STATUS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICIAN
 

11.1. Role and Status of Technicians

11.11. The rapid pace of technological development and its increasing adoption by industry have led to a growing complexity of industrial activity. As new materials and new industrial processes emerge, the problem of manufacturing products characterized by greater reliability and improved performance becomes increasingly difficult. Simultaneously, industry and commerce are confronted with the problem of providing high quality products at competitive prices in the face of the continually rising costs of both material and labour. Industry and commerce can meet these challenges only if they make the most efficient use of manpower at all levels. This means that the several middle level functions in industry relating to the details of design, drafting, production quality control, supervision, maintenance, sales and servicing have to be performed by persons specifically trained for such jobs, leaving only the more advanced and creative work in management, innovation, research, design and development to the engineers scientists and professionals. Craftsman level experience is quite inadequate to meet the requirements of the middle level functions. Herein lies the importance of recognizing technicians as a very important and separate entity with distinct functions and clearly identified requirements of knowledge and skills. it is essential to realize, moreover, that these requirements call for an education and training quite distinct in nature, contents and approach from that of engineers or craftsmen.

11.12. In this context, the supply of adequate numbers of properly educated technicians will largely depend on the status accorded to them appropriate to their qualifications, and their role and importance in industry. The capability of polytechnics to attract talented students in sufficient numbers, the motivation and performance of students, the dedication and effectiveness of teachers, the image of the polytechnics in society and consequently the resources they will command-are all greatly influenced by the status of technicians in society and industry.

11.13. Status is a complex concept involving of which are: several factors, the most important attitude of and recognition by, society and industry, economic incentives, promotional opportunities and scope for personal growth and development. The traditional attitude of society to regard work-oriented education as of a lower kind compared to the more glamorous intellectual pursuits underlying university education, and society's lack of appreciation of the dignity of labour, need to be reversed if technician education is to claim its rightful place in society in the context of economic development. While this is a social problem, the solution of which lies in a change in the attitudes and beliefs of society as a whole, much positive action can be undertaken to accelerate and aid this change. The Committee commends the following steps to ensure the proper status for technicians :

(i) Industry and commerce should rationalize their manpower structure and identify specific technician functions. They must appreciate the role of technicians in the complex of industrial and commercial occupations and accord a recognizable career structure adequately reflecting the importance of their position. Formal technician qualifications should be insisted upon for recruitment. The Survey of Industries by the Committee shows, that at present only 36 per cent of technician posts in industry are held by diploma holders, the rest being held by degree holders (16 per cent) and those with craftsmen level experience (48 per cent). It is obvious that a majority of the industries are yet to clearly appreciate and recognise the separate identity of technicians with reference to their work and educational requirements. It is essential that graduates should not be employed as technicians except to the extent necessary to give them jobtraining. Engineers should also appreciate the role of the technician in the technical team. Where craftsmen are promoted, industry should see to it that they receive the necessary education at the polytechnics.

(ii) Technician courses must have an integrity of their own; they must meet the specific needs of technician functions in industry and commerce. The courses must be framed in consultation and cooperation with industry.

(iii) Technician courses should not lead the technicians to a dead end. They must therefore, be broad-based to facilitate further studies.

(iv) Polytechnics should organise a variety of updating, refresher and extension courses including short-term and advanced-diploma courses for technicians in service. They may also eventually organise part- time degree courses. Through these courses, technicians should be enabled to qualify for higher positions and promotions. Industries must encourage the development of their technicians and offer better promotion opportunities to those who improve their qualifications through these courses.

(v) The image of polytechnics as centres of career education should be promoted through the development and organisation of new courses and experimentation with educational programmes. For this purpose, polytechnics should have the flexibility and freedom to develop in new directions and explore new horizons. In this context, the Committee stresses the important and valuable role of the proposed State Councils of Technical Awards as a means to ensure

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the academic freedom of polytechnics and to guide their development and safeguard the necessary standards. The awards of the Councils will not only set the seal of standard and quality on the products of polytechnics but also enhance their recognition and acceptability, by virtue of the close association of industry and commerce in the work of the Councils.

(vi) Universities, technological institutions and polytechnics should establish closer rapport and understanding and work as partners in education. They should take positive steps to remove, from the minds of the student community and others, the prevailing tendency to regard vocational and work-oriented education as inferior to university education. Students must be made to appreciate that different types and patterns of education are but different means to meet the present and future educational and manpower needs of society and industry. To this end, college and university professors and administrators should try to associate themselves with polytechnic education.

11.2. Development of Professionalism Among Technicians

11.21. The question of the status of technicians is closely related to the development of a sense of professionalism among them.

11.22. A professional person is one who applies certain knowledge and skills, usually obtained by education and training, for the service of society. In addition, a professional person observes an acceptable code of conduct, uses discretion and judgment in dealing with people, and respects their confidence.

11.23. Professionalism is not inherent in a person's nature. Like technical skills, it has to be acquired. A person does not become a professional immediately upon completion of his formal education. He can be introduced to such concepts during his study but he has to widen his outlook by contacts with professional bodies. Each technician should recognize the need to join professional societies.

11.34. A professional body would provide technicians an organised forum for discussing common problems and articulating their needs and aspirations, besides giving them a sense of belonging to a group which has an ethos of its own and an influential voice on all matters connected with the development of technicians and their education and training. it would thus help to maintain and enhance the standing of technicians and greatly contribute to the recognition of technicians by society.

11.25. By and large, technicians are at present yet to develop a sense of professionalism or an awareness of their own distinct identity in industry as a group of people with specifific roles in much the same way as engineers. Opportunities for their responsible association and participation with professional bodies are largely non-existent. For example, at present, diploma holders are eligible to enrol themselves only as student members of professional bodies such as the Institution of Engineers (India).

11.26. The Committee feels that technicians should have an organised forum which will enhance their status and enable them to contribute effectively to increased productivity and to the development of technician education and training. A separate professional body or association of technicians may not be viable or effective at present. Therefore, the Committee favours their association in a responsible way with the several professional bodies and other organisations representing industrial and commercial interests. The Government should take the initiative in persuading the professional bodies and other organisations and associations concerned with technical education, training, industrial and commercial interests etc. to set up technician sections/technician education and training sub-committees etc. in which the teachers of polytechnics should also, be involved. Some of these bodies and associations are listed in Annexure 11.1 to this chapter.

ANNEXURE II.I

LIST OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS*

1. Indian Society for Technical Education, New Delhi.

2. Institution of Engineers (India), Calcutta-20.

3. All India Manufacturers Organisation, Bombay.

4. Indian Engineering Association, Calcutta.

5. All India Management Association, New Delhi- 13.

6. National Productivity Council, New Delhi.

7. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi.

8. Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, New Delhi.

9. Institute of Indian Foundry Men, Calcutta-20.

10. Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Calcutta- 32.

11. The Institution of Telecommunication Engineers, New Delhi.

12. The Textile Association (India), Ahmedabad.

13. Indian Society of Agricultural, Engineers, New Delhi.

14. The Aeronautical Society of India, New Delhi-1.

* NOTE: The list is not exhaustive.