Political Aspects of Technical Education In India

The beginning of formal Technical Education in India can be dated back to the mid 19th Century. It started with two acts 1. U.G.C act (1957) 2. A.I.C.T.E act (1987) later with autonomous powers. First one was established in order to strengthen education system india. Next one was established later to specially look after the Technical education.

So, one can say that All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is now the apex autonomous body for regulation and strengthening of technical education in India. They are responsible for approval of new universities and colleges for technical education in the country. Although this works under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development it has always remained controversial as in its April 25, 2013 judgement the Honorable Supreme Court said "as per provisions of the AICTE Act and University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, the council has no authority which empowers it to issue or enforce any sanctions on colleges affiliated with the universities as its role is to provide guidance and recommendations."

Okay lets throw some light at its achievements:

Every year india alone produces more number of technical graduates than US and China does jointly. But are they employable..?? Does country need that number of technical graduates..?? Has country capability to employ them..?? But what about Employment…??

Out of this graduate population only a few graduates are able to get a job. 

Is this called development..??

Is our education sector really growing more than any nation..??

It’s a big "NO". 

Lets go back to history again, earlier india was having very few graduation colleges for technical education I.I.Ts  and N.I.Ts  naming a few. To get into those colleges aspirants had to face fierce competition although competitors were lesser in number as compared today. So, due to that only the deserving and beautiful minds used to get admissions.

But what is happening today? 

Anyone who completes Senior Secondary exams with least grades even and who don’t even face competition plus who don’t even get admission into any Government colleges easily sneaks into so called PRIVATE COLLEGES (talk about its later). Those students have such low grades that they can’t get admission anywhere for any program (even non-technical programs) get into such colleges.

PRIVATE COLLEGES:

Organizations and institutes which claim themselves to be Non-Profit Organization for tax exemption. Anyone who has some capital to invest into NEW BUSINESS aka Education can set up a new college. All one needs to do is go and purchase a small piece of land where one small building can be constructed no matter if this land is an farming land(in india it is not allowed to use agricultural land for commercial purpose but thanks to corruption). Next is what you have to go to a bank for loan to start this business. Show that you want to start a Non Profit Organization and get easy loans at very less interest rates.

Next step is to go for registration:

Here thanks to government policy that aims to grow technical education in india. Take a bag full of money and get the registration done without any time wastage in formalities.

Next Step is to do some marketing and get admissions. For admissions they use their regional networks. Not only this faculties appointed have to bring at least 10 admissions per year to avoid job loss. 

So what they do now:

They go to remote areas where people don’t even know anything about technical education. They are brought from villages to visit the buildings. There they get a warm welcome and now comes the main thing “SCHOLARSHIP”.

Students are offered free education through Easy loan schemes of government and never the less “Scholarships”. They are told that government gives money if you are from under privileged class of society. So they take admissions somehow through either loans or scholarship promise.

Game begins now.

Now, that student reaches 2nd year of degree course what happens now is most shocking college tells students that “Scholarships didn’t reach to us last year so you have to pay the complete fees yourself now. If scholarships will be allotted then we will refund the amount”. What student does now he either quits or sells property to somehow arrange their fees. 

Okay lets now talk about the Quality Of Education in such institution:

These colleges neither experienced faculties nor they have laboratories. They have not even least basic standard (without which technical education has no meaning). So, they complete technical education without any technical skills. What they do is merely pass the theory papers and get some grades without even entering the laboratories.

Placements:

Government has opened numerous institutions to show growth in education and fulfill their fiscal benefits. Its okay, but who will ensure that after getting so much of higher education and spending money they are EMPLOYED.??

Govt. made plans to grow but are they able enough to grow IT sector..??

Are they employable on completion of their course..?? 

The answer is that with an education of such a quality neither each of them are employable nor govt. has taken any step in order to ensure their employability. 

Hah.! Forget about it! Why? When you go to buy groceries do you buy rotten one? No. So why would any enterprise would do so by employing an engineer who are inferior. 

The present situation demands for intervention of government into this situation and ensure the following :

1.  Frame up better policy to ensure employment for youth. Ensure controlling wastage      of Human Resource and rather employ them to contribute in order to build a better        India.

2.  Ensure the educational reforms in system of technical education.

3.  Prevention of corruption in technical education.

4.  Make technical education qualitative not quantitative.

5.  India has huge number of youth (more than half of total population) and they should      be given proper attention since they are the future builders. Their energy, skills and        potential must be utilized.