The National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019

On 13 February 2029, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries announced the National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill - 2019 in the upper house. The bill announces specific institutes of entrepreneurship, food technology, and management as institutions of national interest.

These institutes are-

  • The Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur.
  • National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management Kundli,

Important key features of the bill

Functions of the institutes the functions of the institutes include:
  • providing for research, instruction and knowledge distribution in the field of technology and food science
  • holding examinations and granting certificates, degrees, diplomas and other academic distinctions
  • making appointments for academic and other posts, excluding Director.
  • determining and collecting fees and other charges,
Board of Governors The Bill provides for a Board of Governors, which will be the main executive authority of the institute. The Board will be responsible for the direction, control and general superintendence of the affairs of the institute.
The functions and power of the Board include:
  • The analysis and approving annual budget estimates and development plans,
  • Taking decisions for administrative policies
  • Establishing schools of studies, faculties or departments, and starting courses or programmes of study,
  • creating administrative, academic, and other posts, and determining their appointment and tenure of service.
The Board The Board will encompass 16 members including:
  • the Director, Registrar, Dean, and other faculty members
  • representatives of state and central governments
  • representatives of the food processing industry.
  • a Chairperson, who is a well-known person in the field of food science, management, or technology or other such field,
  • representatives of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ,
Senate The Senate will be the institute’s principal academic body and it will be accountable for maintenance of standards of education, instruction, and examination in the institute.
Its members will include:
  • the Director as the Chairperson, and the Registrar
  • all full-time faculty at the level of a Professor, and
  • three academicians designated by the Board from the fields of technology, management and food science.
The Council The Bill provides for the set up of a Council for coordinating activities of all institutes and facilitating interactions for the improvement of performance. Its functions include reviewing the achievement of policy objectives and laying down the policy framework for the functioning of the institutes among others.
The Council will encompass 13 members including:
  • the Minister of the State for Food Processing Industries,
  • the Minister of Food Processing Industries as the Chairperson,
  • representatives of the ministries related to finance, higher education and food processing,
  • the Chairperson of FSSAI, and the CEO of NITI Aayog
  • three academicians and three industry representatives
Funds The Bill needs each institute to maintain a fund for meeting its expenditure. It will be credited with funds received from the union government and other sources, including fees and other charges. The accounts of each institute will be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
Disputes settlement As per Bill, any skirmish or dispute arising out of a contract between the employees and institute will be referred to a Arbitration Tribunal. The Tribunal will include a nominee of the concerned employee, an institute appointee, and a referee appointed by the union government. The decision of the Tribunal will be final, after which the matter cannot be raised in any civil court. In addition, Provisions of other laws related to arbitration will not apply to arbitrations under these tribunals.
Ordinances and Statutes The Bill provides for the structuring of Ordinances and Statutes for each institute with guidelines regarding academic and administrative matters. The Ordinances and Statutes will be structured by the Senate and the Board respectively. The first Statute of each institute will be structured by the Council with the previous permission of the union government.

Implication of the bill

  • The law would provide for functional autonomy to the institutes to develop and design courses, undertake research activities and leverage enhanced status in their academic pursuits, so that they become world-class institutes.
  • The institutes would also undertake special outreach activities for the advantages of concerned stakeholders and would implement the reservation policy of the Government.
  • It would facilitate the institutes to provide research experience by adopting innovative practices and world-class teaching.