New Delhi: The Planning Commission in a bid to address the demand for teachers in higher education has sought reforms, which includes necessary under-graduate and optional post-graduate teaching assignments for all PhD students.

The search for quality faculty for 1,465 new technical institutions, which are expected to be functional by the end of March 2012, has led the Commission to review its mid-term policy of all schemes implemented in the 11th Five Year Plan.

The new institutions include 30 central universities, eight Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) each, 10 National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and 1000 polytechnics.

"As is a global practice, the PhD students should undertake undergraduate teaching assignment as well as conduct tutorials and seminars," said the review, to be discussed with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at a Commisison's meeting on Saturday.

A senior panel official said that, “Last year the PM asked us to highlight the grey areas in the existing schemes as well as to suggest remedial measures. These measures if accepted by the government would then be incorporated in the existing schemes."

The panel wants scientists with PhD degrees working in research laboratories of public and private sectors who will be employed as visiting faculty, lifting of ban on recruitment in professional courses, higher allowance of retired faculty hired on contract, new vision for old and major state universities and better private participation in research projects.

The panel expresses concern over the recent trend of skewed intake in certain engineering courses such as civil engineering which comes in its way of achieving the target of 20-25% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education by 2015.

The University Grants Commission's (UGC's) action plan was also found to be wanting by the Planning Commission as it lacked core elements such as periodicity of curriculum revision and necessary components such as tutorials and seminars in the semester system.

The mid-day meal scheme was also reviewed by the panel which suggested a periodic third party evaluation. It has suggested that special schools should be made operational under the Right To Education (RTE) Act in slum areas and make it compulsory for all school teachers to be tech-savvy.