HRD Minister Says Seats in Technical Education to Be Increased

New Delhi: Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal has announced revised norms for All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to increase the seats in technical education. In addition, the ministry also made it mandatory for technical institutions to reserve 5% seats for the weaker sections of society.

After announcing the new norms Sibal said that the aim is to increase the seats in technical institutions so that it can be more inclusive. He also announced easing of norms for establishing new engineering colleges, expansion of institutions and number of seats, with a series of steps that would result in increase of seats in engineering institutions.

According to an official statement issued from the HRD Ministry, the introduction of Section 25 of Company's Act to allow good corporates to set up Technical Institutions. The official statement also said that, however, no joint ventures can apply for this.

As per sources, models like public-private partnership and build-operate-transfer will be used to involve the private sector in setting up technical institutes in 241 districts where there are no engineering colleges. Also, easing the land norms for starting institutes, the HRD minister has announced that lesser space will now be needed for establishing technical institutes. While an engineering college in rural India will need 10 acres of land, in urban areas it will require just 2.5 acres of land.

Besides, special evening classes will also be conducted in the areas of Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Town Planning, Hospitality and Pharmacy by AICTE-approved institutes.