Technical Education: The HRD ministry caters to programmes at diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and research levels. Technical education deals with courses and programmes in engineering, technology, management, architecture, town planning, pharmacy, applied arts and crafts.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is the statutory body for proper planning and coordinated development of the technical education system and maintenance of norms and standards. It was set up in 1945 and later given statutory status in 1987 by an Act of Parliament.

AICTE has set up National Board of Accreditation (NBA), a quality-controlling arm for conducting evaluation of technical programmes on the basis of prescribed guidelines, norms and standards. Under the technical education system, there are seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), six Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore), Indian School of Mines (Dhanbad), School of Planning and Architecture (New Delhi), National Institutes of Technology.

Secondary Education

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT): An apex resource organisation which assists and advises the Central and State governments on academic matters related to school education.

It undertakes programmes related to research, development, training, extension, international cooperation, publication and dissemination of educational information.

The most recent intervention was the development of National Curriculum Framework-2005, preparation of guidelines, syllabi and textbooks for different subjects of different classes.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE): An autonomous body working under the aegis of the HRD ministry, set up in 1929. Its main objectives are affiliating institutions in and outside the country, conduct annual exams at the end of Class X and XII, conduct entrance exams to professional courses for admission into medical and engineering colleges, update and design curriculum.

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