IX. REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT EDUCATION
The Group met at Vigyan Bhavan in the afternoon of 5th May, 1992 under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Shri Surendra Nath, the Governor of Punjab and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh. The list of participants is at annexure. The Working Group-had detailed deliberations on the various facets of Technical and Management Education, especially the Report of the CABe Committee on Policy under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Janardhana Reddy. The observations and recommendations of the Group on Technical and Management Education under Chapter 14 of the Report of the CABE Committee on Policy are as under:-
14.2 Brain Drain : The Group had extensive discussions on the issue of Brain Drain of, engineering and technological graduates, particularly, from the IITs and such higher technical institutions. The Group generally felt that with the massive financial inputs in the higher technological institutions,, it is very essential that the graduates who pass out contribute to national efforts in various sectors. It was, however, felt that the issue of brain drain has been projected slightly out of proportion and that one should not get' unduly alarmed at this. The Group therefore endorsed the recommendations of the CABE Committee on policy that it is not advisable to regulate through a statutue the emigration of graduates of IITs and RECs and that all efforts should be made to ensure that environment for Science
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and Technology in the country is attractive enough for talented persons.
14.3 Thrust Area Schemes: The Group appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Human Resource Development in the promotion of development of manpower in thrust areas of technical education. It was recognised that technical institutions have received substantial and much needed support after the adoption of the National Policy on Education 1986. The impact of the scheme is being felt now and it is somewhat premature to undertake a national level review at this juncture. Keeping this in view the Group endorsed the observations of CABE Committee that the funding under this scheme should continue and a detailed evaluation by a National Expert Level Committee to assess their impact on linkages to economy, and industrial development of the country may be undertaken in 1994-95. The Group also desired that some grants be made available as a part of the scheme for maintenance of the facilities created under the scheme.
14.4 Community Polytechnics: The Group appreciated the concept of Community Polytechnics and their roles in Technology Transfer to the Rural areas. The Group also endorsed the recommednations of CARE Committee for early implementation of the recommendations of the Kalbagh Committee.- While stressing on the need for enhanced funding for the Community Polytechnics, the Group unanimously recommended greater involvement of students and teachers so as to make the scheme- more effective.
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14.5 IITs : The Group endorsed the recommendations of the CABE Committee for early implementation of all the recommendations of the IIT Review Committee.
14.6 AICTE: The Group had elaborate discussions on this issued. The Group felt that there was a continued need to have the AICTE, a statutory body, to coordinate and regulate the development of technical education and to maintain uniform standards in the country. It was emphasised that there should not be any compromise or dilution in the norms and standards prescribed by the AICTE in the country so as to keep up the quality of technical education. It was felt that the present criticism of AICTE was mainly due to the delays in clearance of proposals resulting from paucity of staff. The Group was of the view that the present difficulties and shortcomings could be overcome with the following measures:-
a) The Secretaries of the AICTE and its Regional Committees should be strengthened with staff and infrastructural facilities within a time limit.
b) The AICTE should delegate powers as recommended by the Kalyanakrishnan Committee to Regional Committees and States/UTs.
C) The procedure for sending the proposals should be streamlined with greater involvement of State Governments.
Regarding the CABE Committee recommendation on the Chairmanship of the Regional Committee (i.e. the Regional
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Committee should be chaired by a State Minister of Education by rotation), there was different views in the Group. While the Group was generally of the view that the Regional Committee being primarily an Expert Implementation Body dealing with Technical and Academic matters, it should be headed by an eminent professional. The Ministers of Education, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu felt that it would be desirable to have a State Minister as its Chairman. The Group noted that the State Ministers are already members of the AlCTE's Council/Executive Committee/the Regional Committees. With the implementation of the Kalyanakrishnan Committee recommendations there will be ever greater involvement of the States.
14.7 Future Perspectives and Measures: The Group endorsed the recommendations of CABE Committee.
After a detailed discussion on all the issues, the Group recommended the following two revision in the National Policy on Education, 1986 :
Revised Para 6.12 (NPE): Some Polytechnics in the rural areas have started training weaker groups in those areas for productive occupations through a system of community polytechnics. The community polytechnic system will be appropriately strengthened to increase its quality and coverage.
Revised Para 6.19 (NPE): The All India Council for Technical Education, which has given statutory status, will be resposnible for planning, formulation and the maintenance of norms and standards, accreditation, funding of priority areas, monitoring
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and evaluation, maintaining parity of certification and awards and ensuring the coordinated and integrated development of technical and management education. Mandatory periodic evaluation will be carried out by a duly constituted Accreditation Board. The Council will be strengthened And it will function in a decentralised manner with greater involvement of State Governments and technical institutions of good quality.
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ANNEXURE
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS IN WORKING GROUP MEETING ON TECHNICAL
EDUCATION HELD AT 4.30 PM ON 5-5-92 AT VIGYAN BHAWAN ANNEXE,
COMMITTEE ROOM "C"
1. H.E. Surendra Nath, Governor of Punjab -Chairman
and Administrator of U.T. Chandigarh
2. Shri Subhash Shirodker,
Minister for Education,
Goa.
3. Shri L.S. Randhava,
Minister for Technical Education and
Industrial Training,
Punjab.
4. Shri P.V. Ranga Rao
Minister for Education,
Andhra Pradesh.
5. Dr. C. Aranganayagam,
Minister for Education,
Tamil Nadu.
6. Shri A. Gnanam,
Vice-Chancellor
Pondicherry University.
7. Dr. K. Gopalan
Member-Secretary, AICTE and
Director, NCERT.
8. Ms. Asha Sharma,
Commissioner & Secretary
Technical Education, Haryana.
9. Shri Nihal Singh,
Director of Technical Education,
Haryana.
10. Shri D. Ramakrishnaiah
Secretary (Higher Education)
Government of Andhra Pradesh.
11. Shri N.K. Khanna
Secretary (Technical Education & Indul. Trg.)
Punjab.
12. Shri B.S. Kapur
Project Director (Technical Education)
Govt. of Punjab, Chandigarh.
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13. Shri P.R. Bumb
Education Secretary
Goa.
14. Shri A.D. Jadhav
Director (Voc. Education & Trg.)
Maharashtra.
15. Shri A.K. Srivastava
Director of Technical Education
Goa.
16. Shri C.T. Benjamin
Commissioner and Secretary (Education)
Karnataka.
17. Shri J.R. Ramanathan
Secretary (Education)
Tamil Nadu.
18. Shri T.R. Natesan
DTE, Tamil Nadu.
19. Dr. S.M. Chatterjee
Director of Technical Education
Govt. of W. Bengal
20. Shri Prem Narain
Special Secretary (Technical Education)
Govt. of Uttar Pradesh.
21. Shri J.B. Gupta
Director of Technical Education
Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur.
22. Shri K.J. Parmar
Director of Technical Education
Gujarat.
23. Shri M.M. Agrawal
Directorate of College Education
Rajasthan.
24. Prof. R. Dasgupta
Joint Director of Technical Education
Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal.
25. Dr. R.N. Hazarika
Additional Director of Technical Education
Govt. of Meghalaya, Shillong
26. Shri S.S. Brar
Finance and Education Secretary
U.T. of Chandigarh.
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27. Dr. S.A.A. Alvi
Additional Secretary (T)
AICTE.
28. Shri V.N. Datta
Deputy Secretary (T)
AICTE
29. Prof. S.K. Shrivastava
Joint Educational Adviser (T)
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
30. Shri S.D. Awale
Joint Educational Adviser (T)
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
31. Shri Vijay Bharat
Deputy Educational Adviser (T)
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
32. Dr. Ashok Chandra
Deputy Educational Adviser (T)
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
33. Prof. B.B. Chopane
Director of Technical Education Rapporteur
Govt. of Maharashtra.
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