On Engineers’ Day, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) rolled out three exciting new initiatives to boost India’s technical education system. These moves aim to make engineering learning more practical, innovative, and job-ready for students across the country.
Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary of Higher Education in the Government of India, kicked off the launches. He unveiled Project PRACTICE, the AICTE Research Internship (ARI) Portal, and the AICTE R&D Cell along with Climate Cells in all approved institutions. The event saw key figures like AICTE Chairman Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Vice Chairman Dr. Abhay Jere, Member Secretary Prof. Shyama Rath, CRISP Founder & CEO R. Subrahmanyam, and former CSIR-CBRI Director Prof. R.K. Bhandari.
Let’s dive into Project PRACTICE, the star of the show. This program targets 1,000 engineering and technology colleges in tier-2 and tier-3 cities—those often struggling with lower academic results. It introduces project-based learning, real-world industry projects, and skills training to sharpen employability. Backed by partners like Maker Bhavan Foundation (MBF), LEAP, and CRISP, the initiative has a Rs 23.31 crore budget, split equally between AICTE and its collaborators.
Over the next three years, Project PRACTICE will directly reach 20 lakh students and 10,000 faculty members. It promises stronger ties between colleges and industries, sparking innovation in India’s engineering landscape. Dr. Joshi highlighted how students from smaller institutions have already shone by creating drones for national security. He stressed the government’s push to break down barriers in technical education and announced free access to AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity Go. This lets students skip boring routine work and dive into research and critical thinking.
Prof. T.G. Sitharam, AICTE Chairman, shared his thoughts at the event. “AICTE doesn’t just train engineers for jobs—we build leaders for innovation and nation-building,” he said. He explained how Project PRACTICE will revamp project-based learning and boost industry-academia links, especially in colleges with huge untapped potential. The new Research Internship Portal opens doors to real research gigs, while Climate Cells in institutions will promote eco-friendly practices and support India’s sustainable development goals.
R. Subrahmanyam from CRISP pointed out that Project PRACTICE zeros in on overlooked, non-elite colleges. “We’re helping these institutions grow and join the mainstream of quality technical education and innovation,” he added.
Prof. R.K. Bhandari praised AICTE’s bold step, calling the goal of transforming 1,000 rural engineering colleges—benefiting 10,000 faculty and 5 lakh students—a game-changer. He lauded the focus on critical thinking, industry connections, and employability skills.
With over 30 lakh students in 5,868 AICTE-approved engineering and diploma colleges, these initiatives tackle the employability gap head-on, especially in hot fields like AI, data science, and cloud computing. By blending critical thinking, hands-on projects, and sustainability, AICTE is paving the way for India to become a global leader in innovation-driven technical education.
Dr. Hemant Kankia from Maker Bhavan Foundation echoed this in a video message: “This will supercharge innovation and practical learning for students and faculty alike.” Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also commended AICTE, reaffirming the government’s dedication to quality, innovation, and inclusivity in engineering education—aligning perfectly with the vision of a developed India (Viksit Bharat).
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