On the occasion of Engineers’ Day, celebrated on September 15, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) unveiled a set of new initiatives aimed at boosting employability among engineering graduates and bridging the gap between industry and academia.

 

The reforms were launched by Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary of Higher Education, Government of India. Key measures include Project PRACTICE (Project for Advancing Critical Thinking, Industry Connect and Employability), the AICTE Research Internship (ARI) Portal, and a mandate requiring all approved institutes to set up Research and Development Cells as well as Climate Cells.

 

At the core of this effort is Project PRACTICE, which will support around 1,000 tier-2 and tier-3 colleges that often face challenges in meeting academic benchmarks. Over the next three years, the programme is expected to reach nearly 20 lakh students and 10,000 faculty members through project-based learning, real-world industry assignments, and targeted skill development.

 

The initiative carries a joint funding of Rs 23.31 crore, contributed equally by AICTE and its partners—Maker Bhavan Foundation, LEAP, and CRISP.

 

Adding a digital edge, AICTE also announced that students would receive free access to AI-powered platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity Go. The goal is to encourage students to focus less on routine work and more on innovation, research, and problem-solving.

 

AICTE Chairman Professor T.G. Sitharam said that the initiatives are not limited to employability but are also intended to promote innovation, support sustainability, and build stronger collaboration between industry and academia.

 

The ARI Portal, launched alongside Project PRACTICE, is designed to connect students with research-driven internship opportunities. Meanwhile, the mandated R&D and Climate Cells in every institute are expected to nurture innovation while also raising awareness about environmental challenges among engineering students.

 

R. Subrahmanyam of CRISP, one of AICTE’s partner organisations, stressed that these steps would be especially beneficial for underserved institutions, helping them close the gap with top engineering colleges.