PROGRAMMES ON HRD IN IT, QUALITY TEXT BOOKS, TECHNICAL EDUCATION SOON

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The government has proposed to launch a new national programme for "Human Resource Development in Information Technology" and another on "Quality Text Books" and "Technical Education". The programme for HRD in IT will have a bouquet of several sub-programmes. These will form part of the new joint initiatives taken up by the Centre for quality improvement in Technical Education, especially involving the IITs.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has already launched three programmes, out of the four approved under the new joint initiative. These are, National Programme on Earthquake Engineering Education, National Programme for Technology Enhanced Learning and the Indian Digital Library for Engineering, Science and Technology Consortium. The fourth one on special thrust to Bio-sciences and Bio-engineering education and research programmes in technical institutions is in the process of approval. Apart from these, an exclusive channel for technical education i.e. the "Eklavya Technology" channel was commissioned on the Republic Day this year.

The National Programme on HRD in IT will strive to overhaul the entire engineering education making it IT-enabled to meet the challenges posed by globalisation. The total cost of the programme is estimated to be around Rs.500 crore. The Rs.11.54 crore programme for quality text books in technical education aims at providing low-cost, high-quality text books to improve the quality of technical education. The Rs.90 crore programme on bio-sciences and bio-engineering education will help to build a strong academic and research base in these fields in select technical institutions of the country.