APPENDIX NO V(B) REPORT OF THE JOB ANALYSIS SURVEY OF INDUSTRIES DONE BY TECHNICAL TEACHERS, TRAINING INSTITUTE, CALCUTTA
A sample job analysis survey of industries was carried out at:
(1) Chief Mechanical Engineer's Workshop,. Calcutta Port Commissioners.
(2) Indian Cable Co. Works, Tatanagar.
The analysis was carried out with a view to obtaining information pertaining to re-organization and development of curriculum for education and training of technicians. The details of information obtained are given at Tables I, IIA, IIB, ITC, and IID.
From this information certain important conclusions emerge regarding education and training of technicians, not withstanding the fact that the survey conducted was of the nature of a pilot study. The summary findings of the survey are as follows:
(1) The conventional fields of. engineering viz., Civil, Mechanical, Electrical etc. for educational purposes need to be diversified into different technician specialities, e.g. Mechanical- Production, Mechanical-Maintenance, Electrical-Production, Electrical Maintenance, Civil-Construction and maintenance, etc.The requirements of such diversification of technician specialities will, however, have to be determined by similar type of job analysis surveys conducted in a large group of industrial establishments.
(2) The prominent job titles/positions on which technician work are: Foreman, Supervisor, Chargehand, Planning Chaser, Design Draftsman, Technical Assistant, Quality Control Inspector, Estimator, Lift Inspector, Meter Tester, Diesel Supervisor, Shipwright etc.
(3) The educational qualifications of technicians in 'Position are under :
(a) Matriculate -with apprenticeship training or on the job experience.
(b) B. Sc with apprenticeship training or on the job experience
(c) Diploma in Engineering 50-65%
(d) Degree in Engineering Negligible % age
(4) The ratio of Engineer Technician varies from 1 : 6 to 1 : 8 and that of Technician : Craftsman 1 : 7 to 1 : 20.
(5) The duties/tasks performed by the technician are as under:
(a) Most of the technicians perform supervisory jobs of getting production through craftsmen.
(b) The technicians does not perform the skilled job during his normal day to day activities, but he is required to demonstrate the performance of skilled job to the craftsman under him as and when necessary.
(c) A technician must have ability to plan, or-anise and control the activities of the section under him.
(d) The technician should have ability to communicate effectively with the engineer on one band and craftsman on the other.
(6) (i) For the performance of his duties/tasks, technician must have theoretical knowledge of materials, equipment, and tools used. This should find a place in his curriculum of studies and training.
(ii) A technician must possess a detailed knowledge of the various parts of tools and equipment and their operations. This requires that in his curriculum for education and training he must be given practice in dismantling and assembling of equipment.
(iii) The technician should have practical skill in engineering measurements. This requires a provision for a course on metrology.
(iv) Most of the technicians do not work on a drawing board, but must be able to read Blue Print/ Technical drawings and make good sketches of machine parts and lay out of processes. This requires emphasis on the course work on reading of Blue Prints and sketching.
(v) A technician must have a sound knowledge of maintenance of equipment. This involves the knowledge of trouble shooting, wear and tear of machine, erection, operation and machine repairs. This could best be imparted during the in-plant training organised at the industries while the theoretical principle% behind maintenance should be taught during the institution training. The theoretical training must include the principles of preventive maintenance.
(vi) A technician should possess a sound knowledge and practice of supervisory techniques. This involves study of such subjects as:
(a) Human relations, (b) Communication, (c) Accountancy/Cost economics (d) Work study, etc.
(7) Overall review of the duties/tasks, knowledge, skills and responsibilities technicians indicates that whereas certain knowledge and skills could be imparted during institutional training. Certain specific knowledge and skills which vary from industry, could only be suitably imparted during in-plant/industrial/appreticeship training. It is necessary that technician education must have the component of industrial training along with institutional training for complete development of technician to suit varied requirements of industrial jobs.
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Job Contents/Tasks (Cluster of skills and
responsiponsibilities)
45. Preparation of stores indents for procurement.
46. Maintenance of stores records daily receipt books
G. R. R. indents. purchase orders
47. Requirement of stores whose stocks fall below
minimum level.
Materials, Equipment and Tools used : Knowledge skills &
Responsibilities.
Work conditions & responsibilities
Work in drawing office, Shop floor and Office, arc
provided with table and chair, work in shifts ; work in
noisry atmosphere on the shops ; receive general
supervision from Engineer ; responsible for direct
supervision of skilled and unskilled workers by close
guidance demonstration of jobs done by workers, Respon-
sible for getting work done from workers motivating
workers, responsible for reporting to Engineer the work
done in the Section.
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214
job content/Tasks (cluster of skills and responsi-
sibilities)
operation of finished products due to fluctuations of
P.I. and charge in manpower on machines
19. To guide in processing cost sheets (ie., calcula-
tion of materials contents in finished products
calculation of despatch drum sizes, calculations of
direct labour costs.
Materials, Equipment and Tools used : Knowledge skills
and responsibilities.
Works conditions & responsibilities
Work in office, Test House and Shop floor, Possibilities
of Electric shop and fire hazards, Gets general super-
vision from Engineer, and has to directly supervise
skilled workers and clerks by close supervisions and
actual demonstration/performance of jobs as required.
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Job content/Tasks (Cluster of skills of and responsibi-
lities).
Works conditions and Responsibilities
Materials, Equipment and Tools used : Knowledge skills, &
Responsibilities
Works in the Electric Repair shop, Instrument repair shop in
the factory prodution shops, on doors in the township, with
risk of mechanical injuries while assembling-damage to
delicate parts in assembling, heat of rolling Mill, High
Voltage hazards, O/H line hazards, 440V and 6.6KV,A.C.
hazards, He gets general supervision from Engineer but
provides close supervision including demonstration of actual
job to electricians, fitters, winders and Coolies under him.
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1.1. Do you consider the present syllabus and curriculum of Diploma Education suitable for present day requirement of the indus- try?
1.2. If not, what specific changes would you like to recommend?
1.3. Do you feel that the present curriculum can be modified to suit the present requirement or should it be completely recast?
1.4. In case it has to be recast do you wish it to be broad based or do you feel that it would be better to have diversified and specialised courses?
1.5. If you favour diversification and specialization, would you suggest specialization superimposed on a scientific broad base or would you recommend separate and diversified courses from the very beginning?
1.6. Should the specialised courses be science oriented or technology oriented? What would be the quantum of mathematics and basic science content in various courses?
1.7. Keeping in view the changing needs of the industry what are the new courses which in your opinion could be introduced with advantage?
1.8. Should small and independent project work based on design, construction testing be introduced in the curriculum at the final stage of institutional training?
2.1. What percentage of total institutional training time is being devoted at present to (a) Workshop training (b) Laboratory Courses and (c) Drawing. ,
2.2. Do you think that the present allotment of time is satisfactory and serves to give the students insight into the subject and develops confidence?
2.3. If not what changes do you suggest in respect of (a) Time allotted (b) Curriculum. (c) Training method.
2.4. Do you feel that the training imparted to the students in institute workshops should be extensive and repetitive in order to give a student certain amount of confidence in his own capacity to carry out work?
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2.5. Or do you feel that they should have only basic workshop practice based on use of tools, gauges, operation of simple and con- ventional. machine tools such as lathes, drills, shaping machine, metting machines different cutting tools, useful processes such as soldering, brazing, welding, steel metal work etc. in the institute leaving task of final training in the line of specialization to the industries concerned?
2.6. Or do you think that workshop training should better be left with the industry?
2.7. Should the workshop training in the institute be uniform for all types of courses or should it be diversified to suit the needs of different fields of training?
2.8. If you agree with the diversified training to suit different fields what type or types of workshop training would you suggest for the following industries?
(1) Heavy mechanical Engineering.
(2) Heavy Electrical Industries.
(3) Light Electrical, Electronic industries.
(4) Refrigeration.
(5) Structural Engineering.
(6) Irrigation.
(7) Instruments.
(8) Agro-industries.
(9) Automobile.
(10) Textile.
(11) Chemical.
2.9. Do you consider present workshop equipment in Diploma institutions adequate for imparting basic training or training pro- gramme suggested by you?
If not what type of equipment would you suggest?
2.10. Do you feel that laboratory courses as at present followed in diploma institutions serve any useful purpose in imparting either theoretical knowledge or practical training?
2.11. Should the laboratory courses in a polytechnic be built round (a) measurements of basic parameters, (b) setting up of ap- paratus, (c) Dismantling and erection of machines, (d) testing of machines and apparatus for their performance and (e) trouble shooting?
2.12, If you agree, what will be your suggestions for reorganising the Laboratory Set up?
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2.13. If you favour specialization as suggested in Q. 1.5. would you favour Laboratory Course to centre round specialized course only or should it contain the Laboratory courses as at present?
2.14. What should be the division of laboratory time as between Laboratory for special course and general laboratories?
2.15. There is a general complaint from the employers that the present polytechnic students are weak in drawing and that they have very little idea about modern drawing office techniques or about standard practices as envisaged by standard specifications. What are your suggestions for improving the standard?
3.1. Do you consider that Sandwich courses could be run successfully in all polytechnics in India? If not where could it be tried?
3.2. Which of the two types of Sandwich course given below would you consider more effective?
(a) Sandwich Course for regular students recreated by the Educational institution and allocated to different industrial establishments for practical training (Institution based)
(b) Sandwich course for regular trainees in the industry who are given time release to join a polytechnic for theoretical training (Industry based)
3.3. What should be the type of Sandwich you would advocate-a thin layer or a thick layer.
3.4. Should the theoretical curriculum for Sandwich courses be tailored to suit the types of training in industrial establishments or should it be broad based?
For instance in Durgapur where there are Steel Industry, Optical Glass Works, Coke Ovens, Fertilizer Factory, Machine Toot Industry, Boiler Making, Electrical Machines, Electronic Industry-should a polytechnic run specialized courses in all these branches to cater for compara- tively small number of students in each specialization or should it run general basic courses in Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Chemical and Met? If you agree what will be your suggestions about insti- tutional set up?
3.5. Should the Institution conduct basic workshop training to these students?
3.6. Would you advocate appointment of part time lecturers from industry?
4.1. Is "In-plant training" necessary for proper training of technicians?
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4.2. Is "In-plant training" as at present available, useful or desirable?
4.3. In case you feel that in-plant training is necessary but is not useful in its present form what would be your suggestions to make it effective?
4.4. What role can educational institution play to make in-plant training really effective?
4.5. How do you propose to plan, organise and supervise in-plant training?
4.6. How would you make in-plant training and specialized courses in institute complimentary to each other?
4.7. Do you feel that "a period of compulsory in-plant training" should form an integral part of Diploma education and that successful completion of this training should be a 'precondition to award of diploma?
4.8. If it to be a precondition, it will be necessary to find suitable placements in industry for all students and to provide adequate subsistence allowance, hostel accommodation etc. for all of them. Do you think that this is feasible proposition or does it pose unseen mountable problems, and make the scheme unworkable?
5.1. Do you advocate annual sessional or semester system?
5.2. It is complained that the method of teaching followed at present is based on lectures and does not provide for any tutorial, seminar, follow up or continuous assessment.
Do you consider the introduction of tutorial and progressive assessment of students essential for better education?
5.3 If yes, should any weightage be given to tutorial work or assessment in the way of marks, credits etc. If yes, what should be the percentage of this credit?
5.4. Do you consider a final examination at the end of a semester, session or year necessary, in addition to assessment as envisaged in Q. 2.?
5.5. What should be the marks or credit assigned to the examination? Do you envisage any difficulty in the way of introduction of these systems and methods suggested in Q.1 to Q. 3 above?
What are they?
5.6. In case you do not find anything intrinsically unsound in the present system-do you feel that some changes major or minor in the present educational and examination system could be introduced with advantages?
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If yes, suggest such changes as you consider necessary.
6.1. Do you agree with the suggestion that the present duration of diploma courses viz. 3 years in the institution without practical training in industry is too short for any realistic and useful training acceptable to the industry?
6.2. What, in your opinion, should be broad distribution of available time (in number of hours as also percentage) between.
(a) Theory or lecture classes including tutorials
(b) Laboratory courses
(c) Institutional workshop training.
6.3. What should be duration of practical training in industry?
Do you feel that the duration of diploma training should be uniform for all courses or should it depend on the subject of specialization or nature of course?
6.4. Do you consider it possible to vary the duration of training in an institution with varying admission qualifications viz. Higher Secondary with Science and Mathematics, Higher Secondary with Technical subjects a pass in Junior Technical, School, final I.T.I. training with trade specialization and with School Final Examination. If you agree, what would be your concrete suggestion regarding course structure viz. preparatory course, Basic training specialized training etc.?
7.1. Do you think that there is need for study of humanities and social sciences in polytechnics?
7.2. As the products of the polytechnics will be employed as first line supervisory Staff. Do you consider it necessary that they should have good command over the language and should develop power of communication?
If you agree please suggest course block to be incorporated in the curriculum with time involved.
7.3. Should you advocate inclusion of courses, group discussions or seminars on subjects such as
(a) Managerial functions
(b) Safety practices.
7.4. What are your view about the importance of co-curricular and extra mural activities in polytechnic education?
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Summary of Findings*
The opinion that the present syllabus and curriculum is not suitable for present day requirements of the industry is significant.
Specific changes that are suggested to make the course more useful are many but only two of them viz., (1) the course should be industry/job/field problem oriented, and (2) the course should have a practical bias are more frequently uttered.
Though opinion is almost equally divided between modifying the present curriculum and recasting it completely, there is indication that demand for change moderate or complete, is universal.
This general demand for change has come out as a desire (1) to make the course broadbased throughout, (2) to start on a broadbase and go diversification and specialization as students more from year to year or Semester to Semester in a course, and (3) to start diversification even from the beginning. The opinion is more in favour of diversification -from the beginning, But this point of view is contradicted immediately in the next response where diversification and specialization is liked to be superimposed on a scientific broadbased instead of having it from the very beginning. This would mean that a high majority of respondents demand diversification and specialization as a must but super-imposed on a broadbase.
Of course, diversification and specialization should be technology oriented as per the wishes of most respondents.
Basic Sciences in technician courses should serve the purposes they are intended to i.e. applied content, and a minimum of them is considered sufficient. The opinions that the present content is adequate is also prominent.
More than 150 new courses are asked for by the respondents of which the need for "electronics, automobile engineering refrigeration agricultural engineering, architecture and town planning, production technology, instrumentation and control, telecommunication. chemical engineering foundry engineering. irrigation, tool making, Public health engineering, construction technology, agro-industries, radio engineering marine engineering, structural engineering, welding and metallurgical engineering" appears signivcant.
Many of the respondents accept the proposition that small and independent project work on design., construction and testing is necessary for students to do at the final stages of institutional training.
The model demand of time for workshop training is 11-20 per cent, whereas it is 16-20 per cent for Laboratory and Drawing courses. Where a total time for all the three together is demanded it is 41-50 per cent. The average time demand stands somewhere around 15 per cent for each.
Half the number of respondents feel that present allotment of time is satisfactory which the other half are of a different opinion and the demand for increase in time for all the three is significant.
Many want a change in the curriculum without recommending anything specific here and some want it to be more practical oriented. Again regarding training methods in the institution the opinion is in favour of making it industry/job oriented.
The majority opinion is in favour of making workshop training extensive and repetitive. There is no clear consensus of opinion whether to leave the task of final training in the line of specialization to the industries concerned but about general workshop training a high majority feels that it should not be left with the industry. Of course a fraction of this majority allows the industry to do a part of it wherever necessary.
In the case of keeping training with the institution, opinion is very significantly in favour of making it diversified to suit the needs of different fields of training.
General suggestions for all the eleven industries named include (1) the collection of opinion from industries, (2) general basic workshop training in them, and (4) training in industries. For (1) heavy mechanical engineering respondents prefer (a) to gather opinion from the, industry, (b) machine shop and tool room practices. For (3) light electrical, electronic industries repair and maintenance is the prominent response; for (5) structural engineering, welding technology, fabrication and design are significant responses; for (7) instruments again repair and maintenance is the significant response, as also for (8) agro-industries and (9) automobile industry. Among the responses for (2) heavy electrical industries, winding approaches significance also for (3) light electrical, electronic industries wiring and soldering, and for (4) repair and maintenance approach significance, for (6) irrigation, for (10) textile and for (11) chemical engineering no response appears significance. Taking all the 11 categories together it appears that repair and maintenance can -become a significant demand.
Except for minor changes in equipment, administration, maintenance and repair of equipment, the opinion significantly appears to be that present workshop equipment is adequate for imparting basic training or the kind of training suggested by respondents.No common suggestion is forthcoming from those who consider that the present equipment is inadequate.