Do you think that we should first correct faculty problems to have talented engineers coming from our colleges?

Monday, January 10, 2011

Do We Need A National Level Test To Expedite Skills of Current Young Engineering Faculty?

Recent Statement of Mr. Kapil Sibal, Hon'ble Minister For Education, indicating that nation still needs 1000 more Universities and many more technical and higher education institutions made me baffled throughly. Yashpal committee report on renovation and rejuvenation of higher education (June, 2009) stated that “There is a serious threat to the very idea of the university and its values of knowledge generation in our society today”. Undoubtedly nation has to increase literacy; it does not mean that we produce un-skilled graduate engineers in millions after millions. Recent NASSCOM studies indicated that not even 18% of the recruited fresh candidates are at expected level. Some other studies quotes this number as 30% and others as 8%. What ever may be the statistics of different studies, all of us have to accept the fact that the people who are graduating from our colleges are not up to the expectations of the industry. Of course, some times we do require to find fault with the attitude of industry, especially IT industry. It is sending wrong signals to the young student community. My observations during the last 10-12 years indicate that they are recruiting students with good analytical abilities, soft skills and HR abilities. Their selection is independent of their engineering stream!. It sent wrong signals to the student community that their technical skills are not important to get IT job. Statistics in the recent past indicated that all the good students have joined in IT industry, independent of their engineering stream. No doubt this may create a skill/expertise vacuum in respective engineering streams which may be visible only at a later stage. To support my argument, I wanted to share some of my practical experiences with the students. I used to take Elective courses during late 90's and when IT boom took place. I stopped taking elective courses, as students are not serious as they have appointments in their hands!. Of course, those who got appointments are not serious and they used to disturb/demoralize the other guys also. After the boom, there is a little slump, again I enjoyed taking electives and students are serious now!. Same behavioral patterns are observed during the recent slump also.



In a nutshell, who are currently working as faculty are the ones who did not get their dream industry jobs even after repeated attempts. Is it possible to relinquish them and have new bread?. It is highly difficult and most of them are in responsible positions as HOD's, Deans, etc.,. Thus, we need to have ways of tuning them to become good engineering faculty who can meet the expectations of generations.



One can attribute many reasons for this worst situation. Out of all reasons, most important reason is the number of staff and their skill/knowledge. I still remember my days of Engineering at a state University during early 1980s. Our college Total student strength including masters student is about 655 while faculty used to be around 125. Most important thing is that out of 125 faculty, almost 80 are doctorates. What is the situation today?. It is really appalling. In one department itself there will be about 600 students and staff will not be crossing 30. After all, so called AICTE rule 1:15 is maintained at very difficulty in most of the colleges. I happened to see class strengths in US, UK, German universities to be around 20 from second year of under-graduate onwards. At least, I am glad as a former faculty member of BITS, Pilani that it is maintaining a section strength of 30 from second year onwards. It is really impossible to give individual attention if the class strength is 70 ( without considering re-joined and directly admitted students to second year after their diploma). This enormous number of class strength is making faculty member to evade many teaching practices showing it as an excuse. Thus, it is very high time to recommend a class strength of 15-20. Of course, I don't want to discuss about financial aspects involved from the managements end. Also, I feel it is high time to recall recent youth statistics. According to that India is the one which is going to have majority of youth of the world. Do we want properly trained youth or un-skilled, un-motivated youth. Certainly, we want good. Thus, I feel it is our policy makers responsibility first to correct the faculty (trainers) who are supposed to train the generations to come. Let me comeback to the faculty skill set and how to improve them first to produce skilled or technically strong engineering students.





I guess I have seen some thread about having an exam to practice as a lawyer. http://www.lawyersclubindia.com/forum/Re-Bar-Exam-for-Advocates-Practicing-License-Right-or-Wrong--12469.asp
Also, I remember in some country Medical Practitioners are required to take an exam, probably on a regular basis. Why not our young faculty can also be asked to do so.

1.It is not a joke if I say that more than 60% of the faculty in professional colleges are having a service of at most 6 months. No doubt, they are joining teaching as they did not get job in industry. They have to be equipped to face a class of strength seventy!. It is very essential to organize few days of inducting course to teach elements of teaching. In this connection, I would like to remember Intensive Teaching Workshop (ITW) which is organized at BITS, Pilani for a new faculty members. Such exercises are carried out by me along with some senior faculty in former Institution and observed to be giving better results. This can be practiced by the colleges to improve the faculty teaching skills.
2.Let the MHRD/AICTE to organize on-line subject testing portal to test the technical abilities of the young faculty. Every young faculty can be asked to pass this exam in the course which he is planning to take next semester. Probably, MHRD/AICTE can plan to give some incentives for the candidates for their encouragement. This can be continued for a faculty till he successfully passes at least 10 papers in his engineering stream. In order to encourage inter-disciplinary activity, let the faculty to face exams in areas other than his stream and can be given better incentives. Here, I have to re-collect a rule which was enforced by AICTE few years back. According to this rule, a B.Tech/B.E students with first class and GATE qualification is eligible for scale. Now, I guess it has been relaxed. Some how the testing mechanism what I am referring is different from GATE. The GATE exams examines the individuals knowledge over four years. But the exams what I am referring is about subject by subject with the main aim of young faculties deliver-ability of the subject in the class room.
3.Probably MHRD/AICTE has to plan a series of subject workshops to train the young faculty. Rather than the knowledge centers such as IIT's, NIT's are to be asked to conduct some more subject workshops on a regular workshops. We have observed that many college managements are not giving leaves to the faculty. Probably, some incentives to be given to the colleges also in addition to faculty while they are under training.
4.Most of the time, industry people claim that the university syllabus is not up to the expectations of the industry. In a nutshell, the graduates are lagging practical exposure. How to achieve this?. Probably, industrial organizations should be asked to organize technical exhibitions or visits exclusively for faculty purpose. Then knowledge penetrations to generations will start.
5.Another most important thing which we might have to inculcate young faculty for value based education is to expose them ethics both work ethics, social ethics, etc.,. When I hear about some University (such as Anna Univ) introduced a course on Ethics, I feel elated. I strongly feel that the generations are missing values. It is the moral responsibilities of the faculty to talk about this. After all how come it is possible with the young faculty as there are also educated from same prototype education system. Thus, it is high time to preach about ethics in the colleges. Once being a board member of some University, I have raised about the possibility of introducing a course on ethics. The immediate response of a Hon'ble board member is that “Are we having ethics to teach?”. Then I have argued with the board that there is nothing wrong to expect our generation to have ethics even if we don't have. There is no rule that says a thief son has to be thief only!!. After all, it is the process of evolution.
6.I strongly feel that first Innovative Technical Teaching Institutes are necessary much before Innovative Universities at this junction of time. Mr Kapil Sibal and other experts have to identify this first. Young faculty can be made to use ICT enabled education methodologies such that they can improve their image in front of the students. May be the young faculty can be asked to complete on-line course and then face the national level exam to get clearance to teach next semester. Of course, to encourage the faculty , he/she can be offered a certificate or certification of appreciation once he successfully completes the on-line course and which can be considered during his promotions.
7.Every faculty member of IIT's, NIT's, and other reputed institutions are asked to mentor ( not for M.Tech or Ph.d thesis purpose) at least few young faculty to increase their interest in teaching in addition to technology. Probably, to achieve this may be MHRD/AICTE to make it clear to the staff of these reputed institutions that they will not be getting any projects or other funding unless they execute this noble duty to the nation on regular basis. Also, they can be asked to use modern means to communication such as Video Conferencing, etc.,. Bank employees are required to spend some years outside their country during their whole service. In the same fashion, why not we can ask the faculty members of these reputed institutions to spend few years (say 3 to 4) and create academic vibrancy in their respective areas in the engineering colleges.
8.May be only after successful completion of ITW, on-line subject tests, one or two subject workshops, technical industrial visits, ethics course, etc., young faculty can be asked to teach the course.
9.Better control on conductance of Masters programs. This year, AICTE has opened its Pandora box by giving permissions to many post graduate courses without seeing availability of faculty. An excellent conjecture I would like to bring to your notice. Who are joining in the Masters courses?. The ones who are working as a faculty and who did not get placement in Industry. Most pathetic thing is that they are joining in the college where classes are not held. Managements are also happy as they don't incur any expenses. In addition, they may always have scope to make their postgraduate students as future faculty. I wanted to give one more incident which reflects the psychology of a typical management. One day, I was with our college management (I don't want to refer whether it is current or former) along with HOD to finalize time table, they have not asked me whether I am interested to take a post-graduate course or not though I am the only doctorate in the department. They did not ask me as they are afraid about my being taking regular classes which may hamper next years admissions and some students may drop in the current year also after all they are regular faculty in the near by colleges who does not want to loose their salary!!!.
10.Evidently, another amusing thing for me is Ph.D programs. There is not standardized procedures nation wide. Many colleges are flourishing with so called banned Magadha University Ph.D's to satisfy AICTE requirements. Some are having on-line Ph.Ds. Some more doing part-time Ph.Ds. NASSCOM says need for astonishing number of Ph.d by 2020. They did not mention about the quality of Ph.D's. I strongly feel it is high time correct this point also to have properly trained, skilled graduates to satisfy global requirements in addition to national requirements.

35 comments:

  1. 3 Points can be clearly summarized from the above opinion. First, IT sector has to revamp its recruitment strategy, of course keeping its requirements intact, that makes the students understand that non-technical posts do not yield long term benefits. Secondly, the very course of the curriculum and paper scrutinizing has to be changed in such a way that a "student" who cannot meet the technical requirements is not fit to be a "lecturer". Third, the student itself has to learn and understand that one has to live up with the current trends and he/she has to educate more to meet the requirements of the next generation.

    Though all the three are easier said than done, second option has multiple positive consequences compared to the other two. If the level of the curriculum and scrutinizing is increased keeping the existing staff intact, it is obvious that pass % drastically decreases. This makes the concerned college/central administration to think on the caliber of the staff and in turn the staff has to increase their technical skills to survive.

    It is trivial at this point about the recruitment strategy of IT corporates, as more technically enabled lecturer can produce a better generation.

    Exam patterns should contain more practical sense that requires some hands-on-work to be done to answer the question paper and in turn if the scrutinizing is discrete with only 3 steps of marks like 0, 0.5 & 1 for an answer. This would result in 0 or 50% or 100% marks depending on the work they had done for that question. When marks are scale to measure the potential of a student, then they have to be controlled to control the student outcome. When they are tightened, a student fights more to secure more marks and hence the outcome increases.

    Posted by Hanumanthu Indrakanti, AG Ideas

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  2. 3 points are clear from the opinion. Firstly, IT sectors have to revamp their recruitment strategy, ofcourse keeping their requirements intact, so that only technically qualified people are seen thru the process and sending a clear msg that non-technical skills do not provide long term benefits in IT sector. Secondly, "student-lecturers" have to improve themselves voluntarily to increase their credibilities. Thirdly, the entire curriculum and scrutinizing procedure has to be improved or changed that requires the lecturers to be more equipped to meet the curriculum demands.

    All the above three are easier said than done, however, the third option has more +ve consequences than the other two.
    Keeping the same staff, changing the entire curriculum by adapting more state-of-the-art trends decreases the pass % . This makes the college/central administration to think on the staff caliber and in turn requires the lecturers to be more competitive and equipped with to increase the pass %. Having said that, this might not increase the capability of the students. To negotiate that fact, the exam pattern and evalution procedure requires a more practical sense attached to them. The term/mid exam should contain more practical questions that drives the student to do some hands-on-work on the subject lest end up with minimum marks. If marks & credentials of the students are the measuring scale for today's assessment, then such evalution procedure has to be changed for better results. When the system is pushed to the wall, it ought to deliver the best results. To enable the student to work on the subject, lecturer has to prepare more for oneself to meet the student requirements.

    The evaluation procedure should be more discrete in nature with only 3-stage marks like, 0, 0.5, 1. i.e. for an answer either 0% or 50% or 100% marks are achived by the student depending whether they had done some excersie or not.

    Instead of asking to explain the "inheritance" concept, one should ask for a practical application to be implemented depicting the "inheritance" concept. This decreases the average % of the marks scored but increases the ability of the students and also pass %.

    At this stage the corporate recruitment process would be trivial, whether they look for the caliber or the marks achieved.

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  3. ATTITUDE of the faculty has to change. Most of the faculty is not taking TEACHING as a profession. faculty needs training on ETHICS. most of the students respecting and following if the Teacher is good(technically as well as professionally).

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  4. Your views are true. These are coming out of anguish after observing the state of affairs at close quarters. In the days to come I am hopeful that the fittest will survive. The indifference of the individual teacher is the main cause for the present turmoil. This will certainly disappear and the teachers will strive to excel, once the existing wide gap between the demand and supply narrows down. Then one need not enforce any thing and the individual himself will explore the ways to hone up ones own skills.

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  5. The best thing perhaps is to recruit GATE qualified teachers. That is how one can atleast measure relative performance at the national level. Ethics and human values are a few of the qualities that need to be inculcated in the minds when in school itself.

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  6. If we go at a fast pace as stated by Kapil Sibal at the National level, it will be like the existing situation in AP - more Engineering colleges, less qualified staff. SLET/NET exams should be conducted regularly and should be taken seriously, so that the cream comes to teaching.

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  7. 1. Ethics: I think both students and faculty needs education on work ethics and social ethics. It is important to inject moral values into the system, especially in the current state where they almost vanished.

    2. Reward model: According to Reinforcement Learning, the behavior of agents(people) depends on the reward model of the environment(society and/or world). There is a huge problem with the current reward model and as rational agents, both students and faculty are greedily maximizing their value in this setting! We need to use a tenure model similar to US/Europe, where faculty gets rewarded for the good work and will be shown the door if they are not upto the expectations. For example, a young faculty(read as an Assistant Professor) works hard for the first 5-6 years (probation period) to do everything needed to get a tenure (permanent position), i.e., research output measured by the quality of published papers, external research funding, students supervised and their co-ordinates, leadership and service to academic community, teaching ability as evaluated by the students -- permanent position is the reward for hard work of a young faculty. Similarly, Ph.D students and Post-docs' work hard and compete with each other to become the best candidate on the academic job market -- getting a tenure-track faculty position is the reward for hard work of a young graduate student. Hence, the policy makers need to change the current reward model to create incentives to do well. For example, make the academic jobs attractive by giving benefits comparable to at least an average software engineer and make their salaries and benefits proportional to their performance. Adopt the tenure model, and ask for accountability. I'm sure we will see results, because that is the basic nature of Indian minds. Just for the sake of information, a young faculty works 13-14 hrs a day and a good Ph.D student works close to that many hours also (includes weekends and a maximum holiday time of 1-2 weeks an year). One can compare where they stand according to the work-ethic or hard work.

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  8. 3. Training and Quality Improvement Programs: I have seen cases where candidates 10 times better than most of the faculty even in IITs could not find academic jobs in US in recent times. Unlike west, we have a huge shortage of faculty. Firstly, we should try to attract more Indian graduates from US and Europe to fill the faculty positions in both old and new IITs. Actually this is a very good time to do this, since US academic job market is worst in the last 20 yrs or so. Secondly, the only way to train faculty is through apprenticeship and mentoring. We need to have a hierarchy among universities, with IITs and IISc at the top, NITs next, Central universities and other universities next, followed by engineering colleges. Faculty at higher level should train some faculty at the immediate level next to it and so on. I think IITs are already doing this as part of the Quality Improvement Program, but this needs to be done more aggressively. To do so, we need more faculty at IITs and NITs.

    4. Awareness programs for young students: Most students work hard to clear the entrance examinations like EAMCET, JEE, CAT, GATE etc. and as soon as they clear them, they think that they have reached a state of success. Can we teach these young students that this is just a start and they haven't anything great by pasing these exams ? Having talent and intelligence is one thing and doing something useful with it is another thing. I have seen most of my smart friends trying to solve puzzles to show how smart they are. Only if someone told them, that there are enough problems in the world and computer science field that they could solve. Most people do a Ph.D out of need, e.g., all these part-time Ph.D candidates, and some do only for those two letters "Dr.". They need to be taught that Ph.D is not a degree and it is a way of living life. Create more fellowships and scholarships to do Ph.D's in IITs and IISc -- Already IIT Kanpur, IISc and IIT Bombay are doing this by increasing the scholarship to 25,000 per month.

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  9. 5. Change in the education system: There is something fundamentally wrong with education in states like Andhra Pradesh in comparison to others like West Bengal. Students are trained to answer only multiple-choice questions at the cost of understanding concepts. We need that change -- as soon as you change the metric of evaluation, everything will fall in place. People need to understand that maths and statistics are very important parts of any engineering stream and they need to introduce more of these courses into the curricullum, along with some courses on Ethics and Human Social Sciences.

    6. Change in Parents thinking: Every parent wants their kid to go to IITs and good universities, but they don't like their children to teach in the same universities. This to me seems so contradictory. We live in a society where people choose actions and words keeping the "social status" in mind.

    Lastly, when I read about the scientists and mathematicians from 1900's and 1800's, they have done so much beautiful work in spite of not having so many modern facilties like internet, email and phone etc. and we are not even doing 1% of what they have done with all the technology !!!!!

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  10. Sir Your points to the young faculty were absolutely correct sir.As you said MHRD/AICTE to organize on-line subject testing portal to test the technical abilities of the young faculty sir but similar type of test was being conducted to all the faculty and I think it was called as Ratification as this method was in practice and no fruitful results were obtained how can we expect a good result from this.As lawyers have the practice period after completing there LLB course similar type of practice has to given to the young students who wants to join as a faculty so that he learns something from his senior professor and how to manage the students though were in large number.We cannot find all faults in the trainees there was fault with the students also I can clearly say that most students from Engineering who are very strong theoretically were not so strong practically this is were the student community is failing.If had any chances please try to increase the practical knowledge

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  11. It is highly appreciable that someone pointed out the lapses in present technical education system and the attitude of the IT industry and also suitable solutions to them. hope the governing body of the technical education and policy makers take necessary steps to maintain at least minimum standards at university levels

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  12. My veiws on Faculty and students of Today:

    Faculty with dedication and commitment are very less. Most of them enter into teaching with less inclination but not with an intention of becoming an inspiring teacher.
    Some of my observations when I had been working as
    Principal of a College.
    1.Teaching faculty who are entering into the teaching are with less willingness or interest to deliver the required subject in an interesting pattern to the target person. The faculty should analyze to himself/herself with the facts like

    1. Did I reach the lowest calibre student and Could I satisfy the highest calibre student in the class?

    2.If you do not get satisfied answerto yourself , put a question how to improve yourself.

    Teaching is a Devine gift and it is an art.
    Now a day's faculty , mostly are employing some cheap
    tricks with students mainly black mailing tricks.

    eg1; You have less brains . You do not require more than this .

    eg2;You have a great 1 lakh above Eamcet rank. You cannot understand.

    eg3;If you do not submit so and so record you loose scores in labs etc;

    These statements from faculty will demoralize the future engineers ,scientists and professors.

    The faculty should deliver the lecture in a highly live
    pattern coming down to the plane of the students in the class.
    The faculty need not feel like giving popular show seminar type lecture, without watching the feelings of
    the students' understanding.
    My another observation is that most of the today's younger faculty talk nonsense and spend only 10-15 min
    on the class subject. They report to their reporting
    authority that they have done extraordinary lecture.
    and completed the syllabus without doing anything.

    My another observation is that there are some faculty
    who convey wrong signals to the future carriers of our country. like take it easy polacy, do not worry much about books, you simply go on with all in one is enough.etc;

    My another observation is that "this much bulk you need not require" "These pages from so and so is enough""You read this, you read this lighly, you do not
    require this part at all","for labs you do this much It is enough" !!!

    My observation of the staff only 2% are dedicated and
    remaining 98% of the new faculty have the above characteristics.
    My sincere request to the faculty to correct themselves

    About students of today:
    They have more knoweledge , awareness , modern technology at their reach. They have to receive the motivation and interest and design their goals with
    character. Without character, their acievements, awards,
    huge salary will not give perfume!

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  13. sir i agree all the points what you have discussed above, now the young faculty are from B.Tech , sir here my question is how can a B.Tech relieved person can be a good faculty for the B.Tech students sir what i mean he/she should complete any post graduation sir.
    And proper training should be given to young faculty.And seriousness should be imparted in students sir.

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  14. Yes. You are correct. In our system we have
    ITI
    Polytechnic
    B.Tech
    M.Tech
    Ph.D
    Atleast one level above are needed to teach one level below. That is, to teach ITI Polytechnic person is needed, etc.,

    What to do?
    Our policy makers are not thinking correctly.
    I have commened this in my main message itself.

    That is the reason why I am saying that there has to be mechanism them to train as good, technical teachers before sent to the class.

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  15. Your views are 100% correct. Your views shows the experience, not only experience the seriousness u r having.
    Even though UGC and AICTE is conducting lot of refresher courses, at the level of implementation lacks the seriousness.
    Seems to be Solution for the above is only Realization, it requires at all stages i.e. starting from student, faculty, administration at all levels etc.
    Coming to ethical values... especially for our Indian environment with full of bureaucracy implementing things with ethical values are complex.

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  16. This is a message received from my teacher Prof C Venkataramaiah Garu

    From: Venkatramaiah Chamuturi
    Subject: Re: Will you please comment on this blog posting-reply
    To: "Prof. N. B. Venkateswarlu, AITAM, Tekkali, INDIA"
    Cc: "Self"
    Date: Saturday, January 15, 2011, 2:08 AM


    Dear Prof.Venkateswarlu,
    I have gone through your blog.
    I fully agree with your views on the following:
    1.Poor quality of engineers being turned out.
    2.Attitude of the IT industry in recruitment.
    3.Class strength/Staff-student ratio in general.
    4.Desirability of Teaching Workshops/Tests for fresh Engg. Faculty.
    5.Role of the Faculty of IIT's and NIT's in training and motivating young Engg. Faculty--Mentoring role.
    6.Indiscriminate sanctioning of PG courses in Private Engg.Colleges,ill-equipped for the purpose.
    7.Some Ph.D. Programmes,which are farcical and make a mockery of the system.
    I appreciate your efforts at educating and enlightening all concerned on these important aspects of the Technical Education System of today.
    Regards.
    Yours sincerely,
    C.Venkatramaiah.

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  17. Very well articulated analysis and the comments are also very useful. I completely agree with the problems encountered in technical education and the causes of it. However, I have lost faith in the AICTE/MHRD initiatives - I would rather have private players conduct certification and skill upgradation. We have to remember that effective teaching cannot take place without sound subject knowledge. Also, having sound knowledge is not enough. Teaching needs skills and these can be learnt. As rightly written by Prof Venkateswarlu, we have to solve the problem from both angles. I plan to bring academically good candidates into teaching by instituting 'short service' scholarships and with strong campaigning.
    As far as Human Values and ethics are concerned, please refer to http://www.iiit.net/institute/about
    Since the last five years this is a mandatory course and it goes beyond morals and ethics. This has now been mandated in UP for its Tech Edn and getting into Punjab too. They do free workshops for interested organisations. 8-day Workshops in Telugu, Hindi and English are conducted at IIIT-H twice a year in June and Dec.

    Uma Garimella
    www.teachersacademy.co

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  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. This message came from Prof D Viswesaram Garu, Former Professor of AU, Pharmacy dept.

    Dt.: 18-01-2011
    Respected Prof. Venkateswarlu Garu,
    Namasthe. I have gone through your article entitled “Do We Need a National Level Test to Expedite Skills of Current Young Engineering Faculty?” We need today educationists that educate the educators and the education managers that are making the education a casuality to quench their thirsts, political or commercial. The existing universities are starving for funds and Mr. Kapil Sibal says that the country needs 1000 more universities at the behest of Dr. Shyam Pitroda who sits in Chicago and sends letters to Dr. Manmohan Singh that we should start new universities to make the number 1500. They turn a blind eye to the ground level situation. There is no satisfactory teaching in many of the departments of some of the universities. Apparently it is there, but virtually it is not there. It is not a wonder or canard when Dr. P.M. Bhargava revealed a fact that 80% of the engineering graduates today are found to be unemployable. Now your observation adds to this that 8 to 30% of the 20% employed are deficient in the needed skills as they are being selected on criteria other than engineering skills.
    Thinkers who are worried more about the quality struggle to organize programmes for the faculty improvement. The managements are not interested in taking advantage of such programmes. It is good that some interested teachers are keen of making the best of such programmes. I agree with you that In-Service Educative Programmes should be regularly organized as continuing education for any professional is a necessity for professional improvement. I also agree with you that technical exhibitions, visits to industries etc., would give wide exposure to our faculty members. It was being regularly done at one time when our numbers were small. It is always a necessity. The more the number the more is the necessity.
    Regarding your point on “Ethics”, late Prof. B. Sarveswara Rao, former Vice-Chancellor of Acharya Nagarjuna University, wrote a booklet on “Ethics in Higher Education”. Prof. V. Balamohan Das, recently retired V.C. of Acharya Nagarjuna University said that he included a paper on Ethics in the Commerce department of Andhra University. He tried to recommend it to all other faculties and put it in the Board of Studies at one time. B.O.S. discussed it but did not entertain that subject. But how to educate the present graduates in ethics and values is not answered at all by educationists.
    One becomes a teacher by his preference, by chance or as a last resort. But when he settles as a teacher, his attitude should change and he should attempt to become a good teacher.
    You have added a note on the present day Ph.Ds. The less we talk on the Ph.D. factories the better it is. We boast that we are doing all this to meet the global needs. But I say we (many) are taking such trouble to satisfy their greeds of varying nature. We are determined to worry for better education for Bharat and we fight for it inspite of the absence of takers / a few existing takers for our views. I am happy that I find a thinker in you on lines similar as I view.
    With my best regards,

    Yours sincerely,
    D. Visweswaram

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  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  21. Respected Sir,

    After reading your article, I also wanted to express many of my varying thoughts. But, at last, I wish to put the following few lines of my experience.

    In the last summer I went to MVGR College, Vizianagaram, as an external examiner to conduct DBMS lab exam for B.Tech (CSE) students. Out of 60 students no one could give answer to the very simple question "What is data?". And I could not go ahead to ask more questions on that day. Of course, within 3 hours I had completed the examination processes.

    Meanwhile, a faculty member, who was the internal examiner, had requested me to be very liberal towards the students as they have only very few lab sessions during that semester. She also told me that the students didn't have much practical knowledge as they have installed MySQL (not Oracle !!!) in their Labs just two days before the examination day.

    Sir, this is the experience I had in MVGR College which is one of the prestigious colleges in our state, which has already been accredited by NBA, which is going for having the autonomous status and then for deemed university status.

    By this, we can understand what kind of academic quality we will be experience with 1000 more universities in our country as the Hon'ble Central Minister of Education wishes.

    Thanking you Sir,
    Yours,
    Raja Kishor

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  22. This meesage came from Prof BRM Gandhi, Formerly at BHU, Varanasi.
    The article is a painful summary and articulation of the deficiencies in our Sducation system today
    Particularly in the ambience of highe education specifically in Enineering and te chnological scenario of the country.
    Focussing closely:
    *the UnderGraduate programs in engg:
    Students :A majority of students in the mushrooming private colleges
    Do not have the right aptitude and arquired attitudes for the engg culture to blossom as professionals
    Syllabii: the syllabii,course structure are over burdened with irrelevance to the needs of both the academic,industry needs;there are few electives included to give the brighter students an academic research bias or industrial view to choose; the laboratory infrastructure is poor and inadequate,hands on experience ,entrepreneurial traits have little scope;
    Faculty: because of the bulk o colleges only the unemployed and fresh grads choose this profession and they enter the class rooms and laboratories without the least orientation ,groomingand culturing;The numbers being small they are not given enough time to visit the libraries to enhance their teaching material,think of research for publication,project ideas or even for Ph.D.There are very few experienced senior Faculty maintained by the colleges to train these novices ;So the level of Teaching learning process I of poor quality;This is a serious concern for all.Interested Faculty is not given encouragement,leave and pay to go out and do their Ph.D.but where are the people to guide them?
    Administration & Managements: they are interested only in pass percentages and get them boosted like our corporate schools and colleges by encouraging Faculty to dilute evaluation and discipline in the process.They are interested in money and so the nos inclasses is 60.90 and some times more.there is practically no vision ,direction.only on paper o impress the visiting committees.still they have the art of managing to get through Accreditation,autonomy and are eager to make thi environment a deemed university and our illustrious UGC.AICTE committees are equally eager to shower these petals on substandard engg colleges;Now our Honble minister ofHRD s at the center want thousand more universities and hundreds more private engg colleges whileDooming some deemed universities ,
    The excellence attained by IITS ,IIMs is fast degenerating because of tinkering with them to boost the bulk without quality,by rervations and increase of intake.IITs to start medical stream what nonsense.Will medical colleges start engg too ?why are we constructing with right hand and damaging with left hand.
    Let us aim at merit only ,in students,faculty and administration,governance.
    Next: The money in IT Sector has brought about this kind of degeneration.While young peopl’s mind is filled with rapid money and capable and not so capable graduates also make a bee line for IT and ambitious parents push their progeny to IT when they could flourish in another stream like scince as well.
    Why is Science development taking back seat in universities.reasons are same.thebrighter graduates are leaving the country and getting the Nobel Laureate and we try to shine in their glory.The brighter of engineers also are doing same and going abroad.All the money received by the country,taxes paid by those here is all going to undeserving bulk of those with vote banks,brawn and Universities and colleges are serving as their resource for agitations,dharnas and damaging the evelopment painfully brought by the capable and the rest go in scams by lack of vision direction and neglect of the EDUCATION in this country.
    So with these additional remarks I congratulate the author from Rich center for his stimulation of ideas for every educated citizen to to espress vocally for improving the standards and bring quality in stead of quantity and stop further degeneration of Youth.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Respected sir,

    In this article, you made a point against IT sector recruitment process. I want to share a recent recruitment experience of mine.

    Two weeks ago, i wrote the written test of a reputed s/w company and qualified it. The test conatined only verbal and logical ability quests, which even a intermediate student with proper training can answer.

    Then a week later we were called to a reputed college for interview process. First they conducted a GD where they selected people basing on their speaking skills.

    I qualified it and went on to Personal Interview. I was interviewed by a panel of two members, but none asked me even a single technical question. All their quests were put on either to test my attitude or my confidence but none were aimed at bringing out what i have learnt in four years of my engineering.

    The only onething what i didnt understand is that why they had called engineers as eligible for the job as even an intermediate student with adequate training would have gone through the following rounds.

    ReplyDelete
  24. See Today Hindu which contains a new attempt of CBSE in revamping its system
    http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op0ed/article1127813.ece

    ReplyDelete
  25. Sir,

    I srongly agree with your views to correct the faculty problems to have talented Engineers coming from our colleges.

    I want to share few points

    1. Realy IT industries are recruitng students in their selection is independent of their engineering stream. So All final year students irrespective of the branch , they are concentrated only on how to get the IT job. For Example, take Mechanical Engineering or ECE Branch IV year Students are not at all serious about their elective subjects. Simply Most of the students are choosing the Computer subjects( EX: DBMs) in thier Elective. What Iam trying to say that Why the students are joined in the Mechanical(example).. Why they are not studying their core subjects in IV Year(Electives).

    If They are not studied Elective Subject. Suppose if he did not get the IT job. simply he join in teaching profession and he takes the Elective (not studied in thier course) for time being or salary purpose, can we imagine how far he is satisfy the students.

    2. So Many colleges not at all Maintaining the 1:15 ratio. Even if they are not maintaing the
    ratio because of thier financial aspects or what ever it may be, simply they are recruiting the
    faculty without having the minimum qualification B.Tech(respective Branch). Most of the colleges... Most of the Faculty members (especially CSE) are Msc(Computers) and McA.

    3. One more example I want to share, Suppose B.Tech either CSE or IT Branch candidate is eligible for Faculty of CSE. My point is B.Tech (CSE) and B.Tech (IT) candidates are joining as faculty in B.Tech (CSE Branch). B.Tech (CSE) having the subject " Formal Languages and Automata Theory " Subject. B.Tech(IT) doesn't. But some of The faculty ( his B.Tech from IT) in some colleges taking the subject " Formal Languages and Automata Theory " for CSE Branch. ofcourse some faculty members can prepare and done his job well but what about the others(Faculty who are joined for time being).. So have to stream line the faculty positions also.

    4. One more important my observation in some engineering colleges, Most of the English teachers are not having the communication skills. even they don't know how to write a request letter or permission letter. it is my past experience in one private college.

    5. Really Some colleges are conducting M.Tech courses without classes. simply they are giving
    attendance and Internal Marks. Worst situation is M.Tech Students Of this type colleges are the

    faculty members of other B.Tech colleges.Why can't we say These faculty members also do the same in thier colleges. so Most of the faculty is not taking Teaching as a profession. and most of the students respecting the Faculty those who are giving the attendance and Internal marks..

    So ATTITUDE of the faculty has to change.....
    Faculty needs training on ETHICS......
    Faculty has to attend the Refresher Courses with thier personal interest even if the management

    not given the permission....
    Colleges also encourage the faculty to conduct the workshops ...

    urs faithfully

    D.Ramesh

    ReplyDelete
  26. This message came from srini rao
    Re: I appreciate your visitWednesday, February 2, 2011 3:48 PM
    From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"srini r rao" Add sender to ContactsTo: "nagasuri bala venkateswarlu" Respected Prof NB Venkateswarlu Garu,

    I do agree with your view point...

    let us keep in touch..

    With Regards..

    R.Srinivas Rao
    MBA.BL.MPhil,
    Senior Asst Professor
    Dept of MBA
    PB.Siddhartha College
    Vijayawada-520 010

    ReplyDelete
  27. THE SYSTEM HAS TO CHANGE right from school level as NANDAN NILKENI said .This is our hot debate in our country right now.More emphasis should be given for MATHS,PHYSICS,CHEMISTRY.CHEMISTRY IS STILL NOT A DREAM SUBJECT IN OUR COUNTRY.MORE PRACTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL THINKING IS NECESSARY AT SCHOOL LEVEL ITSELF.I would say A TEACHER SHOULD BE MULTI-TALENTED AS TRAINER,GUIDE and also a PERSONALITY DEVELOPER.I would love to see my country develop more and more in coming years.(SRINU,MBA,BTECH FROM JNTU KKD,karukol@rediffmail.com)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thanks Sir for putting across such an important message I really appreciate your effort in understanding core problems and also providing solutions unlike many who only complain :)

    I really liked the 5th point.. ethics is undermined in our society failure of social economic and political systems are directly influencing the character of young generations undoubtedly there is a growth potential everywhere but the lack of sustainability and leadership is disrupting future growth .. wild rush for money and lack of ambition in any profession is another thing where I feel the problem is deeply embedded.

    Faculty and people in teaching professions will need to take more responsibility on their shoulders and entire society need to support this system Will have to admit the fact that to an extent that IITs and IIMs are putting themselves as examples and influencing ..as you mentioned like bank employees if resources from these institutes start sharing knowledge and experience with a larger society we can make some progress.

    I fail to understand why we lacks to see the potential in this area .. I think everyone is busy collecting black money which will loose its value eventually if they continue to grow in that direction ..

    Once again thanks for posting .. its very difficult to detect such problems and core issues in our society its only people like you working in grass root level bear the torch for us.. Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Dear Santhosh Garu,
    Thanks for expressing your curt views. Also thanks for accepting my views.

    I always wonder what great achievements are made by so called world grade institutes IIT's have done till now. I recently read an article which indicaes IIT-B has the best world rank out of all Indian Institutes with 247. They are simply producing graduates for the sake of US.

    Neverthless, the point is that whether Govt Institutes such as IIT's or NITS or Univ's or PVT colleges, everything is the same public money!!!.

    Can't they live for 5 years without Govt support?. Is not possible to spend that whole money on these thriving PVT institutions and see how they grow. Have a proper mechanism to stop misuse of money. I am certain that they will certainly improove. You see if I give an apple to a fellow who is full stomach he may not relish. The same apple if I give to an empty stomach fellow, he will show great satisfaction. I mean utility value of apple will be more. In the same manner, I feel Govt has to rethink or stop their step mother behaviour about PVT institutions and start developing them also. After all majority of engineers are coming from them!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I agree to what Prof. NB Venkateswarlu says. When I studied my B.Sc., M.Sc., even my 12th.. many of the subjects we're taught I could not understand. Especially maths, why we are being taught some theoretical theorem, where is it useful, what is its application, why will it help me and in what way. There is a very high need to help us understand the value of what we're being taught.
    I feel many of our ancient Indian texts and knowledge in them is not being communicated to the future generations. Most of it is being said as not applicable to this generation etc, but when I read some of such articles I find that there is so much knowledge in them which can find its way to the bright new minds.

    We were always taught subjects to pass in the exam but not to "learn" and understand its use.

    I hope sooner or later we have some means to understand our actual studies pretty well.

    ReplyDelete