RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION ON THE REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP
The Council noted that the Ministry of Education had appointed a Working Group to review the present status of technical education including management education at all levels, to identify areas for development in, the context of the nation's need during the coming decade, and to suggest re-orientation land improvement to the existing programmes.
The Council further noted that the Ministry of Education would prepare the Sixth Plan proposals on the basis of the recommendations of the Council on the report of the Working Group.
The Council thereafter examined various recommendations made by the Working Group and resolved as under:
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 pre-requisite to plan- ning, 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, retrievel and analysis of manpower infor-
130
mation to assist technical education planning. The Institute of Applied Manpower Research should be suitably strengthened for this purpose with provision of 'requisite facilities.
4. Credit system with provision for multi-point entry in part- time and full-time programmes should be introduced.
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 profes- sional courses at degree and diploma levels.
8. Courses in management education be restructured 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 technician programmes.
11, Support be provided to strengthen the work of Curriculum Development and Research related to problems of technical education.
12. In addition to minimum academic qualifications laid down by AICTE, one year's industrial experience for lecturers and two years for senior staff is considered desirable. All recruitment
131
should be strictly on merit, by open competition 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 facilities. 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.
14. Personal promotion schemes should be established to enable promotion of deserving young faculty stagnating at a particular level. Such promotion be restricted to 20% 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 qualification to get Bachelor's degree.
19. Polytechnic teachers should be sponsored under the Quality Improvement Programme for industry oriented postgraduate diploma/degree courses organised for the purpose.
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 QIP. Additional budgetary
132
provision on, staff to the tune of 20% 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 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 concerned 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, quali- fied 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.
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
133
and prescription of norms for post-graduate and research program. mes conducted at Universities, Indian, Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management and affiliated Colleges should be coordinated by the Board of Post-graduate Engineering Education and Research of the AICTE.
32. The Organisation of short-term courses under QIP be co- ordinated.
33. The Regional Boards of Apprenticeship Training be adequately staffed and strengthened with a view to ensure purposeful planning and supervision of Apprenticeship Training Programmes.
34. The Directorates should have organs dealing with Manpower Assessment, planning, coordination, controlling, monitoring and evaluation of technical educational 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 Programme in educational management be organised for training Heads of institutions and Heads of Departments.
38. Setting up a Staff College for Technical Educatiors 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 evaluation agencies.
134
40. To ensure effective implementation of policies and pro- grammes of the Council, measures other than making it statutory, may be considered for the present.
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.
42. To provide the necessary incentive to industry expenditure by industry on technical education including Management Education be deductable for purposes of Income Tax Assessment.
43. The system of making available the Central Government's share for approved schemes directly to the institutions should be restored.
Printed at the Institute of Printing Technology, Adyar, Madras 600020