NITI Aayog’s Rajiv Kumar Panel to reform Urban Planning Education System

October 23, 2020

The NITI Aayog recently constituted a 14-member panel to reform the urban planning education system. The panel is to be headed by Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog. The other members of the panel are Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog, secretaries of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Education.

About the Panel

The panel will review urban planning education system and examine the availability, supply and demand of qualified urban planners in India. It will review the current system in terms of curriculum, multi-disciplinary and other issues at post graduate and graduate levels.

Amitabh Kant committee

This committee was formed by NITI Aayog in June 2020. The committee is formed of top executives of technology companies such as Google, Tech Mahindra and Microsoft. The committee was formed to develop a platform that will help migrant workers who have lost their jobs during lock down to find better employment opportunities.

What is Urban Planning Education?

It is a practice of learning and teaching urban theory, professional practices and studies. It involves interaction between professional planners, public officials on planning process. Formal education of urban planning is provided as a degree in city, urban or regional planning.

In India, urban planning education began in 1941. However, very few institutes in the country are providing the course.

Urban Planning in India

The major turning point in urban planning in India was done through the 1992 constitutional amendment. This 74^th amendment empowered the Urban Local Bodies to function as institutions of self-governance. Today, the urban planning in India is done through these local bodies.