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COMPUTERISED INFORMATION SYSTEMS 33. The Technical Educational Bureau at the Centre and the State Directorates of Technical Education will have computerised information systems linked among themselves and the Technical Manpower Information System with its Lead Centre at the IAMR and the State level nodal centres. This network will assist in planning, monitoring and decision making and in the management of change.
NATIONAL MANPOWER INFORMATION SYSTEM 34. The manpower planning agencies within each State, the TMIS and its Regional nodal centres will jointly plan surveys for identifying the technology and manpower needs of unorganised, rural, infrastructure and services sectors.
35. For properly delineated geographical areas within each State, the State department of Technical Education will identify technical institutions which will periodically:
- conduct surveys for assessing needs of sectors, specified above;
- gather data for TMIs, from technical/management institutions and industry located in the geographical area and furnish the same to the State nodal centres. The institutions identified will be provided with an information cell for this purpose.
36. Regional Manpower Information Centres will be established at the TTTIs or other appropriate regional organisations to design programmes, coordinate and integrate the functions of the State nodal centres in each region and to liaise with the Lead Centre of TMIS at IAMR.
37. Central and State Governments will bring appropriate legislation making it obligatory for industry and other user systems to provide technical/management manpower data to the Information Cells in institutions and to State nodal Centres.
AUTONOMY TO TECHNICAL/MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONS 38. The All India Council for Technical Education will initiate action for formulation of guidelines for identifying and awarding academic, administrative and financial autonomy to technical and management institutions and prescribing norms of accountability.
39. IITs, TTTIs, IIMs and other such institutions will offer their support and services for developing such institutions, their faculty and infrastructure for seeking autonomous status. Suitable schemes in this regard will be evolved.
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40. State Governments, UGC and other funding agencies will provide block grants to autonomous institutions and streamline financial procedures. Suitable guidelines will be evolved in this regard.
INTER-REGIONAL MOBILITY OF STUDENTS 41. The Central Government will encourage State Governments and Universities to admit students based on merit to higher technical institutions regardless of their origin or domicile. Suitable schemes to provide necessary guidance will be evolved and financial resources will also be available to the institutions admitting the students from other States. Financial assistance and other policy support will also be provided to the institutions to facilitate the mobility of teachers.
(B) PROGRAMMES AND MODIFICATIONS
COMPUTER EDUCATION 42. Computer Centres at IITs, Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs),Technical Teachers' Training Institutes (TTTIs) and other Central and State institutions will be supported to offer programmes and courses in computer education at different levels and also to undertake teacher training and software development programmes in this area to promote this activity. Necessary steps will be taken to see that the computer facilities at the appropriate level are made available to all the Engineering Colleges and Technical Institutions in the country by the end of the VII Plan period. The AICTE/MHRD will formulate suitable schemes to strengthen the facilities at the various centres and ensure effective coordination among them. Further details of action in respect of computer programmes are discussed in the section dealing with Media and Technology.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
MANAGEMENT EDUCATION 43. IIMs, university departments of management and other technical institutions will undertake research studies and constitute study groups to document Indian experiences in the non-corporate and unorganised sectors. Such studies would be widely disseminated to provide a basis for planning of management education in these sectors.
44. The All India Board for Management Studies would formulate suitable schemes for this purpose, in consultation with professional societies.
MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES FOR NON-CORPORATE AND UNORGANISED SECTORS 45. Selected institutions will offer management programmes including continuing education for developing management personnel
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at appropriate levels for the non-corporate and unorganised sectors, like education, rural development, services, small industry etc. Institutions organising these programmes would be strengthened/developed for this purpose. AIBMS and AICTE would formulate suitable schemes for this purpose.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CELLS
State Level Curriculum Development Cells 46. State Departments responsible for technical and management education will establish/strengthen State level curriculum development cells to assess the current projected needs of industry and user systems on a continuing basis to meet the requirement of the rapid scientific technological advancement.
STRENGTHENING EXISTING CELLS 47. Existing curriculum cells located in IITs and TTTIs will, in addition to their present function of developing curriculum resource material and software will also develop models for curriculum development and organise training programmes for developing professionals for new centres. They will also coordinate the work of the new curriculum development cells in the area for optimum functioning and effective utilisation. To achieve these, existing curriculum development cells at both the degree and diploma level will be strengthened and provided with necessary funds.
PROGRAMME IN NEW/IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES 48. Institutions at different levels, selected for offering courses/programmes in new and improved technologies will develop new departments/laboratories and staff for this purpose. Guidelines providing adequate flexibility to meet local needs for the selection of these institutions and the development of new departments/laboratories will be formulated by the AICTE, in consultation with relevant agencies/boards/professional bodies/ industry etc. and will support innovative efforts of individual institutes.
FLEXIBILITY IN COURSE OFFERINGS 49. Technical and Management programmes at degree and diploma levels would be restructured on a flexible modular pattern based on credit system and with provision for multipoint entry. Suitable models and necessary guidelines for this purpose will be developed by AICTE.
50. Institutions at degree and diploma levels in each State with potential for introducing such flexible programmes will be identified. Orientation programmes will be conducted by IITs,TTTIs and other selected institutions to enable the staff of such
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institutions to plan and implement the programmes. AICTE will involve CDCs for developing guidelines for this purpose.
51. Guidance and counselling services will be strengthened and additional resources will be provided to institutions for extending these services.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR WOMEN 52. Opportunities for technical education for women at all levels will be considerably increased. Women's access to technical education, will be improved qualitatively and quantitatively. Additional Women Polytechnics will be established by the State Governments and Residential Polytechnics for Women of a larger size will be set up under the Central Sector. The choice of trades/disciplines offered to women at Certificate/Diploma/Degree levels in all types of technical education institutions will be made keeping in view the objective of bringing about women's equality. Identification of certain skills and occupations as "suitable" or "relevant" for women, will no longer dictate the choice of subjects, either in the institutions meant exclusively for women or in the others. The selection of subjects will be based on the employment potential. Counselling services-will be provided to enable women to opt for "new" subjects. All technical education education institutions will be encouraged to start new formal programmes for women. For increasing opportunities for entry, incentives such as hostel facilities, freeships, stipends, scholarships etc. will be provided particularly for courses in emerging technologies and programmes in which women's participation in the past has not been adequate. Formulation of guidelines for this purpose will be attended to by AICTE.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE HANDICAPPED 53. Sufficient funds will be provided to start special education and training programmes for handicapped in selected institutions.
CONTINUING EDUCATION 54. The AICTE will set up a Board of Studies for Continuing Education and Distance Learning. This Board in association with professional bodies and industry will provide guidelines for need assessment, planning and implementation of programmes for identified target populations belonging to organised/unorganised/ rural/urban sectors and for their certification.
55. State Directorates of Technical Education will formulate schemes to initiate studies to assess the continuing education needs of technical personnel in different regions/districts to decide about the areas, forms and modes in which programmes are to be offered.
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56. State Governments and Central Government will encourage industry for making adequate provisions for continuing education of the working personnel. Suitable Schemes will be evolved by MHRD/AICTE and State Departments in consultation with industries.
57. Institutions selected for this purpose in consultation with user systems and professional bodies will determine the target population and their needs,design and offer relevant programmes to different categories mostly on a part-time basis and adopting sequential and modular patterns. These programmes may result in the award of degrees in specific fields of engineering and technology including technician degree. MHRD/AICTE will formulate a suitable scheme in this regard.
58. The Technical Education Bureau at the Centre and State Departments of Technical Education will set up continuing education cells for planning, implementing, coordinating, monitoring and reviewing.
59. Continuing education departments will be established in selected polytechnics, enginering colleges and management institutions in each State. These institutions will offer formal/ non-formal programmes based fully or partly in institutions. These programmes may also lead to diploma, advanced diploma, degree in engineering and technology including technician degree in applied technology.
DISTANCE LEARNING 60. The continuing education departments referred to above would also offer programmes, mostly non-formal in nature, with a suitable combination of contact phase and distance learning, to cater to the needs of those having limited access to institution based learning due to inadequate pre-requisites, non-proximity etc. These would include correspondence 'courses and also programmes involving the use of mass media like Radio and T.V.
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CENTRES 61. Resource Development Centres for continuing education will be set up in the existing QIP centres to develop learning resources for all types of programmes. These centres will have linkages with Indira Gandhi National Open University, other open Universities in the country and continuing education cells in each State for sharing resources and know-how and to avoid duplication.
INTERACTION AND NETWORKS
Community Polytechnics
Appraisal 62. The Community Polytechnic system will be appraised by a suitable agency to suggest measures for further strengthening and
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expanding the system and also for increasing the quality and coverage of the system. In planning the coverage due recognition will be given to the needs of the backward areas and the weaker sections of the society including SC/ST, women and minorities.
PLANNING FOR DEVELOPMENT 63. The State Governments will formulate schemes for strengthening and increasing quality and coverage of the Community Polytechnic system supplementing and complementing the movement.
64. One special institute for relevant/useful technology and rural development in each State for promoting R&D, Development of Technology, conducting a variety of programmes with reference to rural development and act as resource institution to Community Polytechnics and other institutions involved in transfer of technology and Rural/Community development. These institutes will be integrated in their functioning with the proposed rural universities where appropriate and feasible. AICTE will formulate a scheme for the purpose.
INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS 65. Specific Integrated Rural Development projects will be undertaken by identified institutions/agencies. Schemes for such projects will be prepared by the State Directorates of Technical Education, in consultation with TTTIs, Rural Institutes and other concerned organisations.
PROMOTION OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS 66. Central and State Ministries/Departments concerned with Rural/Community development will assign a formal role to Community Polytechnics in the planning, implementation and review of rural development projects in conjunction with other agencies involved in rural development.
67. Each Community Polytechnic will have a resource and information centre to provide information on appropriate technologies, transfer of technology, action research strategies etc. The AICTE will formulate suitable guidelines and schemes for the establishment of such centres.
68. Projects for application of science and technology for rural development will be undertaken by selected Community Polytechnics in order to understand the problems and processes of rural development, through action research and evolve replicable models.
69. Technical and Management institutions other than Community Polytechnics will also undertake programmes/projects for application of Science. and Technology to rural development. The AICTE will formulate suitable schemes in this regard.
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STRENGTHENING ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES 70. The provision made under Management of the System for the strengthening of Administrative Bodies will take care of the requirements of this Scheme also.
INDUSTRY-INSTITUTE INTERACTION
Planning 71. AICTE will formulate guidelines for the promotion and planning of Industry-Institute interaction encompassing a variety of areas like curriculum development, resources sharing, undertaking joint project, training of students as well as faculty, sandwich programmes, continuing education of industry personnel.
72. Based on these guidelines, comprehensive projects for industry- institute interaction will be prepared by each technical/management institution. State departments of technical education/MHRD will prepare schemes incorporating such projects.
EXCHANGE OF PERSONNEL 73. Schemes for promoting exchange of personnel between institutions and industry with conditions favouring such exchanges will be drawn up by All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and implemented with the cooperation of the State Departments of Technical Education, Technical/Management institutions.
ADOPTION OF INSTITUTIONS 74. State Governments, through the Department of Technical Education identify institutions considered feasible for adoption by a major industry in the vicinity. AICTE will draw schemes for such adoption.
ADMINISTRATIVE CELLS 75. The Technical Education Bureau at the centre and the State Departments of Technical Education will have cells for promoting industry-institute interaction. Similar cells will be provided in each Technical and Management institution. The schemes for the establishment of these cells will be prepared by AICTE.
NETWORKS
LINKAGES BETWEEN SECTORS OF EDUCATION 76. Effective linkages will be established between technical education and general education sectors - for effective curricular adjustments, implementing continuing education programmes availing facilities of other sectors and for considering other