Make us "Aatmanirbhar", less dependent on other nations: AICTE to institutes

NEW DELHI: The All Indian Council for Technical Education (AICTE), has urged its approved universities and institutions to “be vocal and buy local” to avoid dependence on other nations. It has also urged institutions to encourage students and teachers to work on the development of alternative mobile apps, products and technologies.

In his letter addressed to all Vice-Chancellors and directors of institutions, AICTE chairman, Anil Sahasrabudhe refers to the ongoing border tension and urges institutions to “make India self-reliant and help achieve the national goal of being 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat’”. He does not mention China.

Sahasrabudhe writes: “The recent border turmoil, additionally, has forced the nation, as a whole, to introspect about the alternatives and to avoid dependence on other nations about our needs and requirements. One of the glowing examples is the manufacture of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and N95 masks. While we were dependent on imports for these items, the COVID-19 pandemic has made us not only self-reliant but also export them. A crisis has been turned into an opportunity.”

New award for tech

He has urged heads of institutions to encourage teachers and students for development of alternative apps, products and technologies through innovative ideas and research to make India the “primary source for meeting all global needs and requirements”.

The council has also instituted an award for institutions which would work in this area in the form of Utkrusht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award.

Recently Human Resource Development Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ also urged the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to develop apps as an alternative to chinese apps.

On June 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs banned 59 Chinese apps including Tik-Tok, Shareit, CamScanner and UC Browser. The MHA order stated that it received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of these apps for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner.

Also read:

• AICTE Revises Academic Calendar: PGDM classes from July 15, Engineering from August 17
  
• AICTE reduces duration of MCA degree course to 2 years
  

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