The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Review of polytechnic curriculum under way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 04, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Review of polytechnic curriculum under way

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG. 3 . The Department of Technical Education is reviewing the curriculum and syllabus of diploma courses offered in polytechnics keeping in view the needs of industry and the development of technology in different fields. The department also feels a need to develop textbooks that suit the demands of the courses' updated syllabus.

A provision to introduce an incentive scheme for the teachers of polytechnics to design and develop new textbooks is being made, a department official said.

Quality improvement

Andhra Pradesh is one of the seven States selected to participate in the second phase of the Technical Education Quality improvement of the Government of India. An amount of Rs.100 crores has been allocated for the implementation of the programme, which is an external-aided project funded by the International Development Association.

The programme aims to address issues like quality improvement, modernisation of laboratories, faculty development, curriculum improvement, course improvement and flexibility, interaction with industries, research, and development of management capacity.

Funding

Funding for quality education is granted only to certain well-informed Government or private polytechnics and engineering colleges that have been accredited by the NBA, a constituent body of the AICTE/NAAC of the University Grants Commission (UGC). These institutions will participate as lead and network organisations.

In addition to normal funds, each lead institution will get funds of Rs. 50 crores, and network institutions up to Rs. 10 crores, during the entire project period. The proposed cost of the project is Rs. 302 crores, and it is planned to be implemented in the next four years.

12 institutions selected

A Government polytechnic, eight university engineering colleges and three private engineering colleges and have been selected as lead and network institutions. More than 1,500 teachers are to be sent to the Computer Maintenance Corporation, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, and certain private organisations to improve their technical skills every year until 2007.

The programme also aims to strengthen the Directorate of Technical Education, its regional offices and polytechnics by implementing a scheme of inter-connectivity to encourage the continuing education programme for working professionals, to design courses in tune with industry requirements and to develop technical education at the graduate level by supporting the JNTU.

It also provides for training and placement under the Engagement of Graduate Engineering and Technician Apprenticeship Act, 1961.

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