For degrees, the UGC is the regulator. While for diplomas, the AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) is the regulator, at least partly. Neither has delivered quality. To quote from the NKC again: “NKC advocates good governance rather than the prevalent system of a priori control being exercised by AICTE in this sphere. The current regulatory regime focuses on punitive actions rather than on nurturing institutions. NKC proposes that an autonomous Standing Committee for Management Education be set up under the Independent Regulatory Authority for Higher Education (IRAHE).” Though not very strongly worded, the recommendation is that the AICTE needs to be scrapped.

It is doubtful that management was ever meant to be classified as “technical” education. Technical education started with sugar, textiles, leather and stuff like that. That’s what the governor general’s policy statement of 1913 on technical education said. The AICTE Act’s (1987) definition of technical education also shows this, with management education not quite belonging with the others. “Technical education means programmes of education, research and training in engineering technology, architecture, town planning, management, pharmacy and applied arts and crafts.” AICTE accreditation is not mandatory. What’s particularly telling is that several good institutes do not want it. Nor for that matter do companies who come for recruitment. AICTE accreditation is neither necessary nor sufficient to ensure a programme’s quality. Reason enough to scrap the AICTE, without waiting for the IRAHE.

The writer is a Delhi-based economist express@expressindia.com