NEW DELHI: In line with developing top 20 world class institutions, the Narendra Modi government has chalked out similar plans to develop 50 engineering colleges including ITI institutions as "technical institutions of excellence’’ in 19 educationally backward states, which also include naxal-affected areas, that desperately lack the required faculty and infrastructure.
Top government sources said the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has sought Rs 1,000 crore in the upcoming budget for the purpose.
Official sources explained that these 50 "technical institutions of excellence" which would be developed in 19 educationally backward states may not have world class infrastructure but will be comparable to global standards if not world class amenities.
These includes states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, M.P, Chattisgarh, Uttarakhand, J&K, Odisha, H.P, Rajasthan, north-eastern states amongst others.
Union HRD ministry sources said that the proposal for Rs 1,000 crore for the purpose was sent to the Union Finance Ministry in September this year.
Sources said these states have been asked to provide a list of such institutions which are poorly lacking in faculty and infrastructure. “Also other parameters like the remoteness of the location of the institute are also being considered and that will be preferred for the upgrade,” said an official.
The fund for the purpose could partly come through financial assistance from the World Bank under the 3rd phase of the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP-III), which has been approved by the government. The Programme is aimed at improving the quality of technical education.
India has been facing problems related to low-skilled workers even as the country has the largest numbers of youth population in the world.
Technical schools opened by private bodies have mushroomed over the period and government run engineering and ITI schools both largely lack the required faculty and infrastructure. Besides, higher cost involved in enrolling for these courses is driving away the talent, said a Union HRD ministry official.
Recently, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe said industry bodies are not too sure about the employability of the technical graduates.
Similarly, the architect of Delhi Metro, E Sreedharan had in September this year stated that engineering institutes in the country are producing engineers of “very sub-standard” quality. Sreedharan had referred to a study, which surveyed some 300 engineering colleges to conclude that only 29 percent engineers are employable, while 30 per cent can be made employable after further studies, whereas 48 percent are simply not employable.