TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS IN INDIA

Education is an area of special focus in the XI Five Year Plan. The Eleventh Plan places the highest priority on education as a centered instrument for achieving rapid and inclusive growth. It presents a comprehensive strategy for strengthening the education sector covering all segments of the education pyramid. Expansion, Quality and inclusiveness is the main objective of the XI Plan. 

Technical Education is instrumental in making the remarkable contribution to economic growth of the Developing Countries by way of suitable manpower production according to the needs of the Industry, Society and the Global World as a whole. To produce fully skilled manpower/knowledgeable technocrats in the presentera of science and technology is the need of the hour. 

 Polytechnic education has responded to the challenges of industrialization for self-reliance. Technical Education covers courses and programmes in engineering, technology, management, architecture, town planning, pharmacy and applied arts & crafts, hotel management and catering technology. India’s general, technical and managerial capabilities are on par with the best of the world countries. 

While the youth population is fast shrinking with higher dependency ratios in the developed world, India is blessed with the population of about 70 percent below the age of 35 years. Youths are the most vibrant and dynamic segment as well as potentially most valuable human resource. However, despite phenomenal capabilities, India is seriously han dicapped with a very weak and narrow knowledge base, with 12.3% gross enrolment ratio, as compared to 21% in China, 54.6% in developed countries and the world average of 23.2% There is need to convert the available huge human resource potential into a reality by expanding opportunities for youngsters and that too on a massive scale and in diverse fields such as science, technology, engineering, architecture, management etc. to reap the demographic dividends. This is possible only if we seriously undertake rapid reforms in the higher and technical education sector. 

The technical education system in India can be broadly classified into three

categories – Central Government funded institutions, State Government/State- funded institutions & Self-financed institutions. The 60 Centrally funded institution of technical and science education are as under: 

MHRD Funded Technical Institutions

Indian Institute of Technology (IITs)	16
Indian Institute of Management (IIMs)	13
Indian Institute of Science (IISc)	1
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISERs)	5
National Institute of Technology (NITs)	30