POPULARISING THE 3 YEAR TECHNICAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA STREAM

POPULARISING THE 3 YEAR TECHNICAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA STREAM

(The Cinderella of the Higher Education System)

R.Dhanasekar,
Secretary – ISTE Chapter (MISTE - LM 3564)
SSM ITT & PC,
Komarapalayam-638183
Tamilnadu State.
Email-id : ramdsekar@gmail.com

GOVT SUPPORT FOR POLYTECHNIC SYSTEM

State and central Government agencies in general and AICTE in particular are now well inclined towards the promotion of the polytechnic education system. Even earlier, during the 1990’s, we had a special World Bank aided modernization program exclusively for polytechnics. It catered to the needs of building and other infrastructures facilities laboratories, equipments and all the more important, training opportunities for faculty in India and abroad as well.
Then it was followed with a nominally cosmetic but significant change; polytechnic to polytechnic college. Later on, reduction in the statutory land area requirement was announced; from the 25 acres minimum limit to 15/10 acres to 5 acres (even less incase of congested, land hungry and expensive metros).
Recently, to accommodate more students using the existing physical infrastructure, the shift system is encouraged in the polytechnics. Engineering colleges are also permitted to offer the diploma programs in their campuses by using the existing infrastructure. Further, quality improvement programs, infrastructure development programs, modernization programs, human resources development programs, etc., are specially being targeted towards the polytechnic systems. There are news items seen and heard that the central government has plans to open 1000 more polytechnics.
Repeatedly it is being said that in India, the diploma holders Vs the BE degree holders ratio is not at all healthy. It is stressed that, we should have 4 times the number of polytechnic diploma holders in comparison with BE degree holders. It is all very good, nice and rosy for the polytechnic system: quality wise and quantity wise. Let us ask ourselves frankly What about the general image of the polytechnics among the common public?

Present Status:

Almost all the willing Diploma completed students are getting immediate placements (in some cases, a handsome 5 figure salary per month in the beginning itself). Higher education opportunities in engineering streams through lateral entry and direct admission are plenty in India and Abroad as well. Even those candidates who have a few arrears are getting reasonably paying jobs, because of their practical knowledge acquired during the study period in their chosen subject of study and their adaptability and suitability to the prevailing industry/trade practices and the situations.

The Diploma holders’ contribution to the industrial growth and modernization is appropriate, relevant and significant. In the present era of sweeping, relentless, unstoppable, all pervasive Globalisation, their value is truly recognized, amply rewarded and at last recognized. However, at present, (Despite the enduring robust situation) paradoxically and sadly the 3 year diploma in technical education is not the first choice of many a High School and Higher Secondary School passed out students and their parents and their well wishers. For them, the diploma education is for the economically and academically weaker sections of the students, which is obviously wrong. To correct the distorted image (poor cousin) of the technical diploma education, the following ideas may kindly be considered.



01. State level Centralized Single Window System for Admission:

In Tamilnadu state, at the higher educational institutions (Engineering, Medical, Agricultural, Teachers’ Training, MBA, MCA, except Polytechnic Colleges and Arts & Science Colleges), the admission for the entire state is being done successfully for the past so many years through a single window system with or without common entrance tests.

The application forms are made available in multiple locations, including Colleges, Post Offices, Banks and Internet too.


The filled-in application forms are received at a single address and the admission counseling is done under single window system in a transparent orderly manner with well informed choice possibility. It gives both the institutions and the individuals (parents, teachers & students) a sense of achievement, honour and privilege. It avoids uncertainty and confusion among the general public too. Further mass media (both the print media: English language & local language newspapers and electronic media ) gives due publicity to the process.

In case of polytechnic colleges (and Arts & Science colleges) currently students should buy the individual applications at every individual college of her/his choice and apply for them individually. The Admission counseling is also done individual college-wise only almost on the same dates. This decentralized system of admission at the institution level is keeping the parents and students in anxiety and makes them to apply for many polytechnic colleges or accept arbitrary selection of the first available polytechnic college. Thereby, it leads to vacancies in many good institutions. Random and rough chance is playing a major role in the admission system than the well informed choice making provision of the state holders.

If the single window system without any common entrance tests, only on the basis of performance in the qualifying the examination is followed, we can eliminate the anomalies, ambiguities and anxieties.

If the number of candidates who are coming for single window councelling at the state capitals is too many, zone wise / university wise / district wise counseling may be evolved. (Earlier, we had, in engineering admissions, zone wise distributed counseling with state level merit rank list).

02. Honours for the I year Students
In the Tamilnadu State alone, the number of students who appeared for I year examination (a State level common semester pattern examination supervised by External Hall Superintendents with common syllabus and central valuation) is about 1.2 Lakh in 2008 itself. Now, we have about 400 plus polytechnics located in our Tamilnadu State and many, many more Polytechnics are in the pipe line. AICTE notified additional shift systems in Polytechnics and Engineering Colleges increases the intake over night. Therefore, the I Year State level Toppers ( among the hundreds of thousands of students) should be honoured with Scholarships, Cash Awards etc., like SSLC, HSC toppers by top level dignitaries with media focus. (News papers, T.V., Radio coverage etc.). They deserve it right fully and justifiably.



03. Honours for Diploma Completed Students
State / District level prizes and Higher Education Opportunities with Scholarships / Assistantships in Govt. & Aided Colleges / Universities may be given to State / District level toppers in the final examinations of various disciplines of Diploma streams (Civil / Mechanical / Electrical & Electronics / Electronics & Communication / Computer / Textiles etc.) It will ensure motivation and healthy competition among students, parents and Teachers.

04. Promotion of Scholarship Schemes funded by employing Industries:
Presently, Mahindra & Mahindra, Chennai (Rs. 5000/- p.a.), Precot Meridien, Coimbatore (Rs. 10000/- p.a.) Kalki Memorial Educational Trust, Chennai, Hemalatha Memorial Trust, Harris & Menuk, Chennai and some more are willingly, happily, proudly and voluntarily offering generous scholarships to the Diploma students on Merit - cum - need basis on their own. Therefore Letters soliciting scholarships from Employing Industries / Industrial Associations / Chambers of Commerce etc. for Diploma students may be sent from Directorate of Technical Education / Association of Polytechnic Teachers. These Scholarships arranged from the employing industries will encourage the Diploma students to perform better. Scholarships may be solicited from industries like SAIL, BHEL, NLC, IOC, TNEB, TVS, Hyundai, Ford, Hindustan Motors, Wipro, HCL, LMW KG Denim etc., and Federations & Associations like CII / FICCI / ASSOCHAM / CODDISIA / SIMA / SITRA / TEA. (This list is only illustrative not exhaustive.)




05. Facilitating Higher Education opportunities in the Arts & Science Colleges
Students who have completed 3 year Diploma in Technical Education are permitted to join II year of B.E Degree programs under lateral entry system. They also should have admission possibilities into the Direct II Year of relevant graduate (B. Sc / B.Com / B.B.A/ B. Sc Applied Science, M. Sc. - Integrated) Programmes.

For example, DCE, DIT, DCN to II Year B.Sc. Computer Science , DECE, DEEE etc. to II Year B.Sc. Electronics, Diplomas in Textiles to B. Sc Costume & Fashion Design and other Diplomas to B.A. (Tamil / English / Political Science / Economics), B.B.A., B A (Corporate Secretary ship). (Just like Direct II Year B.E. Lateral Entry Scheme).
Most of the Arts & Science colleges will welcome this proposal as many of them have a significant number of vacant seats / lapsed seats by the end of the first year. This cross fertilization of Education streams at higher education level will enrich the students of both streams. Effectively it will become an alternative 10 + 3 + 2 years pattern to complement the usual 10 + 2 + 3 years pattern existing in the Arts & Science Colleges.



/rk