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COMMUNITY POLYTECHNICS AND INFORMATION REFERRAL SYSTEM The Ministry of HRD started a scheme called "Community Polytechnics" in 1978 with the idea of utilizing the technical expertise, the equipment and student resources for rural development. They designated some selected polytechnics as "Community Polytechnics" and gave them funds for this work. In a review of the scheme in 1987, it was found that while most of them had established a base in the village society, their work had involved neither the staff, nor the students and certainly it had little to do with the normal educational programme of the polytechnic. The review suggested a way of linking the technical education programme to the rural development. 1. First, the staff and students will select projects for the final year students, (as required by the syllabus) which relate to real life conditions and which are also good for practical experience for the students. Projects which are of relevance to the real life problems of the rural areas can be selected. These could relate to cost reduction or increase in productivity of existing operations or design of new processes for existing needs. This is thus normal development work and not "rural development” Rural Development Through Education System 56
