AICTE's Four New Schemes Aim To Strengthen Colleges Beyond Major Education Hubs The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has launched four schemes under its Institutional Development Cell (IDC) for the academic year 2026–27, aimed at strengthening technical education institutions, promoting innovation and improving infrastructure across the country. AICTE Chairman Professor Yogesh Singh launched the initiatives in the presence of Member Secretary Professor Shyama Rath. The four schemes introduced for the academic year are IDEA Lab, MODROBS, Margdarshan and Grant for Organising Conference (GOC). The initiatives seek to encourage wider participation from institutions across districts, strengthen their institutional capabilities and create more opportunities for innovation and knowledge exchange. The four initiatives cover different aspects of institutional development, from practical learning and laboratory upgrades to academic mentoring and research collaboration. - IDEA Lab: The scheme aims to promote experiential learning by encouraging students to apply Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts to real-world problems. It will provide opportunities for experimentation, prototyping and developing innovative solutions. - MODROBS: The initiative focuses on modernising institutional infrastructure, including laboratories, workshops and computing facilities. The objective is to improve practical training, research and industry-oriented education. - Margdarshan: The scheme seeks to strengthen academic capabilities through mentoring and guidance from established institutions and Centrally Funded Institutions. It will help participating colleges improve academic practices, share resources and work towards better institutional performance. - Grant for Organising Conference (GOC): The scheme aims to support academic conferences at national and international levels, facilitating knowledge exchange among researchers, academicians and subject experts. The initiatives are expected to provide institutions with opportunities to improve their academic infrastructure, encourage research activities and strengthen collaboration across the technical education sector. During the launch, AICTE emphasised the importance of extending institutional development opportunities to colleges across different districts, including those beyond established educational centres. The council said the initiatives would promote equitable access to resources and opportunities, enabling institutions to strengthen their capabilities and contribute to India's evolving technical education ecosystem. Institutions seeking to participate in the schemes will need to refer to the respective AICTE guidelines for details on eligibility, financial assistance and application procedures. Lakshima Sareen is a Senior Copy Editor with the Digital Education Desk at Times Now, specialising in education news, exam updates, and policy reporti... View More