Lok Sabha Question No. 3634 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-15
Subject: New Specialisation Programmes
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: H. Vasanthakumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3634 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.07.2019

## New Specialisation Programmes 3634. SHRI H. VASANTHAKUMAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  HUMAN  RESOURCE  DEVELOPMENT  be  pleased  to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  demand  in  job  market  is  shifted  to offering new courses; (b) if so, details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to overcome this issue; (c) whether the curriculum will be linked to meet the demand  for  new specialisations programmes in the job market; (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and (e) whether the Government has formed any committee to study the said issues and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a)  to  (e):  The  Government  realizes  the  need  for  development  of  skills  in  the graduates and several steps  have  been  initiated  in  this  regard.  To  strengthen  the knowledge and skills of the graduates, requisite  for  the  current  job  market  and  to make them employable, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has adopted the Learning Outcome Based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) at Undergraduate Level as one of its Quality Improvement Programme mandate.

The  UGC  is  also  providing  Skill based  education  under  National  Skill Qualification Framework  in  Colleges  and Universities through its  scheme  of Community  Colleges,  B.Voc.  Degree  Programmes  and  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyay Centres for Knowledge Acquisition and Upgradation of Skilled Human Abilities and Livelihood  (DDU  KAUSHAL  Kendras).  During  the  year  2018-19,  there  were  188

Community Colleges,  275 Institutions offering  B.Voc.  Degree  Programmes  and  68 DDU Kaushal Kendras.

Indian  Institutes  of  Technology  (IITs)  continuously  evolve  and  develop  their academic programmes to meet the demands of the industry and to keep pace with global  advancements  in  technology.  Starting  of  new  programmes  in  Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are examples of adapting to the market situation.

Further, a committee under the Chairmanship of Shri B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, Chairman,  Board  of  Governors,  IIT,  Hyderabad  was  constituted  on  18 th October, 2018 for preparing short term and long term perspective plan for the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The committee submitted its report and Executive Committee  of  AICTE  has  approved  the  report.  Main  recommendations  of  the committee include (i) courses on emerging technologies namely, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Block chain, Robotics, Quantum Computing,  Data  Sciences,  Cyber  Security,  3D  Printing  &  Design  &  Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR); and (ii) greater focus on multi-disciplining courses by reducing the seats in conventional disciplines and converting the existing seats into  these  courses.    Accordingly,  AICTE  has  decided  that  no  new  conventional discipline will be allowed from the academic year 2020-21 and NITTTR Chandigarh has been given responsibility to prepare curriculum of the emerging technologies.

Another Committee was also constituted for revamping and attuning curricula of National Institutes of Technology (NITs) to look into the needs of the industry and honing skills of the students coming out of the institutions. The recommendations of the  Committee  have  been  accepted  by  the  Council  of  National  Institutes  of Technology,  Science  Education  and  Research  in  its  meeting  held  on  26.05.2017, according to which NITs are required to review their curricula every year and revise the same every year by adding latest topics in consultation with industry.

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