AICTE Chairman Urges Greater Investment in Education
AICTE Chairman T.G. Sitharam highlights the need for increased government investment in education, particularly in technical institutions, to address the shortage of teachers and enhance the quality of education in India.
Education InvestmentAicteTechnical EducationTeacher ShortageDigital GovernanceReal Estate PuneOct 09, 2025
The AICTE chairman set out a comprehensive roadmap of regulatory and academic reforms intended to modernise technical and professional education in India. He described a multipronged strategy that emphasises digital governance; strengthens research and innovation ecosystems; and deepens industry integration for employability and large-scale teacher training as well as mainstreaming of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies across non-computer science disciplines.
Sitharam shared that AICTE has been made completely digital and that colleges no longer need to visit AICTE for routine approvals as the regulator will deliver approvals online. AICTE has made research and development (R&D) cells and climate cells mandatory with around 3,000 institutions having already created R&D cells thus far, he said. AICTE will provide a year-long programme of activities so that institutions know what to do to build an R&D culture. Sitharam explained that the R&D push initially focused on engineering colleges will now be expanded to management, design, and other disciplines. Each institution will be expected to establish an R&D cell identified with faculty members and running continuous innovation activities throughout the year.
With regards to AI, AICTE plans to embed AI and technology management across disciplines (civil, mechanical, BBA, BCA, and others) and not just in computer science. Sitharam said he will drive the inclusion of AI and data science content into around 25 curricula. Sitharam noted that there is a shift in student demand for traditional M Tech specialisations and to address this, AICTE is introducing value-added M Tech options such as data science, space technology, and defence technology; and planning futuristic co-engineering programmes in computational science and bioengineering. Model curricula for these emerging programmes are being developed. Pointing to practical National Education Policy (NEP) instruments, Sitharam stressed the role of the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) in allowing learners to accumulate credits from courses taken beyond their home campus, noting NEP’s multiple-entry, multi-disciplinary flexibility that enables students to register for parallel degrees and mix learning pathways.
Sitharam placed skilling at the centre of employability in an era of rapid technological change. “Skilling, upskilling, and reskilling is the order of the day,” he said, warning that even senior faculty and administrators need continual reskilling to stay relevant in a world shaped by AI. Illustrating AI’s power, Sitharam shared an anecdote from the time he had just joined AICTE when he asked ChatGPT to summarise AICTE’s work and upon being presented with a long output, asked it to produce a short poem instead. “In 20 seconds, a beautiful poem was in front of me,” he recalled. “Skills once thought to require genes or decades of apprenticeship in poetic, musical, or artistic composition can now be generated extremely quickly by AI. This is the danger. Every skill will be replaced by AI,” Sitharam warned. The AICTE chairman announced that AICTE will participate in the ‘AI Impact Summit’ which he said will be held in February at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Sitharam singled out Pune’s contribution to digital public infrastructure (DPI), describing India’s DPI as a global exemplar that has redefined ‘numeral literacy’. He concluded by painting a vivid picture of people who cannot read or sign being empowered through digital tools to sell, collect payments, and participate in the formal economy; a social transformation enabled by accessible technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main concern raised by AICTE Chairman T.G. Sitharam?
The main concern raised by AICTE Chairman T.G. Sitharam is the government not investing enough in education, particularly in technical institutions, which is leading to a shortage of teachers.
What reforms is AICTE implementing to modernise technical education?
AICTE is implementing reforms that include digital governance, strengthening research and innovation ecosystems, deepening industry integration, and mainstreaming artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies across various disciplines.
How has AICTE made the approval process more efficient?
AICTE has made the approval process more efficient by becoming completely digital, allowing colleges to receive routine approvals online without the need to visit AICTE.
What is the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and its role in the National Education Policy (NEP)?
The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) is an instrument under the National Education Policy (NEP) that allows learners to accumulate credits from courses taken beyond their home campus, providing flexibility in education and enabling students to register for parallel degrees and mix learning pathways.
Why is AICTE focusing on AI and data science in non-computer science disciplines?
AICTE is focusing on AI and data science in non-computer science disciplines to ensure that students across various fields are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in a technologically advanced world, addressing the shift in student demand for modern specialisations.
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