Why is ITPI's recognition of planning colleges under question?
Town planners have questioned ITPI's role in recognising planning institutions after fresh allegations over its authority. The dispute has renewed concerns over regulation, eligibility norms and the quality of planning education in India.
The Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI), the country's leading professional body for town planners, has come under scrutiny after several planners questioned its authority to recognise or accredit planning institutions.
Speaking to India Today, former town planning professor P M Rawal from Pune said ITPI is a registered non-profit professional organisation and not a statutory body created through an Act of Parliament. He said that unlike the Council of Architecture, ITPI has no legal authority to affiliate, accredit or recognise educational institutions.
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING
Rawal explained that ITPI can function as a professional association and grant membership to eligible planners, but it cannot provide statutory recognition to planning schools or academic programmes.
Several planners told India Today that the lack of a statutory regulator, along with the growth of poor-quality planning qualifications, has weakened the profession over the years. They argued that this affects not only education but also urban development, especially when Indian cities are expanding rapidly.
According to them, trained town planners play a key role in solving issues such as traffic congestion, poor road connectivity, waterlogging, inadequate drainage, shortage of public amenities, unplanned land use, slum development, environmental degradation and the loss of heritage. They believe lowering educational standards ultimately affects the quality of city planning.
KSOU AGREEMENT UNDER FOCUS
Former Chief Planner of Karnataka B Mahindra alleged that concerns grew after ITPI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in 2011.
Under the arrangement, candidates who cleared ITPI's Associateship Examination were awarded a Master of Planning (M.Plan) degree by KSOU through a dual-certification programme.
Mahindra alleged that the programme produced hundreds of "fake town planners". According to him, the matter later came under the scrutiny of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and is also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Karnataka Lokayukta.
The controversy deepened after the UGC objected to KSOU's functioning. The regulator said a state university cannot operate outside its territorial jurisdiction through study centres or collaborative institutions. It also stated that professional programmes such as planning, engineering and architecture cannot be offered through distance education or franchising arrangements without approval from the appropriate regulatory authorities.
Planners also alleged that candidates without academic backgrounds in planning, architecture or civil engineering were admitted through hundreds of private study centres, with some allegedly ignoring eligibility rules.
ITPI RESPONDS
India Today found that several planning institutions listed on ITPI's website describe themselves as "recognised" by the organisation, while many colleges make similar claims on their own websites.
Professionals argue that such claims create confusion among students and employers because ITPI has no legal authority to recognise educational institutions.
Responding to India Today, ITPI President Pradeep Kapoor acknowledged that ITPI is a non-statutory body and does not have the authority to affiliate, accredit or recognise planning institutions. He said its role is limited to granting professional membership to eligible planners.
Kapoor added that ITPI would ask institutions to stop claiming they are "recognised" or "accredited" by the organisation and instead mention that graduates from their programmes are eligible to apply for ITPI membership, wherever applicable.
Responding to allegations that inadequately qualified planners continue to emerge through such institutions, Kapoor rejected the claim. On the KSOU dual-certification controversy, he said he was not aware of the matter and would seek details from the ITPI office before commenting further.
The Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI), the country's leading professional body for town planners, has come under scrutiny after several planners questioned its authority to recognise or accredit planning institutions.
Speaking to India Today, former town planning professor P M Rawal from Pune said ITPI is a registered non-profit professional organisation and not a statutory body created through an Act of Parliament. He said that unlike the Council of Architecture, ITPI has no legal authority to affiliate, accredit or recognise educational institutions.
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING
Rawal explained that ITPI can function as a professional association and grant membership to eligible planners, but it cannot provide statutory recognition to planning schools or academic programmes.
Several planners told India Today that the lack of a statutory regulator, along with the growth of poor-quality planning qualifications, has weakened the profession over the years. They argued that this affects not only education but also urban development, especially when Indian cities are expanding rapidly.
According to them, trained town planners play a key role in solving issues such as traffic congestion, poor road connectivity, waterlogging, inadequate drainage, shortage of public amenities, unplanned land use, slum development, environmental degradation and the loss of heritage. They believe lowering educational standards ultimately affects the quality of city planning.
KSOU AGREEMENT UNDER FOCUS
Former Chief Planner of Karnataka B Mahindra alleged that concerns grew after ITPI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in 2011.
Under the arrangement, candidates who cleared ITPI's Associateship Examination were awarded a Master of Planning (M.Plan) degree by KSOU through a dual-certification programme.
Mahindra alleged that the programme produced hundreds of "fake town planners". According to him, the matter later came under the scrutiny of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and is also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Karnataka Lokayukta.
The controversy deepened after the UGC objected to KSOU's functioning. The regulator said a state university cannot operate outside its territorial jurisdiction through study centres or collaborative institutions. It also stated that professional programmes such as planning, engineering and architecture cannot be offered through distance education or franchising arrangements without approval from the appropriate regulatory authorities.
Planners also alleged that candidates without academic backgrounds in planning, architecture or civil engineering were admitted through hundreds of private study centres, with some allegedly ignoring eligibility rules.
ITPI RESPONDS
India Today found that several planning institutions listed on ITPI's website describe themselves as "recognised" by the organisation, while many colleges make similar claims on their own websites.
Professionals argue that such claims create confusion among students and employers because ITPI has no legal authority to recognise educational institutions.
Responding to India Today, ITPI President Pradeep Kapoor acknowledged that ITPI is a non-statutory body and does not have the authority to affiliate, accredit or recognise planning institutions. He said its role is limited to granting professional membership to eligible planners.
Kapoor added that ITPI would ask institutions to stop claiming they are "recognised" or "accredited" by the organisation and instead mention that graduates from their programmes are eligible to apply for ITPI membership, wherever applicable.
Responding to allegations that inadequately qualified planners continue to emerge through such institutions, Kapoor rejected the claim. On the KSOU dual-certification controversy, he said he was not aware of the matter and would seek details from the ITPI office before commenting further.
The Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI), the country's leading professional body for town planners, has come under scrutiny after several planners questioned its authority to recognise or accredit planning institutions.
Speaking to India Today, former town planning professor P M Rawal from Pune said ITPI is a registered non-profit professional organisation and not a statutory body created through an Act of Parliament. He said that unlike the Council of Architecture, ITPI has no legal authority to affiliate, accredit or recognise educational institutions.
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING
Rawal explained that ITPI can function as a professional association and grant membership to eligible planners, but it cannot provide statutory recognition to planning schools or academic programmes.
Several planners told India Today that the lack of a statutory regulator, along with the growth of poor-quality planning qualifications, has weakened the profession over the years. They argued that this affects not only education but also urban development, especially when Indian cities are expanding rapidly.
According to them, trained town planners play a key role in solving issues such as traffic congestion, poor road connectivity, waterlogging, inadequate drainage, shortage of public amenities, unplanned land use, slum development, environmental degradation and the loss of heritage. They believe lowering educational standards ultimately affects the quality of city planning.
KSOU AGREEMENT UNDER FOCUS
Former Chief Planner of Karnataka B Mahindra alleged that concerns grew after ITPI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in 2011.
Under the arrangement, candidates who cleared ITPI's Associateship Examination were awarded a Master of Planning (M.Plan) degree by KSOU through a dual-certification programme.
Mahindra alleged that the programme produced hundreds of "fake town planners". According to him, the matter later came under the scrutiny of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and is also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Karnataka Lokayukta.
The controversy deepened after the UGC objected to KSOU's functioning. The regulator said a state university cannot operate outside its territorial jurisdiction through study centres or collaborative institutions. It also stated that professional programmes such as planning, engineering and architecture cannot be offered through distance education or franchising arrangements without approval from the appropriate regulatory authorities.
Planners also alleged that candidates without academic backgrounds in planning, architecture or civil engineering were admitted through hundreds of private study centres, with some allegedly ignoring eligibility rules.
ITPI RESPONDS
India Today found that several planning institutions listed on ITPI's website describe themselves as "recognised" by the organisation, while many colleges make similar claims on their own websites.
Professionals argue that such claims create confusion among students and employers because ITPI has no legal authority to recognise educational institutions.
Responding to India Today, ITPI President Pradeep Kapoor acknowledged that ITPI is a non-statutory body and does not have the authority to affiliate, accredit or recognise planning institutions. He said its role is limited to granting professional membership to eligible planners.
Kapoor added that ITPI would ask institutions to stop claiming they are "recognised" or "accredited" by the organisation and instead mention that graduates from their programmes are eligible to apply for ITPI membership, wherever applicable.
Responding to allegations that inadequately qualified planners continue to emerge through such institutions, Kapoor rejected the claim. On the KSOU dual-certification controversy, he said he was not aware of the matter and would seek details from the ITPI office before commenting further.
