TECHNICAL EDUCATION
 

7.1 Introduction

During the past four decades, there has been a phenomenal expansion of technical education in the country. Inspite of this significant development, a lot more has to be accomplished in respect of increasing its coverage and enhancing its accessibility to various categories of people, and in improving its productivity. Moreover, the changing scenario by the turn of the century in socio-economic, industrial and technological areas needs to be considered to enable the system to play its role with greater relevance and objectivity. Based on these considerations, the National Policy on Education (NPE) has rightly pointed to several new initiatives to further revamp the technical education system. Action taken to implement these directives is indicated below:-

- The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has been provided statutory backing with the enactment of a special law.

- All on-going programmes have been re-oriented to take care of the thrusts/directives/goals indicated in the NPE.

- All central and centrally sponsored institutions were directed to prepare their POAs based on the NPE. They have re-defined their institutional goals and targets, and prepared perspective plans to cover the remaining period of 7th Plan as also the 8th plan period. Their Annual Plans have been prepared accordingly.

- The POA indicates about 79 initiatives to be taken during the 7th Plan. Twenty-three schemes were formulated in 1987- 88. Twelve of them were cleared by EFC with minor modifications. Some of the related schemes have been grouped together for effective implementation.

- All technical education schemes based on the NPE have been discussed in detail with all the States and UTs. They have been requested to prepare proposals/schemes to complement and supplement the central efforts.

Some of the priority schemes are mentioned below.

7.2 The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE),

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), which was set up in 1945 as a national expert body to advise the Central and the State Governments on the development of technical education, has been vested with statutory powers with effect from March 28, 1988 to ensure:-

- proper planning and coordinated development of technical education system throughout the country;

18

- promotion of qualitative improvement of technical education in relation to planned quantitative growth; and

- regulation of the system and proper maintenance of norms and standards.

Further action is being taken to make statutory AICTE operational.

7.3 Modernisation and Removal of Obsolescence

Several measures have been initiated to ensure modernisation and removal of obsolescence of engineering and technological institutions of all levels, and to enhance their functional efficiency. They include:

- Removal of obsolescence in machinery and equipment in the laboratories and workshops;

- Addition of new equipment relevant to the curricular needs as a sequal to the fast developments taking place in technologies;

- Provision of hands on' experence to students in modern technologies;

- Setting up of new laboratories;

- Provision of computers; and

- Training and retraining of faculty and supporting staff.

During the first two years of the Seventh Plan (1985 and 1986- 87), 282 proposals at a cost of Rs. 33.00 crores were supported. During the year 1987-88, 497 proposals were sanctioned for funding of an amount of Rs. 60.00 crores.

The budget provision for 1988-89 is Rs.43.00 crores. About 500 proposals are expected to be supported during the year.

7.4 Thrust Areas in Technical Education

The Scheme aims at creation of necessary infrastructure for education, research and training in selected technological institutions in 74 identified areas of emerging technology with a view to:

- develop modern laboratories in the areas supported;

- develop a strong base for advanced level work;

- Provide facilities and support for R&D activities in the frontier areas on a national basis so that technology gap with respect to advanced countries is eventually bridged;

19

- train faculty;

- promote linkages with user agencies, industry and R&D organisations;

- disseminate information in the areas of expertise developed ; and

- train manpower.

During the first two years of the Seventh plan, 217 proposals were supported at a cost of Rs. 29.87 crores. During 1987-88, 208 proposals were supported at a cost of Rs. 24.37 crores. The budget provision for 1988-89 covering the full budget provision of Rs. 25.00 crores has been completed.

7.5 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)

The five Indian institutes of Technology (IITs) at Kharagpur, Bombay, Madras, Kanpur and Delhi were established science at the undergraduate level and to provide adequate facilities for postgraduate studies and research. These are Institutes of National importance'.

Each of the IITs has drawn up its own 'Programme of Action' (POA) to implement the directives indicated in the NPE 1986. In view of the multifarious responsibilities given to them, each IIT was provided with a plan grant of Rs. 4.00 crores during 1987-88. The same mount has been provided during the current year. It is expected that the plan allocation for 1989-90 will be at least at the same levels as in the previous two years.

A High-powered Review Committee which evaluated the working and performance of IITs recently has said that these institutes have amply fulfilled the specific goals set for them. The recommendations made by the Review Committee for their further development have been analysed and most of them have been referred to the IITs for implementation. A few other recommendations which involve interaction with other ministries/Departments are being referred to an Empowered Committee of Secretaries for their consideration and decision.

7.6 Indian institute of Technology, Assam

In the Assam Accord, the Government of India have, inter-alia, agreed to establish an IIT in Assam. The Detailed and presented to the Minister of State for Education and Culture and other Officials on 25th August 1988. The report is now being finalised after taking into consideration the suggestions made in the presentation meeting. The site for location of the IIT has been selected and approved in consultation with the State Government. The IIT be located near Misa in the Nagaon District of Assam with an Extension Center near

20

Guwahati. The State Government has already initiated proceedings for acquisition of 791.20 acres of land at Misa. The process of acquiring of land measuring 170.84 acres for the Extension Centre at Guwahati is likely to be completed shortly. An amount of Rs. 3.95 crores was sanctioned to the State Government during 1987-88 for the purpose. The Plan provision of 1988-89 is Rs. 4.00 crores.

7.7 Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs)

Fifteen Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) were set up, one each in the major States, as joint ventures of the Central and the State Government to meet the increased demand for trained technical personnel. over the years, they have all developed into very good second line institutions next to the IITs. The sixteenth one at Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh started functioning in July 1986. Establishment of one more REC at Jalandhar in Punjab has been approved and is expected to start functioning during 1989-90.

In the context of the implementation of the NPE 1986 and programme of Action (POA), documents have been prepared by all the RECs redefining their institutional goals and targets, and projecting perspective plans to cover the remaining period of the Seventh Plan and also the Eighth Plan period.

The RECs have been provided Rs.10.00 crores under the plan budget during 1988-89.

7.8 Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology

This Institute will offer a variety of courses at certificate and diploma levels in engineering and technology. Vertical linkage between certificate and diploma courses has been envisaged so that on completion of certificate courses and with appropriate bridge courses, students could be eligible for admission to diploma courses.

The Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology Society has already been registered. The punjab Government is taking necessary action to implement the scheme. The Plan provision for the Institute during 1988-89 is Rs. 100.00 lakhs.

7.9 Transfer of Technology to Rural Areas through community Polytechnics

The existing scheme of Community Polytechnics has been reoriented in the light of the NPE. Its objectives are:

- To organise manpower development programmes for villagers to enable them to acquire employable skills;

- To educate and train the villagers and create awareness among them for adoption of new technologies;

- To provide technical services and community support to sustain new technologies; and

21

- To disseminate information to villagers to enable them to adopt and sustain the relevant technologies.

Selected Polytechnics which are now 108 in number will be given further resources and policy support to perform their role effectively.

During 1987-88, over 15,000 people were trained under the scheme. The number of villages benefitted through technical services/transfer of technology was 1,250. The scheme has an approved budget provision of Rs. 100.00 lakhs during 1988-89.

7.10 Promoting Technical Education for Women/ Setting up Residential Polytechnics for Women

A scheme to establish residential polytechnics for women has been formulated and got approved with the following objectives:

- To improve technical education of women quantitatively and qualitatively;

- To identify, start and conduct engineering and technology based diploma courses and advanced technician courses including those in high technology areas, consistent with employment potential;

- To offer short-them continuing education programmes to update working women technicians and offer non-formal courses to housewives and unemployed women;

- To provide incentives through freeships and stipends for increasing opportunity for women's entry to polytechnic courses; and

- To act as pace-setters and lead institutes to promote the setting up and development of more such polytechnics by the State Governments.

A National Report Committee has been constituted to examine the proposals and make recommendations on selection of site, identification of courses; mechanism for implementation; and other relevant aspects. The Scheme received from the State Government are under examination of the national Expert Committee. The Plan provision for scheme during 1988-89 is Rs.140.00 lakhs.

22