Consulate General of India - Dubai : Higher Studies in India

Higher Studies in India

HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA

Higher education has always occupied a place of prominence in Indian history. In ancient times, Nalanda, Taxila and Vikramsila universities were renowned seats of higher learning, attracting students not only from all over the country but from far off countries like Korea, China, Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Tibet and Nepal.

Today, India manages one of the largest higher education systems in the world. In modern times, the first attempt to formulate a national system of education in India came in 1944, with the report of the Central Advisory Board of Education on Post War Educational Development in India, also known as the Sargeant Report. It recommended the formation of a University Grants Committee, which was formed in 1945 to oversee the work of the three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banaras and Delhi. In 1947, the Committee was entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with all the then existing Universities.

Soon after Independence, the University Education Commission was set up in 1948 under the Chairmanship of Dr. S Radhakrishnan "to report on Indian university education and suggest improvements and extensions that might be desirable to suit the present and future needs and aspirations of the country". It recommended that the University Grants Committee be reconstituted on the general model of the University Grants Commission of the United Kingdom with a full-time Chairman and other members to be appointed from amongst educationists of repute.

In 1952, the Union Government decided that all cases pertaining to the allocation of grants-in-aid from public funds to the Central Universities and other Universities and Institutions of higher learning might be referred to the University Grants Commission. Consequently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) was formally inaugurated by late Shri Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Minister of Education, Natural Resources and Scientific Research on 28 December 1953.

UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISION (UGC)

The UGC was formally established in November 1956 as a statutory body of the Government of India through an Act of Parliament for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education in India. It provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such recognised universities and colleges. The head office of the UGC is located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in New Delhi.

The UGC has the unique distinction of being the only grant-giving agency in the country which has been vested with two responsibilities viz. that of providing funds and that of coordination; and that of determination and maintenance of standards in institutions of higher education.

The UGC`s mandate includes:

Promoting and coordinating university education.
Determining and maintaining standards of teaching, examination and research in universities.
Framing regulations on minimum standards of education.
Monitoring developments in the field of collegiate and university
education; disbursing grants to the universities and colleges.
Serving as a vital link between the Union and state governments and institutions of higher learning.
Advising the Central and State governments on the measures necessary for improvement of university education.

In line with its mandate of maintaining standards of Higher Education in India, the UGC approves establishment of any new university in India and also ensure that all the approved universities maintain high standards in the field. The UGC also maintains updated list of all the universities approved by it on its website. The said list is available at following link https://www.ugc.ac.in/oldpdf/Consolidated%20list%20of%20All%20Universities.pdf

MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
INSTITUTIONS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE

Apart from the University Grants Commission which regulates the standards of education imparted by the Universities, the Government of India has also declared certain premier institutions in India as Institutions of National Importance. Institute of National Importance (INI) is a status that is conferred on a premier public higher education institution in India by an act of Parliament of India. INI is an institution which serves as a pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel within the specified region of the country/state. Institutes of National Importance receive special recognition and funding from the Government of India. The Acts of parliament of India establishing these INIs also empower these institutions to grant / issue diploma/ degree certificates in the fields of their specialization. The degrees / diplomas issued by these INIs are recognized across the world as degrees / diplomas issued by any other university. As on date there are 91 institutes which have been granted status of Institute of National Importance by the Parliament of India. The list of the Institutes of National Importance is available on the website of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India on the link http://mhrd.gov.in/institutions-national-importance.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN INDIA

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is the statutory body and a national-level council for technical education, under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) was set up in November 1945 as a national-level apex advisory body to conduct a survey on the facilities available for technical education and to promote development in the country in a coordinated and integrated manner. The National Policy of Education (1986), entrusted AICTE with the following responsibilities:

• Statutory authority for planning, formulation, and maintenance of norms & standards of Technical Education in India;
• Quality assurance of Technical Education through accreditation;
• Funding of Technical Education in priority areas, monitoring, and evaluation;
• Maintaining parity of certification & awards in the field of Technical Education
• The management of technical education in the country.

The AICTE Act 1987 was constituted to provide for the establishment of an All India Council for Technical Education with a view to proper planning and co-ordinated development of a technical education system throughout the country, the promotion of qualitative improvements of such education in relation to planned quantitative growth, and regulation & proper maintenance of norms and standards in the technical education system and for the matters connected therewith.

The purview of AICTE (the Council) covers programmes of technical education including training and research in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Town Planning, Management, Pharmacy, Applied Arts and Crafts, Hotel Management and Catering Technology etc. at different levels.

Whereas AICTE establishes and regulates the standards for degree courses in technical education the similar work related to the diploma courses has been delegated by the AICTE to the State Boards of Technical Education. All most all the State Governments in India have constituted the Directorates of Technical Education and / or the State Boards of Technical Education for regulating diploma courses in technical education (popularly known as polytechnics) and for conducting their examinations and granting the certificates of Diplomas in Engineering. All the colleges / institutions imparting polytechnic education are affiliated to these boards/directorates and are also regulated by these Boards / Directorates.

Technical education in the field of engineering can be completed in India in the following ways

Diploma in Engineering
Bachelors degree in Engineering

Diploma in Engineering is a three years course offered by Diploma colleges also known as Polytechnics. AICTE lays down norms and standards for such institutions. AICTE has, however, delegated the powers to process and grant approval of new institutions, starting new courses and variations in the intake capacity for diploma courses to the concerned State Directorates of Technical Education and / or the State Boards of Technical Education for regulating the polytechnics, conducting their examinations and granting the certificates of Diplomas in Engineering. All the colleges / institutions imparting polytechnic education are affiliated to these boards/directorates and are also regulated by these Boards / Directorates.
A candidate who has completed his grade 10 can take admission to these polytechnic colleges. He gets a Diploma in Engineering in the respective field (like Diploma in Civil Engineering; Diploma in Electrical Engineering; Diploma in Mechanical Engineering etc.) after successful completion of the course. The duration of the Diploma in Engineering Course is three years. The Diploma holder is eligible to work as a sub engineer/ junior engineer or to peruse higher education. A diploma holder is given admission directly to second year in the course of Bachelor in Engineering (Lateral Entry).
The certificate of Diploma in Engineering is issued by the Board of Technical Education or Directorate of Technical Education of the respective state and not by any university. These boards / directorates are established by the State Governments and certificates issued by them are legal and valid. The universities in India offer degree certificates only for the graduation/post graduation/doctorate courses after grade 12 and above and not for diploma courses after grade 10.
The aim of the polytechnic education is to create a pool of skill based manpower to support shop floor and field operations as a middle level link between technicians and engineers.

Bachelor of Engineering (BE) or Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) is a four year degree course. The students who have completed grade 12 are eligible for admission to the first year of B.E./ B.Tech. course. The students who hold Diploma in Engineering are directly admitted to the second year of B.E./ B.Tech. course (Lateral Entry). The colleges / institutions providing education for B.E/ B.Tech degrees are required to be approved by the AICTE. The Bachelors degree in Engineering / Technology is awarded by the University to which these colleges / institutions are affiliated. Many of these institutions have also been accorded the status of deemed university by the University Grants Commission and they award their own degrees. The candidates having Bachelors degree in Engineering are eligible for taking up jobs as Engineers / perusing master’s degree in Engineering.

The Bachelor and Masters Degree in field of engineering are awarded by the Universities approved by the UGC / the Institutions of National Importance. However, the diploma in engineering is awarded by one of the State Board of Technical Education or Directorate of Technical Education. A list of these State Boards of Technical Education / Directorates of Technical Education issuing the Diplomas in Engineering is available on the website of AICTE website on the following link https://www.aicte-india.org/education/institutions/Board-of-Technical-Education.

NURSING EDUCATION IN INDIA

Indian Nursing Council is a national regulatory body for nurses and nursing education in India. It is an autonomous body under the Government of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, constituted under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947 of Indian parliament. The Indian Nursing Council is responsible for maintaining the standards and uniformity in nursing education. The Indian Nursing Council also coordinates with various State Nursing Councils in this regard.
In India there are 29 states and 7 Union Territories. Almost all the states in India also have their own State Nursing Councils which are statutory bodies. These State Nursing Councils are responsible for regulating the education in nursing courses, prescribing syllabus and curriculum of the diploma, graduate and post graduate courses in nursing. The state councils also register and supervise the practice of the profession by nurses in the respective state. The State Nursing Councils also grant recognition to the institutions imparting education in the field of nursing. Many State Councils also conduct the exams for diploma courses whereas some states have separate state Boards / Directorates of nursing education for conducting the exams of diploma courses in nursing. The diploma certificates for nursing are issued either by the State Nursing Councils or State Board / Directorate of Nursing Education. The examinations for degree courses in nursing are conducted by Universities and the degrees are also awarded by the universities.

The State Nursing Councils are also entrusted with the responsibility of registration of nurses practicing in the State.
Nursing education in India can be completed in the following ways:

Diploma courses in nursing and midwifery
Degree courses in nursing

Diploma courses in Nursing:
Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM): This is a two year diploma course of ANM. The candidate who has passed 10+2 exam is eligible for this course. The exam for this course is conducted by respective state boards/ directorates of medical education as per the guidelines of the State Nursing Councils. The diploma certificate is issued by the state nursing council or state boards/directorates of medical education.
General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM): This is a 3 years diploma course of GNM. The candidate who has passed 10+2 exam is eligible for this course. Candidates having ANM diploma are also eligible for this course. The examination for this course is conducted by the respective state boards/ directorates of medical education as per the guidelines of the State Nursing Councils. The diploma certificate is issued by the state nursing council or state boards/directorates of medical education.
Degree Courses in Nursing:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing [B.Sc. (N)]: This is a 3 years degree course. The candidate who has passed 10+2 exam in science is eligible for this course. The examination for this course is conducted by the University and the degree for the same is also awarded by the University.
Post Basic Bachelor of Science in Nursing [Post B.Sc (N)]: This is a 2 years degree course. The candidate who has passed 10+2 exam and holds a diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery is eligible for this course. The examination for this course is conducted by the University and the degree for the same is also awarded by the University.
Master of Science in Nursing [M.Sc (N)]: This is a 2 years post graduation degree course. The candidate who has passed B.Sc Nursing or Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing is eligible for this course. The examination for this course is conducted by the University and the degree for the same is also awarded by the University.
All the State Nursing Councils and Boards/ Directorate of Nursing Education have the same statutory status and the diplomas offered by all these Nursing Councils / Boards / Directorates are treated equally in India. The list of all the State Nursing Councils is available on the government website of Indian Nursing Council on the following link http://nursingandmidwifery.gov.in/state_nursing_councils.html#.