Technical Education in India

has a history stretching back to the ancient urbancentres of learning at Taxila and Nalanda.

Western education became ingrained into Indiansociety with the establishment of the British Raj.

The major policy initiatives in the pre-Independence period included appointment of the

Indian Universities Commission in 1902,

Indian Education policy resolution in 1904

Governor General’s policy statement of 1913stressing the importance of TechnicalEducation,

Technical Education in IndiaThe establishment of

II Sc. in Bangalore, Institution for Sugar,

Textile and Leather Technology in Kanpur,

N.C.E. in Bengal in 1905 and

Industrial schools in several provinces.

Significant developments in the policy include:

Constitution of the Technical Education Committee of

the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) of1943;

Preparation of the Sergeant Report of 1944; and

Formation of the All India Council for TechnicalEducation (AICTE) in 1945 by the Govt of India.

Technical Education in India

The AICTE was set up in November 1945based on the recommendations of CABE tostimulate, coordinate and control theprovisions of educational facilities andindustrial development of the post warperiod.

At that time, mandate of AICTE basicallycovered only programs in Engineering andTechnology.

Technical Education in India

The Government of India decided in 1954 to setup a Board of Management Studies underAICTE to formulate standards and promoteManagement Education.

Architecture was covered under theArchitects’ Act, 1972. Subsequently, forbetter coordination of the ProfessionalCourses, Architecture Education was alsoplaced under the purview of AICTE.

The National Council of Hotel Managementand Catering Technology were set up in1982, to which all the Institutions of HotelManagement are affiliated.

Technical Education in India

Education in other professional fields such as, Pharmacy,Applied Arts & Crafts has also undergone similardevelopments during the post-independence period.

Programs for Technical Education, during the first three FiveYear Plans, were devoted to expansion of TechnicalEducation to meet the growing demand for technicalpersonnel at Diploma, Degree and Post-Graduate Levels.

From the fourth Five Year Plan onwards, the emphasis wasshifted to the improvement of quality and standard ofTechnical Education.

This was done through implementation of the QualityImprovement Program consisting of three majorcomponents that provided for M.E. / M. Tech and Ph.D Programs, Establishment of Curriculum Design andDevelopment Cells, and Short Term Training Programs.

Technical Education in India

The policy shift during eighties towards involvement ofPrivate and Voluntary Organizations in the setting up ofTechnical and Management Institutions on self-financingbasis ushered in an era of unprecedented expansion ofthe Technical Education System, a trend which hascontinued during successive Five Year Plans.

It was in this context that AICTE was given statutorypowers by the AICTE Act of Parliament in 1987, with aview to ensure the proper planning and coordinateddevelopment of Technical Education System throughoutthe Country.

Technical Education in this context includes fields ofEngineering and Technology, Architecture, TownPlanning, Management, Pharmacy and Applied Arts &Crafts.

THE ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICALEDUCATION ACT 1987 (No 52 OF 1987)

To provide for the establishment of an All India Council

for Technical Education with a view to the

Proper planning and co-ordinated development of the

technical education system throughout the country,

The promotion of qualitative improvements of such

education in relation to planned quantitative growth

and the regulation and

Proper maintenance of norms and standards in the

technical education system and for matters connected

therewith.

Important Provisions of the AICTE Act

Objectives

o Promotion of Quality in Technical Education.

o Planning and Co-ordinated Development of

Technical Education System.

o Regulations and maintenance of Norms and

Standards.

“To be a world class organization leading

technological and socioeconomic development of

the Country by enhancing the global

competitiveness of technical manpower and by

ensuring high quality technical education to all

sections of the society.”

Mission• A true facilitator and an objective regulator

• Transparent governance and accountable approach towards

the society.

• Planned and coordinated development of Technical Education

in the Country by ensuring world-class standards of Institutions

through accreditation.

• Facilitating world-class Technical Education through:

Emphasis on developing high quality Institutions,

academic excellence and innovative research and

development programmes;

• Networking of Institutions for optimum resource utilization;

Mission• Dissemination of knowledge;

• Technology forecasting and global manpower planning;

• Promoting industry-Institution interaction for developing

new products, services, and patents;

• Inculcating entrepreneurship;

• Encouraging indigenous technology;

• Focusing on non-formal education;

• Providing affordable education to all.

• Making Indian Technical Education globally acceptable.

• To be a forward-looking organization that has an

efficient, flexible and empowered manpower,

sensitive to stakeholders’ expectations.

Objectives

• Promotion of Quality in Technical Education.

• Planning and Coordinated Development of Technical

Education System.

• Provide regulations and maintenance of Norms and

Standards.

Responsibilities• Promotion of Quality in Technical Education.

• Policy Directions

• Review of Norms and Standards

• Assessment of Manpower requirement

• Liaison with Central Government, State Governments,

Universities and other Statutory Bodies

Regional Offices

1. Mumbai

2. Chennai

3. Bengaluru

4. Bhopal

5. Chandigarh

6. Kanpur

7. Kolkata

8. Hyderabad

9. Guwahati

10.New Delhi

11.Thiruvananthapuram

Academic Activities

1. Board of Architecture

2. Board of Hospitality & Tourism Management

3. Board of Information Technology

4. Board of Management Studies

5. Board of Pharmaceutical Education

6. Board of Post Graduate Education and Researchin Engineering and Technology

7. Board of Technician Education

8. Board of Town and Country Planning

9. Board of Undergraduate Studies inEngineering and Technology

10.Board of Vocational Education

Major Functions

1. Approval of Diploma / Degree / Post Graduate Degree / PostGraduation / Post Diploma / Post Graduate Diploma Level programsin Technical Institutions.

2. Approval of variation / increase in intake, additional programs intechnical Institutions

3. Quality Assurance through Accreditation.

4. Participation in the process of granting Deemed University status byMHRD.

5. Approval for Foreign Collaborations / Twinning Programs.

6. Promotion of Industry-Institution Interaction.

7. Development of Model Curricula through All India Boards of Studies.

8. Research Promotion Schemes (RPS)

9. National Coordinated Project (NCP)

10. National Facilities in Engineering & Technology with IndustrialCollaboration (NAFETIC).

Major Functions

11. Modernization and Removal of Obsolesces (MODROBS)

12. Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC)

13. Industry Institute Partnership Cell (IIPC)

14. Travel Grant (TG)

15. Seminar Grant (SG)

16. Faculty Development Programme (FDP)

17. Emeritus Fellowship (EF)

18. Career Award for Young Teachers (CAYT)

19. Visiting Professorship (VP)

20. AICTE-INAE Distinguished visiting Professorship (DVP)

21. National Doctoral Fellowship (NDF)

22. Research Park (RP)

23. Innovation Promotion Scheme (IPS)

24. Post Graduate Grants and GATE Scholarship

25. AICTE – INAE – TRF (Teacher Research Fellowship).

Major Functions

26. AICTE – INAE – TG (Travel Grant to Students)

27. Winter and Summer Schools for the Faculty

28. Finishing Schools for the Students

29. Indian National Digital Library in Engineering Sciences andTechnology (INDEST)

30. Quality Improvement Programme (QIP)

31. NITTR Training Programmes for Faculty

32. Networking of Technical Institutions.

33. Assessment of National Technical Manpower through NationalTechnical

34. Manpower Information System (NTMIS)

35. Promotion of Autonomy in Technical Institutions.

36. Connecting Technical Institutions through EDUSAT Network-Live transmission of M.E. / M. Tech programs

37. Steps for Stopping Commercialization of Technical Education.

Composition of Council18 ex-officio members and 15 members for a period of three years

• Chairman to be appointed by Central Government(l)

• Vice-Chairman to be appointed by Central Government(l)

• Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of the Central Government dealing with education(l)

• The Educational Advisor(T) to the Government of India (1)

• Four Chairmen of the Regional Committee of AICTE (4)

• Chairmen of the All India Boards of VE, TE, UG Studies in Engg and Technology, PG Education and Researchin Engg, Management Studies (5)

• One member representing the Ministry of Finance of the Central Government(l)

• One member representing the Ministry of Science & Technology of the Central Government(l)

• Four members representing the Ministries and departments of Central Govt other than those specifiedabove.

• Two members of Parliament of whom one from Loksabha and other from Rajyasabha

• Eight members by rotation in the alphabetical order to represent the States/ UTs provided that anappointment under this clause shall be made on the recommendation of the Government of the State, or asthe case may be, the Union Territory concerned(8)

• Four members representing the organizations in the field of Industry and Commerce.

• Seven members representing (i) CABE,(ii) AIU(iii) ISTE (iv) CIIT(v) (PCI (vi) CoA(vii) NPC

• Four members representing the Professional bodies in the Field of Technical and Management Education

• Two members to be nominated by the Central Government who represent such interests not covered by theforegoing clauses as the Central Government may deem fit.

• The Chairman, UGC(l)

• The Director, IAMR(l)

• The Director General, ICAR(l)

• The Director General CSIR(l)

• Member Secretary to be appointed by Central Government(1)