About 100 research centres to come up in the country for promoting technical education, as quoted by Member of Parliament (MP) Shankar Lalwani during his chief guest address to Institution of Engineers (IEI) at Brilliant Convention Centre on Saturday.
The institution is celebrating centenary year. The topic of discussion was ‘Imperatives if Engineering Education: Enhancing Skills and Employability’.
“Central government is committed to up-gradation of technical education, soon about 100 new research centres will be developed in the country, ranging from IIT to IIM,” Lalwani said. He talked about changes coming up in the national education policy.
“Though the draft is almost ready, we need suggestions from industry and educators to help counter the challenge of producing employable engineers,” Lalwani said. Being an engineering graduate, he talked about various short-coming of institutes and lack of practical training.
“Industry seeks engineers, but cannot find employable engineers with required skill-set, mostly because of out-dated syllabus, lack of connect with industries, lack of participation from industry and educators in national education policy,” secretary of IEI Deepak Shah said while introducing the topic.
Rajendra P Gautam was the convener of panel discussions. Chairperson Dr Shilpa Tripathi coordinated the talk. Following are excerpts from discussions between industry personnel and educators.
Outdated syllabus, upgrade knowledge for employability
It is ironic to see unemployed engineers, where most industries always have a vacancy for engineers. It is lack of skills in engineers that forces companies to outsource specific projects to other countries.
It costs us more, but the problem is lack of engineers with updated knowledge. Engineers coming from universities know about engines that were developed over two decades back.
However, in current industry we need engineers who are able to work on latest designs. I think a major issue is outdated syllabus of engineering studies.
Industries can collaborate and contribute by sharing latest technical advances with institutes. Institutes also must provide updated skill-set to engineering students. If we are not working on the issue, we will only suffer from frustration on both the ends.
Rajinder Singh Sachdeva
Chief Operating Officer at automobile company
Have an industry chair in educational institutes
There is a gap between industry requirements and education. In order to reduce the gap, we need a long-term solution. I would suggest that every institute has an industry chair.
Since industry would be directly involved in the institutes, they can pressure and ensure up-gradation of syllabus and education. Overall, we need collaboration between industry and institutes that benefits both.
We should also have regular work-shops, on-the-job training and internships with companies as a part of syllabus.
Dr Narendra Dhakad
Vice chancellor
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya
Overall suggestions of the panel
• Concentrate on practical training
• Update syllabus
• Involve industry
• Internships should start from second semester
• Prepare a paper for changes in education policy
The institution is celebrating centenary year. The topic of discussion was ‘Imperatives if Engineering Education: Enhancing Skills and Employability’.
“Central government is committed to up-gradation of technical education, soon about 100 new research centres will be developed in the country, ranging from IIT to IIM,” Lalwani said. He talked about changes coming up in the national education policy.
“Industry seeks engineers, but cannot find employable engineers with required skill-set, mostly because of out-dated syllabus, lack of connect with industries, lack of participation from industry and educators in national education policy,” secretary of IEI Deepak Shah said while introducing the topic.
Rajendra P Gautam was the convener of panel discussions. Chairperson Dr Shilpa Tripathi coordinated the talk. Following are excerpts from discussions between industry personnel and educators.
Outdated syllabus, upgrade knowledge for employability
It is ironic to see unemployed engineers, where most industries always have a vacancy for engineers. It is lack of skills in engineers that forces companies to outsource specific projects to other countries.
It costs us more, but the problem is lack of engineers with updated knowledge. Engineers coming from universities know about engines that were developed over two decades back.
However, in current industry we need engineers who are able to work on latest designs. I think a major issue is outdated syllabus of engineering studies.
Industries can collaborate and contribute by sharing latest technical advances with institutes. Institutes also must provide updated skill-set to engineering students. If we are not working on the issue, we will only suffer from frustration on both the ends.
Rajinder Singh Sachdeva
Chief Operating Officer at automobile company
Have an industry chair in educational institutes
There is a gap between industry requirements and education. In order to reduce the gap, we need a long-term solution. I would suggest that every institute has an industry chair.
Since industry would be directly involved in the institutes, they can pressure and ensure up-gradation of syllabus and education. Overall, we need collaboration between industry and institutes that benefits both.
We should also have regular work-shops, on-the-job training and internships with companies as a part of syllabus.
Dr Narendra Dhakad
Vice chancellor
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya
Overall suggestions of the panel
• Concentrate on practical training
• Update syllabus
• Involve industry
• Internships should start from second semester
• Prepare a paper for changes in education policy