November 28, 2001

       The government proposes to start holding All-India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) for admission to engineering, architecture and pharmacy courses in deemed universities, central institutes other than those covered by Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and institutions in the States and Union Territories which are willing to join the scheme. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct the first AIEEE on the May 19^th, 2002. A number of states have agreed to this at a meeting of State Education Secretaries (Technical) held here on Monday. The rest have agreed to consider joining the scheme soon. This step will go a long way in reducing the agony of the students who had to appear in a plethora of tests for admission in technical institutions.

        Several states have also agreed to pursue the accreditation process vigorously for quality rating of various courses run in technical institutes from the National Board of Accreditation set up by the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). The states were urged to encourage the institutes to go in for this and provide funds for accreditation of technical courses.

        Another important decision taken at the meeting was that the AICTE will take up more steps for teacher development in addition to strengthening the existing schemes of quality improvement programme and early faculty induction programme. The role of Technical Teachers Training Institutes (TTTI) is also being widened to provide training for the degree-level teachers in certain fields. The states have been impressed upon to advise the institutes to take benefit of this.

        The meeting also agreed to expand the community polytechnics scheme. All the approved polytechnics would be covered under the scheme by the 10^th Plan. It is proposed to train 12 lakh persons every year under the scheme during the Plan period. A programme of Competency-Based Certification (without examination) is also being introduced under the community polytechnics scheme. This was widely welcomed by the States.