AICTE Allows 20% Faculty At Technical Institutes To Be Persons From Industry
AICTE : The All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has allowed 20 per cent of total faculty strength at technical institutions under it to be ‘Professor of Practice’, which includes assistant and associate professor categories as well, a major change announced in the addendum to its approval process handbook released for 2025-26 academic session.
According to the addendum, in all technical programmes, institutions may avail the services of ‘Professor of Practice’ (with rich industry experience) for teaching students against the faculty strength.
“Maximum percentage of faculty members engaged as PoP within the required faculty strength (cadre ratio) in engineering and technology is 20 per cent wherein 5 per cent is exclusively reserved for women PoPs/associate/assistant (on regular basis),” the addendum document released earlier this month, stated.
Pop will be counted in the student:faculty ratio, it added.
Professor of Practice’ (PoP) refers to a category of positions in academic institutions, referring to people from the industry, who can be appointed by higher education institutions to teach for a fixed term. PoP scheme was introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in August 2022 as part of the new National Education Policy (NEP) to bring industry expertise into academic institutions to improve the quality of higher education.
AICTE member secretary Rajive Kumar said that one of the important changes brought this year is allowing 20 per cent of the faculty to be persons from the industry and the different categories including assistant and associate professor within it as well across degree and diploma courses.
“We have allowed assistant and associates PoPs as well this year with the view that the younger professionals are savvier for technology and are open to adopt new teaching tools and methodology. This will help bring a varied expertise from skilled professionals in technical institutions,” said Kumar.
The addendum aims to streamline and simplify the approval process for technical institutions across India, he added.
Also, Kumar said that the approval process has been further simplified by opening multiple windows for institutions in different regions in phases. “This has been done to avoid heavy rush on the application portal at the same time,” he said.
Another key change brought about by the Council this year is the introduction of hybrid mode of Expert Visit Committee (EVC), to “maintain transparency and accountability”, according to the addendum document.
EVC is a panel of experts that visits institutions before granting them final approval for functioning or renewal.
Last year was the first time when the Council had brought out the approval process handbook for three years, which is to remain valid from 2024-25 to 2026-27. The changes brought out by the Council this November are in the addendum released to the existing handbook for 2025-26, which also includes several amendments.
Previously, the handbook used to be released every year. The handbook acts as a roadmap for all institutions seeking approval from it to run programmes/courses falling under its ambit.
Also, until last year the Council allowed institutions to avail services of ‘Adjunct Faculty’ (part-time faculty) up to 15 per cent of the required faculty strength, which has now been done away with.
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