Technical Education contributes significantly to the country’s economic and social development by training and providing technical manpower at various levels to meet the requirement of industry and other organizations in Engineering and Technological areas.

At present the State has three Polytechnics in 3 different districts offering a 3 years Diploma course and a two year post Diploma course.

Shillong Polytechnic

• Civil Engineering (60 annual intake of students)
• Electrical (30 annual intake of students)
• Mechanical (30 annual intake of students)
• Electronics (30 annual intake of students)
• Computer Science & Engineering (30 annual intake of students)
• Two year Post diploma course in Information Technology (20 annual intake of students)

Tura Polytechnic

• Medical Electronics (30 annual intake of students)
• Computer Application (30 annual intake of students)
• Food Processing & Preservation (30 annual intake of students)

Jowai Polytechnic

• Automobile Engineering (30 annual intake of students)
• Architectural Assistantship (30 annual intake of students)
• Costume Design & Garment Technology (30 annual intake of students)

All the courses in all the three Polytechnics have been approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Shillong Polytechnic was established in the year 1965, Tura & Jowai Polytechnics were established in the year 2004 under the World Bank Assisted Third Technician Education Project (Tech. Ed. III). All the courses in all the three Polytechnics of the State are affiliated to Meghalaya State Council for Technical Education which was created in the year 1992 through an Act called Meghalaya State Council for Technical Education Act, 1993 that look after various academic activities such as development and revision of curriculum and syllabus, industrial training for students, staff development programme, conduct of examinations following the system and pattern as per AICTE norms. The council awards diploma and post diploma certificates to the passed out students. All the three Polytechnics are now “ISO 9001:2000 Certified” Institutes for their conformance to the quality management standard of various processes of the Institute.

In addition to the three year regular diploma and two year post diploma programmes, the Polytechnic conduct non-formal programmes of Technical Vocational Education for the benefit of women, the rural and urban unemployed youths and the economically and socially weaker section.

Since the World Bank Assisted Third Technical Education Project is over, Education Department is examining the feasibility of the proposal for taking over the management of two Polytechnics viz. Tura Polytechnic and Jowai Polytechnic by the Government.

Since there is no Degree level Engineering College run by the state, students desirous of undertaking higher education in Engineering/Technology, Architecture and Pharmacy are sponsored in selected colleges in different States against the seats reserved by the Government of India. Every year at least 100 students are sponsored for engineering, architecture and pharmacy degrees, 25 students for diploma in specialized courses are also sponsored.

To boost technical education in Meghalaya, Government of India has approved the proposal for setting up of a new Polytechnic at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District under the scheme of “Submission on Polytechnics under Coordinated Action for Skill Development” for which Govt. of India has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 12.30 crores as a one time financial assistance. Three courses namely - Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Printing Technology and Agricultural Engineering have been identified and will be offered in the new Polytechnic.

The Department is exploring the possibility of introduction of new courses in emerging areas after socio economic diagnostic analysis is being conducted in a phase manner.

Private organizations are being encouraged to establish technical institutions of national and international standard in the State.

The Department is trying to minimize the expenditure under Plan and is exploring the possibility of setting up technical professional institutions at higher level i.e. College and University levels that are of international standard and also vocational institutions under Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode.

The State Government will facilitate the Government of India to set up technical institutions in the State at higher level to produce quality manpower capable of taking Research and Development (R&D) function.

Efforts are being made for improving quality education as well as to improve the internal and external efficiency of the technical education system in order to make the students employable in the State of Meghalaya as well as outside the State.