs of industry/Government.

2.2 Out of the two years devoted to the post-graduate programme leading to M.Tech. degree, approximately 50 per cent of the time is devoted to course work and the rest to research/design/ project work. As far as Doctoral programme is concerned it is based essentially on research though some institutions have recently included courses in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the doctorate degree to broaden their background. As far as postgraduate diploma courses are concerned, they are related to the particular needs of the industries, and consist of 80 per cent of course work and 20 percent of project work.

3 FACILITIES FOR POST-GRADUATE ACTIVITIES

3.1 As mentioned earlier the higher institutions of technology were established specifically for giving a lead for post-graduate education and research. These institutions conduct Master's degree courses in a wide range of subjects and have facilities for research and doctoral work with the main emphasis on inter-disciplinary approach. To this end each Institute has developed good Depart-

ments of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Social Sciences which interact with the Departments of Engineering and Technology. The list of courses offered at these Institutes is given at Annexure-I. As part of the National Plan of Science and Technology five Centres of Advanced Study and Research have been set up in these institutions in the fields of Energy Studies, Material Science, Cryogenic Engineering, Ocean Engineering an Resources Engineering. At the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, the oldest and a leading postgraduate and Research Centre in Science and Engineering, facilities also exist in special fields such as Aeronautical Engineering, High Voltage Engineering, Power Engineering, Bio-Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. A major Centre in Automation and Control Systems and another in Electronics Design Technology are in the process of establishment. The fifteen Regional Engineering Colleges which have been started as a joint enterprise between the Central and State Governments and the other State Colleges and University Departments also offer a wide range of post-graduate courses. A list of the courses offered is given at Annexure-II. Many of these State colleges (both Government and Non-Government) and University Departments have also made significant contributions in the field of Post-graduate Technical Education. The Regional Engineering Colleges, in addition to the other courses in the conventional areas, also offer industrially-oriented courses to train specialist engineers for design, construction and production work. A list of these industrially-oriented courses is given at Annexure-III. The experience with the industry-oriented courses have been very en- couraging. This is mainly due to the wide contacts established with industry, research institutions etc., by the colleges during the operation of the projects and also through active participation and interest evinced by the industry in evolving the academic programmes. During the students industrial training, the laboratory and equipment of the industry have been used for routine as well as dissertation experiments. This strengthens and widens the laboratory base of the courses offered. Experienced and qualified engineers in industry and research institutions have taken active part in the academic and the industrial training of the students as also the faculty, giving benefit of their knowledge through lectures on special subjects. As a next logical step to the development of 'industry-oriented' M.Tech.

courses 'problem oriented' research laboratories are also being set up in a few of the Regional Engineering Colleges. More extensive coverage of such 'problem-oriented'programmes in Regional Colleges and also in other colleges will benefit the standard of these courses to a much more desirable extent.

3.3 The post-graduate programmes in the various institutions have met to a considerable extent the felt needs of the profession. Taking into account the special responsibilities which these students have to take on there appears to be a feeling that a greater emphasis on laboratory oriented programmes might help in the training of the students. Even among those where a feeling persists that more than adequate theoretical grounding has been given to the candidates the need for a more application oriented approach is felt. The post- graduate programmes is not merely to create academic competence but also to engender creative and innovative capabilities and sound judgement in problem identification and formulation, problem solving, application and transfer of technology and entrepreneurship. A good grounding to realistic project work and participation in R & D activities, case studies and openended problem solving, is vital. The teachers of the institutions also require frequent exposure to the professional situation to be able to bringing theirbest practical experience to the course work.

3.4 Post-graduate activity does not necessarily mean only the conduct of formal post-graduate courses at the Master's degree/ Doctoral degree level but also include other post-graduate programmes in the nature of research and developmental work. This activity, naturally centres around expertise and/or available facilities in the institutions and is at present limited, considering the number of institiutions where post-graduate courses are being conducted. It is highly desirable that such centres of research and development are identified and properly supported to be able to contribute sub- stantially to the system. The development of technical education system depends to a large extent on such activities since it helps in the improvement of the standards of the courses offered not only at the institutions concerned but also, by a multiplier effect at the work and curriculum of the other institutions.

3.5 A specific objective evaluation of the existing centres of post-graduate activities should be organised. This will help for con- tinuance of the conduct of the programmes which are considered necessary. In addition there are many other areas of emerging interests where also our institutions have to engage themselves. Such involvement of the institutions (after appropriate evaluation of their capabilities) can be in either the existing centres of postgraduate activities or other so identified for the purpose. A list of illustrative areas/topics is given in Annexure IV. In not all these areas post-graduate courses are to be offered. However in many of these areas research projects could be supported.

4 ROLE OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS, PARTICULARLY AT THE POSTGRADUATE LEVEL, IN RURAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

4.1 From what has been said above it will also be apparent that the effort in post-graduate institutions has been to cater to the felt needs of the community. During the last three decades, apparently because of the stress on industrial development, the postgraduate activities were more directed towards the needs in this area. Even so, the consequence of such activities has been adequately felt in various sectors of development including rural community services. Examples are those in the fields of rural and low cost housing including building materials, rural transport and communications, rural electrification, etc. In certain major industrial activities also, such as production of cement, sugar, paper and pulp, etc., the impact of post-graduate activities in the institutions has reached the community. Specific attempts in these sectors have also been taken up for consideration at special programmes in the Town Planning Institutions where regional and urban planning, traffic and transport planning, housing and community planning, etc., have been given attention. In fact, in opening up the vast hinterland in the country for development, the technical personnel from the institutions in the country have played a crucial role.

4.2 With the present thrust on greater emphasis on rural development and community services and the need for technical

education system to involve themselves more in these activities, it can be stated without any ambiguity that the infrastructure that has been built up in the institutions is basically of such quality that give, the orientation it would not be difficult at all for the system as such, to involve itself more effectively in this direction. There again, apart from the change in direction, the complexity of the task also has to be taken into account. The involvement of technical institutions in rural and community services more purposefully and effectively presupposes identification and development of local re- sources - material, human, organisational and planning in an integrated fashion to adopt to the technologies that are available already or are to be oriented towards this purpose. This requires appropriate survey, analysis and case study and system design which are part of advanced engineering and management methodology. Development of services in this area means exploitation of local resources, such as waste utilisation, re-cycling utilisation of mineral resources, local power and energy generation from various sources such as bio-gas, solar energy, wind energy, etc. The post- graduate institutions can contribute to a very great extent in the adoption of the necessary technology for rural and community purposes by integrating in their post-graduate training programme project acti- vities suited to these needs. The illustrative list of topics/area of interest indicated above (Annexure IV) also takes into account the activities for such projects of specific interest to rural and community services.

4.3 Apart from direct contributions that this activity may make to rural development, a very valuable outcome will be the generation of understanding and a sense of commitment, awareness and participation among post-graduate students in the pressing problems of the community, besides resourcefulness and ability in application of knowledge to rural problems.

5 FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR POSTGRADUATE COURSES/ACTIVITIES

5.1 The facilities created at post-graduate level at the institutes of national importance which have been established specifically for

this purpose have been reasonably satisfactory. The faculty support that is provided, the facilities in laboratories and workshops, etc., in these institutions have taken into consideration the special re- quirements of various areas of work in each department/discipline. On the other hand, the support provided for post-graduate courses in the other institutions has been very minimal. Inspite of these constraints, many of these institutions have acquitted themselves well, some of them even very creditably, it is very necessary, therefore, that an objective evaluation is carried out and necessary support extended where capability has been established.

5.2 In this context it should be emphasised that computer as a tool for advanced work in science and technology has to be accepted. Since computer facilities are not always readily available near-about approved post-graduate centres, it is recommended that each approved post-graduate centre should be provided with full computer facilities.

5.3 Centres of research and development identified at selected institutions should be appropriately supported with adequate con- tingency and research grants for their specific requirements, without linking with the conduct of formalised post-graduate courses at Master's and Doctorate levels as such.

6 NATIONAL EVALUATION AGENCY

An objective assessment of the existing programmes should be undertaken and further support should be considered only on the basis of proven performance. Even for starting of new courses in the existing institutions, identification of new centres, support for research activities and project work, etc., it is desirable that an evaluation of the institutions, both from the point of view of their professional competence and capability for advanced work, is done. This leads to the concept of a uniform yardstick for assessing the performance and the evaluation of standards of the departments. A suggested proforma for evaluation of the departments concerned by such an agency is indicated at Annexure V.

7 PLANNING, ORGANISATION AND FUNDING OF POST-GRADUATE ACTIVITIES

By its very nature, at the post-graduate and research level all efforts for consolidation and development have to be taken both from the academic and professional points of view. The national con- sideration rather than local or regional aspect should prevail. At present apart from sponsorship from various agencies, the funding and Organisation of activities of post-graduate centres are under the auspices of different agencies such as institutions of national importance, University Grants Commission and the post-graduate centres approved on the basis of recommendations of the AICTE. To optimise the available resources as also to remove the imbalance and provide for appropriate impetus to all the centres in an objective manner, it is necessary that a unified national agency such as the Post-graduate Board of Technical Education undertakes responsibility of the Organisation and funding of all these activities. Such a measure will also ensure selective, effective equitable support for future development. Diffusion of efforts as also of limited available resources would also be prevented by such a measure.

8 MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

8.1 It has been ascertained that Management Education for post- graduate students at their first entry is not considered essential as they are unlikely to share managerial responsibility. However, in certain areas of engineering and technology which are specifically management oriented appropriate courses, such as industrial engi- neering, entrepreneurship, production management, etc., will have to be incorporated in the curriculum.

8.2 In addition to the normal M.B.A. programmes, there should be a provision for a number of functional courses in management to be offered in the various management institutions/departments. To create a cadre of teachers for management courses, efforts should also be made to provide for advanced courses in management by way of M.Phil., and Ph.D., programmes. Facilities for case studies, particularly in the context of Indian experience,

REPORT OF THE SUB-GROUP ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT