Aicte Mentoring To Improve Higher Education

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has taken various steps to improve technical and higher education in the country. The council’s initiatives are in line with the Central Government’s initiative like Digital India and Skill India, says Prof Anil D Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE, in an interview with Gopi Arora of Elets News Network (ENN). Excerpts:

- Gopi Arora

What new initiatives have been taken by the AICTE to promote technical education in the country?

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) started four new schemes last year—Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, Trainee Teacher Scheme, Adjunct Faculty Scheme, and Margdarshan or Mentorship scheme.

There are several initiatives embarked upon by AICTE this year such as, mandatory internship for students (4-8 weeks during summer vacations), training of teachers (both induction and annual in service training), single entrance examination for admission in undergraduate engineering programmes, induction training for first year students (PCM, English, communication skills, ethics, values etc), regular revision of curriculum (annual feature), industry interaction cell in each institute, promoting innovation in study  and startups, exam reforms with more emphasis on practical subject understanding and skills than mere subject knowledge and preparing perspective plan for the country with inputs from all the States.

At present, barring the IITs, not many Indian engineering colleges are known globally for imparting quality education, how can this scenario be improved to bring engineering colleges in India at par with the finest colleges across the world?