The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development (HRD), headed by Janardan Dwivedi, has come down heavily on the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for irregularities and non-transparency in granting recognition and approval of institutes, failing to undertake growth and forecast surveys of technical education, lack of co-ordination with state governments, weak institutional linkages and lack of control on institutes offering programmes from foreign universities.

The committee cited the lopsided development of technical education in the country with the majority of institutes concentrated in peninsular India. Stating that the coordinated development of technical education in the country at all levels was an important function assigned to the council, the committee noted with concern that the "concentration of institutions in specific regions is the testimony of extent of regional imbalance." It added, "The council has been spending its entire energy, time and resources only on one function, that is, grant of approval for starting new institutions and introduction of new courses. Even on that account, many of the approved institutes do not fulfill minimum standards and prescribed criteria with respect to infrastructure, number of faculty members etc. It has also been pointed out that the procedure for granting recognition and approval is not only complicated but suffers from irregularities and non-transparency. A time bound system for the approval process may be placed on the website and accountability for deviations needs to be assigned to secure transparency and minimise harassment."

Furthermore, the AICTE had failed to undertake any survey of technical education, leaving thereby the crucial mandate of making forecast about the needed growth and development in the field unattended so far. It also pointed out that of the 68 institutes in the country offering programmes of foreign universities, 62 are operating 'without any apparent control' while the council authorities have remained a 'helpless witness'.

The report was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday.