(a) whether the Government propose to start incentive schemes to set up Technical Education Institutes in the backward areas of the country so as to reduce the increasing regional disparity in the matter of technical education;
(b) if so, whether the Government propose to relax the criteria for setting up of these institutes;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the time by which the final decision in this regard is likely to be taken?
THE MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT (DR. MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI)
(a) to (d) : There has been higher concentration of
Technical Institutes in the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as compared to other regions
as these States mobilised private initiatives in setting up
of technical institutes on a larger scale. The matter was
deliberated, among other things, in the Conference of
States/UT Education Secretaries dealing with Technical
Education held on 10Th October, 2000 and their cooperation
has been sought to minimize the regional imbalance by
tapping private initiatives optimally. All India Council
for Technical Education (AICTE), the statutory body for
proper planning and coordinated development of technical
education system throughout the country is aware of such
regional imbalance and is encouraging setting up of new
institutions in those regions, particularly in North and
North Eastern Regions, having less number of Institutes so
as to achieve a balanced growth. AICTE has advised its
Regional Committees to give special attention to the
requests received from the deficient States while
considering their proposals. However, keeping in view the
desirability to maintain the norms and standards uniformly
throughout the country, there is no plan to relax the
criteria as laid down in the regulations notified by the
AICTE to set up technical institutes in the country.