New Delhi: In yet another decision on "detoxification" of the education system, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh today (Nov 3, 2004) said the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will have a new head soon.

Speaking at a national summit organised by Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM), he said many hurdles had been "created" in the development path of technical institutions "especially by those assigned to smoothen the way of these institutions."

"The present regime of AICTE is coming to an end this month. It would soon be followed with new setups and new directives along with the new team at the helm of the affairs," he said.

There has been speculation for sometime that AICTE chairman R Natarajan, appointed during Murli Manohar Joshi's tenure, may be replaced as Singh was believed to be unhappy about the working of the regulator.

Singh said he hoped that with this move, "regulators would become facilitators for technical institutions in every sense of the term and not obstructers."

AICTE is tasked with overseeing the working of technical institutes, including management and engineering.

Singh said in the current scenario, managers had to be "very careful" so that a balance was maintained between corporate growth and social equity.

"While liberalisation is important, we should remember to wipe the tear of every poor person," he said.