The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has launched 500 offline ATAL Faculty Development Programs (FDPs) for the academic year 2026-27. The programme was inaugurated by Yogesh Singh, the Chairman of AICTE, in New Delhi.

In his inaugural speech, Singh highlighted the significance of FDPs in providing quality training for faculty members. He emphasized the importance of practical experience, project-oriented learning, lab-centered learning, and tech-enabled education in technical training.

Singh remarked, “Technology is essential for speeding up the country's development. FDPs serve as a key tool to enhance the technical education system, enabling the Nation to cultivate more technological proficiency.”

He further emphasized that this initiative reflects AICTE’s commitment to fostering ongoing professional growth and enhancing the quality of technical education in India.

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Shyama Rath, Member Secretary of AICTE, praised the initiative and encouraged faculty to engage in the FDPs to enhance students' preparedness for a workforce ready for the future.

The offline FDPs aim to encourage a culture of ongoing professional development, with 500 foundational six-day courses scheduled for this year. Moreover, 50 advanced FDPs will be conducted, each lasting two weeks. Only institutions approved by AICTE can apply for the offline ATAL FDPs. These initiatives seek to improve faculty members' expertise and capabilities for successful student teaching.

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The application portal is now accessible, enabling institutions to submit their applications up to April 13. Organizations can start implementing FDPs starting June 15.

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The FDPs encompass 17 key areas, including Advanced Materials, Rare-earth and Critical Minerals; Semiconductors; Space and Defense; Blue Economy and Green Economy; High Performance Computing; Energy, Sustainability and Climate Change; Advanced Computing like Supercomputing, AI, and Data Science; Next Generation Communications; Smart Cities and Mobility; Agrotech and Food Processing; Health Care and Med-Tech; Disaster Management and Resilient Infrastructure; Manufacturing and Industry 4.0; Quantum Technology; Hydrogen Energy; Cyber Physical Systems and Cyber Security; along with various other emerging technology fields.