TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Introduction The technical education system is designed to meet the technological needs of economy, both on short-term and long- term basis, particular- ly to make available appropriately qualified technical manpower needed by the economy. The development of technical education is, therefore, regarded as an area of high priority in economic planning. During the Sixth Plan the major emphasis has been, inter alia, on consolidation and optimum utilisation of existing facilities, strengthening of infrastructure, creation of new facilities for educational training in areas of emerging technologies and improvement of quality and stand- ards of technical education.
2. As a result of the efforts made so far, technical education system has grown in size and potential so much so that it would be able to meet most of the technical manpower requirement of the country in the conventional areas be it for production, maintenance, technology or development of technological upgradation. However, there are emerging areas where there are critical shortages of technical manpower and necessary efforts will have to be made to meet the challenges in these specified fields. A long lead time required in technical education and long term profiles of national science and technology would have to be duly kept in view in this regard, necessary emphasis will have also to be laid to the improvement of quality and standards of engineering graduates and diploma holders trained in our technical institution. In this context attention will also have to be paid to experimental and innovative exercises in the form of specialised/model institutes/projects. In our efforts to ensure the optimum utilisation of the infrastructure available in technical education institutions, attention will also have to be paid to make use of it as service facility for other development departments/sectors.
Approach to the Seventh Plan 3. In view of the above, it is recommended that the main emphasis during the Seventh Plan may be laid on following aspects.
i) Consolidation of infrastructure and facilities already created.
ii) Optimum utilisation of the existing facilities to ensure higher levels of productivity and cost-effectiveness.
iii) Identification of critical areas and creation of infrastructure in new areas of emerging technology vital for future development and provision of necessary facilities for education and training in those fields.
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iv) Improvement of quality and standards of technical education.
v) Removal of obsolescence.
vi) Modernisation of engineering laboratories and workshops in the technical institutions.
vii) Effective management of the overall system of technical education with a view to getting optimum return from the inputs made under different schemes.
viii) Innovative measures and opportunities to improve existing facil- ities to provide low cost alternatives to achieve various goals and objectives laid down in the Plan.
ix) Institutional linkages between technical education and development sectors.
x) Contribution in the national efforts to develop and apply science and technology as an instrument of socioeconomic progress.
Strategies 4. The above approach seeks to ensure completion of the development schemes, started in the Sixth Plan and earlier Plans and to institute the additional new schemes, wherever necessary, to meet the challenges posed by rapid scientific and technological advances and urgent na- tional requirements in the field of technical education. Further development of technical education will continue to be planned in relation to present and future requirements of engineering manpower to implement the various development projects and programmes. National perspectives, technology policy, social relevance and cooperative partnership between technical education institutions/agencies and industry/user agencies will remain the guiding principles in this sector. Coordinated planning and development of facilities for techni- cal education in different specialisations and branches of engineering and technology will help optimise utilisation of the infrastructure and the network of the institutes of technology, engineering colleges and polytechnics. In the above context, it is necessary that the schemes started in the Sixth Plan for creation of facilities in new areas of emerging technologies, modernisation of workshop, strengthen- ing of facilities in areas of weakness, establishing institutional linkages through internal network of laboratories in engineering colleges and for the establishment of a Technical Manpower Information System are continued during the Seventh Plan period. In order to make the system sensitive to play a leading role in the development of technology, new schemes which are aimed at improvement of quality and standards of technical education will also have to be implemented in the Seventh Plan period.
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Thrust Areas 5. There are a few areas which are highly important and significant to tone up and revitalise the system of technical education in the coun- try. These shall be the major trust areas during the Seventh Plan period and would include (a) Improvement of Polytechnic Education, (b) Removal of Obsolescence, (c) Computerisation, (d) Women's Education, (e) Application and Extension of Sciences and Technology to Rural Development, (f) Continuing Education,(g) Interaction between Techni- cal Institution and Industry, and (h) Removal of Regional Imbalance. The urgent need for giving major attention to these thrust areas would be highlighted by the relevant facts summarised below:
(a) Improvement of Polytechnic Education 6. In spite of a number of useful and valuable recommendations made by the Special Committee on Reorganisation of Polytechnic Education, the state of affairs in polytechnic education continues to be far from satisfactory. In the promotion and improvement of engineering educa- tion, at the degree and postgraduate levels, the Central Government had played a vital role. 5 Indian Institutes of Technology were set up as Institutes of national importance to provide facilities for higher education and research, 15 Regional Engineering Colleges were set up as joint enterprise to the Central and the State Governments, 3 All India Institutes of Management were set up to provide facilities for higher education in the field of Management. A number of Central institutes to provide education and training at higher levels in specialised fields like industrial engineering were also set up. However, at the polytechnical level no such measures were taken by the Central Government in the past except establishing 4 Technical Teach- ers' Training Institutes to train polytechnic teachers.
7. In order, therefore, to take necessary steps to improve the situa- tion, all possible emphasis will have to be laid on the polytechnic education and the Central Government will have to involve itself in a big way. Besides general improvement of polytechnic education, model polytechnics and residential girls' polytechnics may be set up by the Central Government to serve as pace-setting institutions/centres.
(b) Removal of Obsolescence 8. The problem regarding removal of obsolescence has assumed serious proportions and it requires urgent attention during the Seventh Plan period. The removal of obsolescence pertains not only to equipment but also human resources, instructional materials, textbooks, teaching methods etc. Rapid advances in science and technology make it impera- tive that the courses of study are modernised in terms of course contents and teaching techniques. As such the need is not only to replace the old and unserviceable equipment but also to equip the laboratories with modern instruments and machines to meet the require- ments of the latest scientific and technological advancements
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and the curricular changed introduced in the light of evolving trends of technology. In regard to human resources, not only teachers of high quality will have to be attracted towards teaching profession but arrangements will have to made for their constant and continuous training and retraining to meet the challenges of the latest techno- logical advancements. Adequate attention has not been paid to this important aspect in theearlier Plans and as such it has become highly important and significant to lay the maximum emphasis on the speedy removal of obsolescence in our engineering colleges and polytechnics.
(c) Computerisation 9. Computers have become most important means for industrial and technological advancement. In the absence of adequate computing facil- ities, it is not possible for our institutes of engineering and tech- nology education to meet the challenges of modern times. Whereas in the developed countries, computers have reached even the individual homes, it is a matter of serious concern that in India we have not been able to provide computers even to our technical institutions. A scheme for providing computers to the engineering colleges which remain without this facility till the end of the Sixth Plan period and to cover all the polytechnics engaged in training middle level techni- cians, will be provided during the Seventh Plan period.
(d) Women's Education 10. In pursuance of the general policy, more and more facilities are being provided for technical education of women. Deliberate efforts shall, therefore, be made to provide appropriate facilities for girl candidates to take technical courses. In this context, it is necessary that during the Seventh Five Year Plan facilities for technical educa- tion for women are expanded by establishing new women' polytechnics including residential polytechnics for women.
(e) Application of Science and Technology to Rural Development 11. The whole effort of any type of education as that of technical education system is for the benefit of society at large. The technical education should appropriately respond to the social needs of a large percentage of the population residing in the far-flung rural areas where the existing facilities have not reached at all. For this popu- lation our technical education system has to help improve their stand- ards and life style. In this context it is necessary that scheme of Community Polytechnics already initiated during the Sixth Five Year Plan is expanded during the Seventh Plan period and more and more polytechnics should be converted into such institutions and inducted for this important task. To make the educational efforts of these institutions relevant tot he alive situations, selected community polytechnics should be encouraged to undertake experimental pilot projects for the application of science and technology to total inte- grated rural development and necessary support may be provided to
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them for the purpose. These experimental projects would help in crea- tion of new knowledge and development of new approaches and strategies which in turn are likely to yield a high dividend in the application of science and technology to the rural development in an adequate manner. To meet the challenge of this massive task, special centres of appropriate technology and rural development should also be set up during the Seventh Plan. The above schemes would also meet the growing challenge of upgrading the skills of the people in the far- flung rural areas to enable them to avail of maximum benefit from the appli- cation of science and technology for the solution of the social prob- lems. Thus this is bound to accelerate the process of total develop- ment of the rural areas.
(f) Continuing Education 12. Training of students no doubt should be the basic responsibility of the technical institutions these institutions, however, have almost an equal responsibility to retrain and update the knowledge of techni- cal personnel working in the different sectors concerned with the economic development of the country. With over 4.5 lakh engineering graduates and nearly 7 lakh diploma holders estimated to be likely in the stock of technical manpower by 1989-90, the task of updating and upgrading their knowledge and skills to contribute to higher produc- tivity in the country assumes gigantic dimensions. Opportunities will also have to be provided for advancements through facilities for higher education to those already engaged in the professions. Also with major thrust in vocationalisation, continuing education shall be the main answer for providing access to higher technical education for a large number of boys and girls entering life after completing voca- tional courses. In spite of its relevance and importance, adequate attention has not been paid to the continuing education during the earlier Plans. The formal system by itself would not be able to meet the growing demand for opportunities for advancement and also for facilities for upgrading their knowledge and skills to those already engaged in he profession. To meet all these varying requirements, different strategies and approaches will have to be adopted for con- tinuing education to reach the large number of technical personnel through part-time/full-time, distant learning correspondence courses etc. A definite scheme covering all these approaches will therefore, have to be instituted during the Seventh Five Year Plan.
(g) Interaction between technical institutions and industry 13. The need for closer interaction between technical institutions and industry has been emphasized time and again at all platforms.It is of paramount importance that the technical institutions and industry should act as partners in the development of an engineer or a techni- cian and each must play the role that is best fitted to accomplish. The need of such close interaction and collaboration has become all the more urgent and important in view of the challenges posed by the latest situations in the field of technical education which requires greater attention towards a number of important
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problems. The areas of joint efforts include improvement to quality and standards of technical education, development of facilities on appropriate lines, diversification of courses to meet the changing requirements of industry, development of faculty of technical institu- tions by way of training and retraining of teachers, development of curriculum to make the courses more live dynamic and responsive to the needs of evolving trends of technology, organisation of sandwich courses to have a breakthrough in new directions with reference to the felt needs. In spite of series of recommendations having been made in this regard by all concerned, the problem of closer interaction and collaboration between technical institutions in different aspects still continues to pose a major challenge. It is, therefore, urgent that deliberate efforts to made in this important area during the Seventh Plan period and specific schemes instituted to meet this challenge, in an adequate and effective manner.
(h) Removal of Regional Imbalances 14. The development of technical education in the past three decades has, no doubt, been phenomenal but uneven. This has been due to a number of factors including initiative taken and resource mobilisation by the different States. The provision of adequate facilities for technical education and training has a direct bearing on the develop- ment of a particular State/Territory. It is, therefore, highly desira- ble that regional imbalances in regard to the facilities for technical education should be removed as early as possible. The Estimates Com- mittee of the Sixth Lok Sabha in its Ninth Report on Higher Technical Education also made a serious observation on these regional imbalances and recommended that the Central Government should take positive steps to provide technical education facilities in those regions/States where they are deficient at present so as to bring up at part with the seat population ration in regions/States of the country where those are disproportionate, in the interest of equitable development of the country as a whole.
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN
INDIA 15. In line with the above objectives and in pursuance of the United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for Development held in Vienna in August 1979 and the subsequent International Conference on Science and Technology Education and National Development held in Paris in December 1981, on the advice of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Cabinet at its 5th meeting, a decision was taken to set up an International Centre for Science and Technology Education in India more or less on the pattern of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, in Italy. The Centre is to function as a catalytic agent for the improvement of science and technology educa- tion in India and other developing countries by using/collaborating with other existing institutions in India as a network. The Ministry of Education will be the focal point for coordinating the activities of this Centre which will be set up as an autonomous body with a small core technical staff and provide:
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a) a resource centre of books, journals, conference reports, materials developed in science and technology education all over the world.
b) a system of exchanging and disseminating information.
c) facilities for individual to undertake research and development work; and
d) other related activities.
16. The core structure of this centre will be fully national and expertise from UNESCO and other international agencies will be re- quested for as and when needed for specific purposes. An affiliating system to associate various institutions in related areas will be developed in due course.
17. It is expected that the academic programme of the Centre will be designed in consultation with suitable advisory bodies and to develop programmes in new areas such as computer aided instruction, self- instructional techniques, use of emerging educational technology, use of computers for evaluation etc. The materials developed in the coun- try will be exposed to target audiences for assessment and evaluation before being used for the broader objectives. It is expected that the total cost for the Centre would be around Rs.8 crores spread over 3 years and the recurring expenditure annually would be of the order of Rs. 1.5 crores.
18. The above schemes should be considered vital for achieving the basic priorities and objectives. Besides the above thrust areas, there are a number of other areas which are also important for the improve- ment of quality and standards of technical education. All other New Schemes proposed to be instituted in the Seventh Plan would also be essential for maintaining the temp of development in the Seventh Plan and subsequent Plans. Adequate attention will have to be paid during the Seventh Plan period to the following areas: (1) Development of learning resource centres, (2) Organised technical extension services by faculty and students to identify, develop and apply appropriate technology, (3) Evaluation of technical institutions/programmes and projects, (4) Students hostels, (5) Staff quarters, (6) Expansion, (7) Engineering colleges/polytechnics as joint enterprise of Central Government and industry (8) Assistance to professional bodies, (9) New programmes of QIP, and (10) New schemes of apprenticeship training.