1-yr mandatory training for technical institute teachers to become a reality soon

The Centre will soon roll out a one-year mandatory training programme for faculty of technical institutes, which will focus on empowering teachers in "innovative way of teaching" and inculcating "values" in them.

A committee of experts, constituted by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to formulate a "national policy on training technical teachers,' has recommended the mandatory training.

The training will be given to all entry level faculty of the technical institutes.

Existing in-service training courses will also be revamped to improve the quality of teaching-learning in engineering colleges.

The one-year mandatory training for technical faculty will comprise of two semesters.

"The first semester will have eight modules which will include face to face training, inculcation of values, lessons on self-learning and lifelong learning initiatives," the committee member said.

While most of the theoretical part of the training programme will be covered in the first semester, various activity-oriented training will be provided during on-site visits to industry, science laboratories and other organisations.

ICT tools

"The focus of the programme is to empower teachers with new ways of teaching using ICT (Information Communication Technology) tools," the member said.

Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar  hailed  the recommendations after a presentation at a conference organised by the AICTE on Wednesday.

The committee, which is giving a final shape to the draft policy before submission to the government within a month, has recommended establishment of a new bureau at the AICTE to run the teachers' training programme.

It has also recommended constitution of "an apex body" to oversee and monitor the implementation of the training programmes by the bureau.