I joined teaching profession after eight years of working as an architect of which first four were as a site architect. I continued with both teaching and practice, though balancing both on a full time basis was a challenge. Armed with only a B.Arch. (Hons.) degree I developed two schools of architecture from scratch, (Pillais’ college of Architecture, New Panvel, Maharashtra,  and M.E.S. school of Architecture, Kuttiippuram, Kerala), working in each till three batches passed out.

I did PhD just because I wanted to, and quit full time teaching profession altogether the day I was awarded PhD by the same institution which awarded me the B.Arch. (Hons.), Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. I believed in technology of Architecture when everyone around me proclaimed architecture as mother of all arts. Today I believe that architecture is mother of all technologies applied and that architect ought to be a humane, socially and culturally conscious professional capable of balancing man made technologies with natural systems to design spaces.

Now that the number of schools have gone up to 440 and still rising, only decentralized monitoring structure would work to ensure quality of teaching and learning. Hence Council of Architecture must take a bow, step behind and leave it to the universities and schools affiliated to them.

Here are 11 things to do for a change...

1. University gives the degree, which Council accepts for awarding license to practice. Council should inspect universities and not schools of architecture.

2. Universities must have a strong Board of Studies for UG and PG courses with practicing architects, teachers of architecture and allied disciplines OF THE REGION to oversee architectural education in the region.

3. Universities must have a cap on number of schools they can affiliate.

4. Universities must have unique syllabus for architecture that addresses the needs of the local climate, architectural heritage and history.

5. Universities must organize expert committee visits to schools under their umbrella by inviting professionals from other region accompanied by one nominated member of Council of Architecture.

6. Universities must create funding for technology up-gradation, teacher training etc. with help from UGC. 

7. Universities must decide which cities or region under their jurisdiction should have a school of architecture.

8. Universities must organize inter school exchange programmes of faculty and also collaborate with universities abroad for exchange programme for students and faculty.

9. It must be compulsory for all universities to have a faculty of architecture and built environment, thus ensuring equitable distribution of opportunities for learning, teaching and professional practice across the country.

10. Council as a statutory body could concentrate on better architectural practice, licensing norms with examinations, continuing education program for architects with building and allied industry participation... all this with close cooperation with the professional body of Indian Institute of Architects.

11. In fact if increasing architects population is the sole objective of Council, the Indian Institute of Architects apprenticeship based part 1,2,3 stage wise program should be revived for civil engineers to become architects with Council’s support. 

All of the above will ensure a self reliant educational system producing architects capable of bringing out the best of our regional identities and culture of building in a country with such diverse climates and centuries old unique architectural heritage anywhere in the world... it will be possible for our universities to attract scholars from all over the world to study the uniqueness of our vernacular and traditional built environment... we better do it before all of this vanishes into the black hole of global anonymity...

-Dr. Harimohan Pillai