 TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT
EDUCATION

6.1 It is essential to look at technical and management education in an integrated manner in view of their symbiotic relationship and commonality of concerns and issues, Both have to subserve the common objectives of development and productivity. The Policy on Technical and Management Education should take into account the anticipated scenario by the turn of the Century, with specificity in the likely changes in the economy, social environment, production and management processes, the rapid expansion of knowledge and the great advances in Science and Technology.

ROLE DEFINITION :

6.2 Over the past four decades, our Education system has generated a large reservoir of Technical and Managerial manpower - a major strength behind the rapid industrial and economic development.

6.3 The infrastructure and services sectors as well as the unorganised rural sector would also need greater induction of improved technologies and supply of technical and managerial manpower hereafter.

6.4 New emerging technologies have enormous potential to increase production and productivity, enhance the efficiency of management and improve quality of life, Technical and Management Education at different levels will therefore cater to the needs of organised, unorganized, infrastructure and service sectors. The target-groups will be both rural and urban.

THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT : PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING:

6.5 The accomplishment of the above roles requires effective planning mechanisms equipped with meaningful manpower information. To this end, the recently set up Technical Manpower Information System will be further developed and strengthened.

6.6 In view of the explosion of knowledge, the present system of one- shot education and training is utterly inadequate. To remedy the situation, continuing education if established as well as emerging technologies-will be promoted.

6.7 Computers are fast becoming important and ubiquitous tools. The ability to use computers will soon be an essential part of the basic repertoire of skills of a professional. Accordingly a minimal exposure to computers and training in their use will form part of professional education.

6.8 The rigid entry requirements to formal courses and the stipulations regarding class contact, severely restrict the access of a very large segment of people, mostly rural, to technical and managerial education. To meet this genuine need programmes on a distance learning mode, including use of mass media, will be offered. Our technical and management education programmes, including polytechnics, will also be on a flexible modular pattern based on credit system with provision for multi-point entry : A strong guidance and counselling service will be provided.

6.9 In order to increase the relevance of management education particularly in the -non-corporate and in under-managed sectors, the management education system will research and document the Indian experience and create a body of knowledge and specific educational programmes suited to these sectors. Where

necessary special departments or sectoral institutions will be added and strengthened.

6.10 There is a large sector of population comprising women, economically and socially weaker sections, and the physically handicapped, whose needs for productive employable skills should be adequately met. With this end in view, appropriate formal and non- formal programmes relevant to their requirements will be offered.

6.11 The thrust on vocational education and its expansion would need a very large number of teachers and professionals in vocational education, educational technology, curriculum development etc. Programmes will be started to meet this demand.

6.12 To encourage students to consider "self-employment" as a career option, entrepreneurship training will be provided through modular or optional courses, in the degree or diploma programmes.

6.13 In order to meet the continuing needs of updating, curriculum renewal should systematically phase out obsolescence and introduce new technologies or disciplines.

INSTITUTIONAL THRUSTS.

6.14 Some Polytechnics in the rural areas have started working for the training of rural weaker sections for productive occupation, through a system of community polytechnics. The community polytechnic system would therefore be appraised and appropriately strengthened and intensified to increase its quality and coverage.

INNOVATION, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:

6.15 Research as a means of renovation & renewal of education processes will be undertaken by all higher technical institutions. It will. primarily aim at producing quality manpower capable of taking up R&D functions. Research for development will focus on improving present technologies, developing new ones and enhancing production and productivity. A suitable system for watching and forecasting technology will be set up.

6.16 There is ample scope in this area for cooperation, collaboration and networking relationships between institutions at various levels and with the user systems. This scope will be exploited. Maintenance culture and an attitude of innovation and improvement in daily life, which is almost absent in our educational process, will be promoted systematically.

6.17 Instead of placing inter-related activities in watertight compartments as at present, periodic joint reviews at the highest level will be made, to ensure coordination among such

activities in the fields of Technical Education, Research, and key areas of Production, Infrastructure and Services. This will make for mutual support and enable the technical education system to serve the other sectors, to obtain authentic information about their needs and to establish mechanisms for the participation of the user agencies in manpower development.

PROMOTING EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS AT ALL LEVELS:

6.18 Technical and management education being expensive, the following major steps will be taken for cost-effectiveness:-

i) High priority will be given to modernisation and removal of obsolescence. However, modernisation it will be undertaken for enhancing functional efficiency and not for its own sake or as a status symbol;

ii) Institutions will be encouraged to generate resources using their capacities to provide services to the community and industry. They will be equipped with upto-date learning resources, library and computer facilities;

iii) Adequate hostel accommodation will be provided, specially for girls. Facilities for sports, creative work and cultural activities will be expanded;

iv) To meet the shortage of staff and to attract and retain competent faculty and other staff, more effective recruitment procedures will be adopted, Career growth opportunities will be enhanced, improvements will be effected in service consultancy norms and other perquisites.

v) An objective system of performance appraisal will be introduced, laying down norms of accountability and providing for incentives for good performance and disincentives for non-performance.

vi) Teachers will have multiple roles to perform: teaching, research and development of learning resource material, extension and administration or managing the organisation. Initial and in-service training will be made mandatory for faculty and adequate training reserves will be provided. Staff Development Programmes will be integrated at the state and coordinated at regional and national levels.

vii) Curriculae of technical and management programmes would be targetted on current as well as projected needs of industry or user systems. Active interaction between technical or management institutions and industry will be promoted in programme planning and implementation, exchange of personnel, training facilities and resources, research and consultancy and other-areas of mutual benefit and interest.

Institutions and industries will be encouraged to design and implement sandwich or cooperative programmes of education and training.

viii) To avoid obsolescence of manpower skills and knowledge, institutions will be encouraged to initiate refresher courses and programmes of continuing education. The system of distance education will be fully utilised for the purpose.

TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE:

ix) Excellence in performance of institutions and individuals will be recognised and rewarded on the basis of scientific criteria. Emergence of substandard and mediocre institutions will be checked. Institutional climate conducive to excellence will be promoted through appropriate management strategies with full faculty involvement.

x) Institutions on a selective basis will be awarded academic, administrative and financial autonomy of varying degrees, building in safeguards with respect to accountability,

xi) Networking systems will have to be established between technical education and industry, R&D organisations, programmes of rural and community development and with other sectors of education, which have several complementary characteristics. This would result in optimal use of resources, promote sharing of ideas, expertise, experiences and innovations and also the taking up of joint projects as well as programmes of continuing education.

MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS TO COPE WITH CHANGE:

6.19 The above policy initiatives mean a massive change in the functioning of the system and the creation of infrastructure commensurate with its magnitude, In view of the integrated nature of the task, the Ministry of Human Resource Development will coordinate the balanced development of engineering vocational, and management education as well as education of technicians and craftsmen.

6.20 Professional societies will be encouraged and enabled to perform their due role in the advancement of technical and management education. The societies will provide professional mount continuing education programmes, and help in accreditation advice, evolve norms of professional ethics and enforce them, of programmes and institutions.

6.21 It is essential to curb the mushroom growth of Engineering institutions, to maintain standards, improve quality and keep up a balance between demand and supply of technical manpower. For

this purpose, the All India Council for Technical Education would be vested with statutory authority for planning, formulation and maintenance of norms and standards, accreditation, funding of priority areas, monitoring and evaluation, maintaining parity of certification and awards and ensuring coordinated and integrated development of technical and management education. Mandatory periodic evaluation will be carried out by a duly constituted Accreditation Board.

6.22 In the interest of maintaining standards and for several other valid reasons, commercialisation of technical and professional education will be curbed. An alternative system would be devised to involve private and voluntary effort in this sector of education, in conformity with accepted norms and social goals.