Government to help unaided engineering institutes attain high standards

NEW DELHI: Aiming at enhancing quality of technical education in unaided institutes, government has decided to launch a special programme with World Bank support to generate quality engineers for better employability.

At present, there are 3,241 engineering institutes, 90 per cent of which are private unaided institutes.

Government has decided to launch the third phase of the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP) to help these unaided institutes attain higher standards in academics though improved quality of faculty and effective set up.

About 500 institutes will be covered under the plan which has a total outlay of Rs 2400 crore, said HRD Ministry official.

Selection of these institutes will be based on meeting the eligibility criteria and quality of proposals, the scrutiny of which will be done at state level and the evaluation at the national level, the official said.

"While the TEQIP was launched in 2002-03 with financial assistance of World Bank spread over 10-12 years, only about 60 private institutes could get involved in the first two phases. Hence the third phase would only target the private ones," the official said.

The plan is to enhance pedagogical training of faculty for effective teaching and enhancing institutional and system management, with both the HRD Ministry and the World Bank monitoring progress of these institutes.

The project cost will be shared by Ministry, the states and the unaided institutions, with each institute getting Rs four crore.

The project will require the selected institutions to implement academic and non-academic reforms focusing on quality, excellence, resource mobilisation, greater institutional autonomy with accountability, research and equity.

All selected institutions should be authorised to apply for academic autonomy, the official said.

About the funding pattern, he said for strengthening institutions to improve learning outcomes and employability of graduates, the Centre will provide a grant of 60 per cent while the state and the institute will bear 20 per cent each.

On the other hand, for pedagogical training to faculty for effective teaching and for improving system management, the project cost will be shared between the central government and state governments in the ratio of 75:25.