The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) has announced plans to train 15,000 teachers in information technology and computer sciences in order to update their knowledge.

Nasscom, under the National Faculty Development Programme, is geared up to redesign the syllabus of several tier-II and tier-III technical institutes by providing poor teachers with modern methodologies. Nasscom will soon submit the blueprint to the government.

Nasscom has drawn out a plan which stresses three factors - first-time education, off-line material and mentoring and refreshers' programme - to improve the standard of teaching.

Speaking to the media, Nasscom vice-president Rajdeep Sahrawat said that in the tier-II and tier-III institutes, the faculty members are not in touch with industry. He believes that they are not updated on emerging areas and need special training. 
 

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) 2006 data recorded a total of 1668 engineering institutes in India, out of which only a meagre 15 to 20 per cent are tier-I schools with state-of-the-art facilities. The remainder are not up to the mark. X