This is a short summary of the Implementation Completion Report (ICR) of a recently-closed World Bank project. The full text of the ICR is available on the Bank’s website. To access this document, go to www.worldbank.org/reference/ and then opt for the Documents & Reports section.

Third Technician Education Project

Approval Date: 7 September 2000 Closing Date: 30 June 2007 Total Project Cost: US$M 83.41 Bank Financing: US$M 71.00 Implementing Agency: Ministry of Human Resource Development Outcome:  Highly Satisfactory Risk to Developement Outcome:  Moderate Overall Bank Performance:  Moderately Satisfactory Overall Borrower Performance:  Satisfactory

Context
Liberalization of the Indian economy, its gradual integration with the world economy and rapid transformation into a knowledge-based society are increasing the demand for a well-trained workforce – a workforce that is not only literate and has mastered specific skills, but is also able to acquire new skills and knowledge independently. The pace of change and the intensity of competition are both likely to increase as the economy continues to reform.

The northeastern states, Sikkim and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with comparatively small populations, have already achieved rates of primary and secondary school enrolments and literacy that are much higher than the national average. Despite this, these states/union territory have not been able to benefit much from the ongoing economic reforms in India due to several disadvantages like difficult terrain, extremely low population densities, and lack of competent technical manpower.

Project Development Objectives
The objective is to assist the industrially and economically underdeveloped, and geographically remote states of the northeastern region (Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura), Jammu & Kashmir, and the union territory (UT) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands to expand capacity and improve the quality and efficiency of technician (polytechnic) education to meet the specific economic needs of each state. The Project also aimed at increasing access of some disadvantage sections of society (women, scheduled tribes, and rural youth) to technician education and training.

Project Components
The Project covering a total of 12 existing and six new polytechnics in the eight Project states had three components:

• Developing/expanding capacity to provide increased access to technician education;
• Enhancing quality of education to produce better trained technicians; and
• Improving efficiency through better planning, administration and utilization of the system and increasing its responsiveness to emerging labor market needs.

• At mid-term review, cost savings permitted inclusion of three new polytechnics, thereby increasing enrolment capacity.
• The Project scaled-up support to technical and vocational education and training.
• The Project was extended by one year because the mountainous and rocky construction sites required unforeseen groundwork.

1. It assisted the Government of India (GOI) and state governments in expanding enrolment by 388 percent, improving quality (83 percent of graduates are either employed or accepted in further education) and raising efficiency (utilization rate of seats increased from 58 percent to 84 percent).
2. The Project increased access to disadvantaged sections of society. Intake of both women and SC/ST students increased five-fold in absolute numbers.
3. Achievements exceeded expectations in three key areas:
   – Three additional and new institutions were created reaching further remote and under-served areas;
   – Improvements in quality were externally certified through accreditation and ISO-9000 certification;
   – These improvements were achieved while lowering annual recurrent per student costs by 35 percent in real terms.
4. Student intake capacity increased from 3,630 at the baseline to 9,133 (252 percent and 122 percent achievement of target).
5. Seven out of 10 of the graduates from the 05/06 batch of students found employment.

• Quality and relevance of education drives demand for technical education and is necessary to increased efficiency.
• The Project showed best practice on provision of learning and knowledge sharing opportunities.
• Low demand and prestige of technician education can be overcome.
• The Project successfully linked policy changes with investments and capacity building.
• Soft skills are highly valuable and teachable.
• There is an urgent need to increase availability of qualified faculty staffing in India.
• Female enrolment in technician education can be increased significantly by targeted interventions.
• The importance of industry involvement in technical education cannot be overemphasized.