The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs met and approved the proposal for initiation of the Third Phase of Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP). The project will be implemented as a ‘Central Sector Scheme’ with total project outlay of Rs. 3600 crore.

• the project would be initiated with a cost of Rs. 2660 crore, with the possibility of additional financing of Rs. 940 crore at later stage. Out of the Rs.2660 crore, the Central share will be Rs.1330 crore and external assistance from the World Bank through International Development Association (IDA) Credit of Rs. 1330 crore.

• The project will be implemented with the facility of Direct Funds Transfer to the accounts of beneficiary institutes. The project will be initiated in the current year and will be co-terminus with Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC)2019-20,

The major outcomes of the project

. Better academic standards, through accreditation, filling up faculty positions, training faculty in better teaching methods, improved research outputs in institution in Focus States/UTs.

. Better administration of the institutions with improved financial/academic autonomy.

. Better systems for assessment of Student Learning, higher transition rates.

. Transparent and expeditious release of funds to institutes by way of Direct Funds Transfer (DFT) System.

An estimated 200 government or government-aided engineering institutes and Affiliating Technical Universities (ATUs) including the Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) will be selected.

• The focus states are the seven low income states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; the three hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand; the eight north eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

• The Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP) commenced in 2003 with World Bank assistance as a long term programme to be implemented in three phases. The first phase of TEQIP commenced in 2003 and ended on March 31, 2009. It covered 127 institutes across 13 states, including 18 Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs).

• TEQIP-II commenced in August 2010, covering 23 States/Union Territories (UTs) and 191 Institutes (including 26 CFTIs). TEQIP-II is scheduled to conclude in October, 2016. Both projects have had a positive impact on the infrastructure and educational standards in the technical institutions where they were taken up.