Foreign tech institutes keen to set up base in India

Twenty foreign technical institute have queued up before All India Council for Technical Education for permission to set up base on Indian soil.

R Natarajan, chairman of AICTE, said the foreign institute would be asked to made presentation before AICTE soon about their plan in India.

"We are cautious about giving go-ahead to avoid any fly-by-night operators coming to the country. They must be reputed institute and have long term commitment," Natarajan said.

University Grant Commission and AICTE are working together to lay guideline for foreign technical institute and universities setting up their operation in India.

Natarajan pointed out that as the first step for precaution, AICTE has asked for no objection certificate from the local embassy of their respective countries.

"Foreign institute must give value for money. They should give same degree, quality and nomenclature as offered in their respective countries. They should be accredited by in their country. They must also be brought under same legal framework as domestic institutes are today," he mentioned.

Natarajan was in Kolkata to attend a two-day seminar organised by eastern region chapter of Confederation of Indian Industry and AICTE.

Responding to the widespread criticism of poor quality of private technical institutes in the country, he said AICTE has made its norms stringent.

"There are 1,200 institutes offering close to 4,800 programmes. We have accredited 1000 of them. As a signatory to the Washington Accord in which we are a signatory, AICTE has phased out the grading system in accreditation and introduced simple yes/no mode," he informed.

He admitted the work ahead was huge and courted support of industry to usher in standardised technical education in the country. The faculty problem has to be addressed upfront, he pointed out.

Earlier in the day, Md Salim, minister for technical education, government of West Bengal raised the issue of lack of courses for the agricultural sector.

"Technical education was industry biased. Now agri-business must get its due. There should be more courses on this industry," he said.