Incubation Centre could be a Milestone

Dr Harish MittalDr Harish Mittal, Director-Principal, Sat Priya School of Engineering, Rohtak, shares his views with Elets News Network (ENN) on the innovation and initiatives that make his Engineering institute stand apart

Institutes across the world are coming up with new ways of imparting education. How are you bringing innovation in pedagogy at your institute?In the light of changing needs in education system and developments in the global educational landscape, we recognise our crucial responsibility in developing teachers for 21 st century education. We need to focus on developing and motivating teachers for new ways of learning, especially for laboratories and workshops. There is emphasis on making students industry ready by using traditional as well as taking aids of e-learning, virtual classrooms and virtual labs.

How important is to have a strong academia-industry linkage for an engineering institute and how it is beneficial to the students?

More than 90% of students graduating from the institutes are not industry ready, which is the cause of major unemployment. A strong academia industry linkage will help the students and faculty to understand the requirements of industry and also motivate students to be industry ready.

SAT PRIYA SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING FOCUSES ON THE QUALITIES AND SKILLS OF ENGINEERING GRADUATES
SAT PRIYA SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING FOCUSES ON THE
QUALITIES AND SKILLS OF ENGINEERING GRADUATES

Please share some of the unique initiatives taken by your institutes?How can the gap between industry and academia be bridged?

There is a need for the academia and industry to work together to push the boundaries and form a powerful team capable of driving innovation and economic growth. There is also a need for more open communication and association between industry and academia to understand and address the qualities &skills of engineering graduates. The efforts need to expand from research labs into the classroom. Universities and MHRD may play a major role in this regard by allocating funds and taking strong initiatives (implementation needs to be on ground level not for only putting data)for skill development and specially making examination system including practical examinations realistic. I also suggest there should be video recording of all practical examinations in engineering curriculum. We are making efforts towards creating some collaborative programme with industry to train the students and make them aware of industry changing requirements. We also make use of e-learning recourses like virtual classrooms, virtual labs,open source initiatives taken by NPTE Land IITs to groom the students. We also emphasize on research initiatives by holding International level Conferences on recent topics of engineering in order to promote research ideas from last five years.

SATPRIYASCHOOLOFENGINEERINGHow has been your college’s placement in recent years? Do you think there is sufficient demand in the industry for the engineering graduates?

Overall placements scenario in our institute is good enough. However, I believe there has been a drop in packages being offered and also in the number of vacancies in the industry.

What are the new engineering courses becoming popular?

In recent years trends shows some common branches like Civil Engineering,Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering.Some new branches are also coming up like Aerospace Engineering that are becoming popular

Please share your institute’s expansion plans in the coming years? What are the challenges,which you face nowadays?

We are planning to stress on quality education and skill enhancements to make students more and more industry ready.The major challenge we feel is lack of proper awareness at entry level i.e. for graduating students from 12 th level in choosing right course and lack of dedications and enthusiasm in students which is prevailing these days.

Students complain that most engineering institutes pay more attention towards imparting the oretical knowledge rather than giving practical assignments. Has this trend changed in the last few years?

Yes, this is due to our stereotype system adopted by universities for examinations. This has had a reciprocating effect on their skills and consequent employment.

India may get the full-fledged membership status of the Washington Ac-cord by June, enabling global recognition of Indian degrees and improving mobility of students and engineers. In your opinion, how it is going to help Indian students and engineering education system?

This will be an advantage and will definitely help Indian student. How ever, at the same time I believe that our educational system (especially examination system) needs to undergo an extreme change.

What is the importance of an incubation centre and tells us about your plans to install one?

Incubation centre could be a millstone in making students industry ready.

What is your policy expectation from the Government?

Government should take initiatives at various levels like:

  • Policies for making proper awareness for entry level students i.e.graduating students from 12 th level specially to clarify myths.
  • Streamlining admission policies and process.
  • Make clear policies for academia industry collaborations and arrange adequate funding for government as well as private institutes.
  • Making practical and unambiguous polices towards regulations of engineering education.
  • Make Examination system stronger especially for practical assignments.

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