In this article, Dhruv Singhal of RGNUL discusses what is Technical Education and the regulations regarding Technical Education in India.

Technical Education in India

Growth in the field of education in India is boomerang since Independence and as per the current official data, India is the 3rd largest country in terms of students only after China and United States of America respectively.

The credit for enhancing education in India goes not only to the regular educational programme but also to the technical education programme conducted by the various universities and institutions.  

As this term itself suggest technical education is different from the regular education in its form, scope and objectives. As per Indian Laws the primary and basic objective of technical education is to trained personnel in the field of engineering, technology, architecture, management, pharmacy, applied arts and craft etc.

Understanding the term ‘technical education’

As per Section 2(g) of AICTE Act, 1987

Programmes of research and training in engineering technology, architecture, town planning, management, pharmacy, and applied arts and crafts and such other programmes or areas as the central government may in consultation with the council by notification in the official Gazette declare.

As per Section 2(h) of AICTE Act, 1987

An Institution not being a university which offers courses or programmes of technical education, and shall include such other institution as the central government may, in consultation with the council, by notification in the official gazette declare.

Simply put, Technical education can be summarised as

• So technical education basically is the academic, vocational but practical training and preparation of the students so that these students can be qualified for a particular job for which these students are trained.
• The objective of technical education is different from that of professional education, which has its major emphasis on theories and principles.
• In simple language technical education is the training of the students so that they get well versed and be able to apply the regular education principles practically to solve different situations.

History of Technical Education in India

• The History of technical education in India can be traced to the Vedic period and Indus Valley Civilization. Archaeologist had found various material by which it is  evident that technical education is the part of that society as well.
• For instance, archaeologist have found various types of fine jewellery, high quality clothes and silk fabrics, swords and knives potters, metal utensils and various types of other artefacts.
• However the modern technical education in India has been started by the British with the establishment of “Survey School” at Madras (Now Chennai) by the English traders in 1794. This establishment was basically to train the Indian personnel in land survey to assist British Surveyors. Later on the technical education spread to other parts of the country and was transferred from generation to generation.
• It is worth mentioning here that the modern technical education programme has been started by the British people primarily with the objective to oversee on construction of roads, bridges, buildings, railways, canals, and docks, etc.
• But the limit and extent of that education is limited to the point where the ulterior motives of the British have been satisfied. The expansion of the technical education has been observed multifold after the Independence of India and with the establishment of All India Council for Technical Education in 1945.
• After Independence major focus has been gradually shifted from providing regular education to provide regular education with technical education.

Need and Importance of Technical Education India

• The 21st century is the age of science and technology. The world is so dependent on these technologies that it is inconceivable to improve, develop or even live without these technologies. In this regard, it is important to mention here that to run these technologies efficiently there is a huge demand all over the world for technical specialist.
• The scope of these techniques is not only limited to science subject but includes management, art and craft, pharmacy, architecture etc and it is expanding. India is not an exception in this regard and for the growth and development, in the long run, it is the pre-requirement that India should produce sufficient technical experts who can run these technologies efficiently.
• After the formation AICTE in 1945, India took various major initiatives in the field of developing technical education like the establishment of various IIT’s, IIM’s and various other plans and policies.
• Secondly, in this age of unemployment especially in India, where the population of unwilling unemployed people is very high, technical education provides opportunities to the students for getting jobs.
• Traditional universities who are still using conventional techniques where students get the degree after passing examination has a limited relevance in today’s scenario. Moreover, this is the main reason that India has high population of unwilling unemployed labour.
• Though getting a degree is important for the job, but technical ability is the moot part that enables the students to get a particular job. So with the stereo-typed general education without any specialization and professional skill students acquire nothing to contribute to the progress and prosperity of the human society and that is why the scope and importance of technical education is expanding rapidly.

Regulation regarding technical education in India

After independence in 1948, the central government has made various policies and took various initiatives to promote technical education. The formation of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) was the 1st initiative taken by the Indian Government in this regard.

Secondly, formation of various IIT’s, IIM’s and various other educational and technical institutions has contributed majorly in the development of technical education in India. But development without regulation may lead to bane instead of boon and for this reason Central Government had formed All India Council for Technical Education 1945 to regulate and at the same time to promote the technical education in India.

All India Council for Technical Education

• Established in November 1945, AICTE was primarily an advisory body and can only advise the institution, university and central government on the matters relating to technical education.
• In the year 1987 a major shift had occurred and AICTE has been granted statutory authority and it becomes a statutory body by the act of parliament. Being a statutory body central government has delegated various powers to the body to makes rules, regulate and see the development and progress of the institution regarding technical education.
• Now AICTE is responsible for the proper planning and coordinated development of the technical education and management education in India. All India Council for Technical Education Act 1987 speaks in verbatim about duties, powers, responsibility and authority of the AICTE. It provides:

“To provide for 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 improvement 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”

Powers and functions performed by AICTE.

To achieve this above mentioned objective Central government has delegated various function and duties that will be performed by the AICTE to ensure proper regulation and proper development of technical institution in India. These powers and functions have been given in chapter 3 and section 10 of the All India Council for Technical Education Act 1987. These powers, functions and duties are:

• Section 10(1) –It is the duty of the council to regulate and co-ordinate the efforts for integrated development of the technical and management education. For this purpose the council may take following steps:
  • Undertake survey in the field of technical education and collect data for the same.
  • Co-ordinate the development of technical education of the country at all levels.
  • Allocation and disbursement of funds to various technical institutions.
  • Promote innovation and development and put all its efforts for the improvement of the technical education.
  • Formulate schemes for the promotion of technical education for women, handicapped, and weaker section of the society.
  • Establish and promote connecting link between technical education and other relevant studies so that students can develop in all the fronts.
  • Evolve suitable appraisal system for the technical institution who are performing proficiently and set accountability standards for the institutions.
  • Formulate initial and further staff development programme including staff development programme for teachers.
  • Lay down norms and standards for courses, staff qualification, and staff assessment.
  • Fix guidelines for charging tuition and other fees.
  • Grant approval for starting new technical institution and for introduction of new courses and programme.
  • Advice Central Government in respect of the matters related to the technical institution and technical education.
  • Lay down norms for granting autonomy to technical institution.
  • Prevent commercialisation of technical institution and take necessary step for that.
  • Provide guidelines for the admission of students in the technical institution.
  • Inspect any technical institution.
  • Withhold or discontinue grants to the technical institution if it fails to comply with the guidelines issued by the council and can also take any such action which is necessary for the compliance.
  • Take steps to strengthen the existing institution and to make any new institution.
  • Declare any technical institution, which it deems fit eligible for grants.
  • Advice the UGC to declare any technical institution as a deemed university.

These are regulatory functions performed by the council to ensure the proper compliance of rules and regulation made by the council or by the UGC. Section 11 of the above mentioned act empowers the council to inspect any technical institution while ascertaining the financial needs of that particular institution.

Technical Institutions have to adhere to the regulations made by the AICTE in order to be a legally recognised technical institution, otherwise council has been authorised to take appropriate action against the institution.

Guidelines issued by the UGC in 2014 regarding Technical Institution.

The honourable Supreme Court of India has recently pass a judgement by which the role of the AICTE has been subordinated and limited only to give advice in cases where the technical education is affiliated to any University.

Because of this reason in 2014 UGC came with its own guidelines on the technical education who is affiliated to some university. However, the honourable Supreme Court reviewed its decision and held that AICTE can regulate the technical college till 2016 on year to year basis.

The final decision on this matter is yet to come and that is the reason guidelines issued by the UGC are important. The guidelines issued by the UGC are basically to ensure that the current engineering and technical colleges affiliated to various universities do not lower the standard of the technical education provided by them.

These guidelines are:

• Section 3 of the said guidelines – Universities shall require to follow the norms, standards and guidelines provided by the UGC while providing affiliation and renewal of affiliation to any technical institution.
• Section 4 of the said guidelines – Universities shall ensure mandatory accreditation of these technical institutions by NAAC and their programme by National Board of Accreditation (NBA) as per the relevant regulations of UGC as amended from time to time.
• Section 5 of the said guidelines – Every affiliating university shall submit a compliance report concerning the provisions of these Regulations, in respect of all the affiliated technical colleges, to UGC annually. This report shall also be placed on the university’s website.

Technical Education as discussed above is an important part of the university and institutions curriculum because of the above-mentioned reason. As stated above if any university/ institution does not follow these regulations then that institution may be dealt strictly by the AICTE or by the UGC.