The AICTE-Margdarshan Scheme was introduced in 2018 by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to enhance the quality of technical education in India. The scheme facilitates mentoring relationships between well-established institutions (referred to as Mentor Institutes or Margdarshan Institutes) and Mentee Beneficiary Institutes (MBIs). The objective is to guide technical institutes toward achieving accreditation, fostering a culture of outcome-based education (OBE), and improving overall institutional performance.
Key Components
- Margdarshan Institute (MI):
- A well-established AICTE-approved institute or Centrally Funded Institute (such as IITs, NITs, IIITs, IISc, IISERs, IIMs).
- Mentors up to 10 nearby institutes in achieving accreditation.
- Provides guidance on best practices, project proposals, and outcome-based education.
- Mentee Beneficiary Institute (MBI):
- Institutes located within 200 km of the MI.
- Receive mentorship on improving educational standards, achieving accreditation, and implementing quality initiatives.
- Participation is voluntary and formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the MI.
Objectives of the Margdarshan Scheme
- Facilitate the accreditation process for technical institutes.
- Promote outcome-based education (OBE) and quality improvement in technical education.
- Encourage research, innovation, and entrepreneurship among faculty and students.
- Enhance student employability and faculty productivity through professional development.
- Align institutional activities with national educational goals and industrial needs.
Benefits
For Margdarshan Institute (MI):
- Grant-in-aid: ₹ 3,00,000 per MBI (up to ₹ 30,00,000 for mentoring 10 MBIs).
- Honorarium:
- ₹ 3,000/day for serving/retired academicians as internal experts.
- 4% of the total grant can be allocated for staff honorarium.
- Travel Allowances (TA):
- AC 2-tier accommodation/chair car for train travel.
- Reimbursement for taxi/own car as per government rates.
- Local Support:
- Lodging, boarding, and secretarial support provided by the MBI during visits.
For Mentee Beneficiary Institute (MBI):
- Access to workshops, FDPs, and mentorship sessions on accreditation processes.
- Guidance on research projects, infrastructure development, and curriculum reform.
- Institutional visits to mentor institutes and other accredited institutions.
- Benchmarking exercises and goal-setting for achieving accreditation.
- Exposure to innovative teaching methodologies, entrepreneurship, and industry collaborations.
Suggested Activities for MBIs
- General Activities:
- Workshops on the accreditation process and SWOT analysis.
- FDPs on infrastructure development and project proposals.
- Guest lectures on faculty motivation, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
- Institutional visits to mentor institutes and accredited institutions.
- Ideation sessions for curriculum reforms and teaching-learning innovations.
- Institutional Reforms:
- Implementing curricular reforms and enhancing student performance.
- Performance appraisal of faculty and promoting research activities.
- Assisting in organizing faculty development programs.
- Quality Improvement:
- Improving student learning outcomes and employability.
- Increasing faculty productivity through professional development.
- Participation in NIRF ranking activities and AICTE initiatives.
Eligibility Criteria
For Margdarshan Institute (MI):
- AICTE-approved or Centrally Funded Institutes (CFIs) like IITs, NITs, IIITs.
- Must have valid accreditation for at least 6 months from the date of proposal submission.
- Institutions with management, hotel management, or diploma courses must have valid accreditation for at least 6 months.
- Diploma-only institutes can apply if they run at least four accredited diploma courses.
For Mentee Beneficiary Institute (MBI):
- Must be AICTE-approved.
- Should not have:
- Been enrolled as an MI previously.
- Been mapped with any other MI.
- Any accredited programs in the last 10 years.
Exclusions
For Margdarshan Institute (MI):
- Institutions with a break in AICTE approval or no admissions in the past 10 years.
- Institutions under the same management/board/parent trust already functioning as an MI.
- Proposals with only UG courses accredited cannot mentor MBIs seeking PG accreditation.
For Mentee Beneficiary Institute (MBI):
- Institutes under the same management/board/parent trust as the MI are ineligible.
- Institutes that have been previously mapped with another MI.
Application Process
- Prepare the Application:
- Forward the application signed by the Head of the Institute along with a Detailed Project Report (DPR).
- Verify Documentation:
- Ensure every page of the application is signed and stamped by the Head of the Institute.
- Attach all essential documents and supporting materials.
- Submission:
- Send the completed application and DPR to the address specified in the AICTE circular released from time to time.
Documents Required
- Basic details of the institution.
- List of proposed MBIs in the DPR.
- Consent letters from all MBIs.
- Program-wise pre-qualifiers (Diploma/UG/PG) for each MBI.
- Self-undertaking by the MI.
- Details of proposed activities.
- Mandate form for grant-in-aid disbursement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the Margdarshan Scheme?
A scheme by AICTE to improve the quality of technical education through mentorship between well-established institutes and nearby technical institutes. - What is the role of a Margdarshan Institute (MI)?
An MI mentors up to 10 nearby institutes (MBIs) to help them achieve accreditation and improve educational quality. - Who manages the scheme?
The scheme is managed by AICTE. - What are the benefits for MIs?
MIs receive a grant-in-aid of up to ₹ 30,00,000 and honorariums for staff and internal experts. - What are the benefits for MBIs?
MBIs gain access to mentorship, workshops, and institutional reforms aimed at achieving accreditation. - What is the eligibility for an MI?
AICTE-approved or centrally funded institutes with valid accreditation for at least 6 months. - What is the eligibility for an MBI?
AICTE-approved institutes with no accredited programs in the past 10 years. - How many MBIs can an MI mentor?
Up to 10 institutes. - How long does the MI nomination last?
The tenure is subject to AICTE guidelines and the completion of mentoring activities. - Can institutions under the same management participate as MIs and MBIs?
No, institutions under the same management/board/trust cannot participate in this arrangement.
Sources & References
- AICTE Margdarshan Scheme Guidelines
- Official Website: https://www.aicte-india.org/
Email: support@aicte-india. org
Phone: +91-11-2958-1234