I am delighted to see the
opinions about Engineering Education in AP by three eminent people and vice
chancellors of three JNTU’s. Certainly they have raised important points which
are some of the possible reasons for
this worst state of Engineering Education in AP. Of course, I don’t feel it is
anyway different in any part of India. However, I would like to bring some
points which vice-chancellors can observe and correct the situation at their
level. Why to throw blame on others. As an authority of an University, you can
start correcting the system at your level. I would like to bring some of my
observations and remedies that can be done at University level.
1. First
and foremost problem which I have observed and which is accumulated from last
20 years is, unskilled, un-qualified, un-ethical, non-motivated faculty
members. I strongly believe university people really can do many things in
correction direction which they are not cared to do. The following are some of
my observations and possible corrections measures to be taken.
a.
Today, majority of B.Tech qualified students joining in M.Tech
in colleges where classes are not held. Moreover, they work as faculty in
nearby colleges. They want degree, fee re-imbursement, salary as a faculty,
till they get job in industry. You see
how immoral they are. After M.Tech also,
if they don’t get industry job then they are opting teaching as a stop-gap.
Finally, after they try for 2 to 3 years
for industry job, they conclude teaching is their profession and continue as a
faculty. How an university can control
this situation?. They can easily cross check M.Tech admission lists (of all
Universities in AP) and college faculty
lists and stop this practice. This will save fee re-imbursement expenses to
Govt to some extent.
Another ugliest thing which universities are not
giving importance at all is “M.Tech thesis”. It will not be a joke if I say not
even 1% of the M.Tech theses are the actual work done by the candidates. They
are all purchased from outsiders. I understand that last year annual turnover
of those companies who supplies ready my theses is more than 100 crores. They
dare to send list of projects, bulk offers to academia including Vice
chancellors, Deans, Principals. For my surprise, some of the VC’s inaugurated such a type of
business. I have sent email campaigning material to vice chancellors,
chancellor and demanded to stop this unethical practice. No action is taken
till now. Instead, they have made every M.Tech student to implement an IEEE
paper or publish an IEEE paper. Things became too worse. Now, those companies
are supplying IEEE papers implementations as theses. Universities should take this thing
seriously. This type of M.Tech faculty, what they can teach to students of
B.Tech?. About a decade back, Univ people first used to ask experts whether
they will in a position to review an M.Tech thesis or not by sending
abstract/synopsis. Once experts says yes, they will be sending M.Tech thesis
report only after that they will be arranging M.Tech defence along with
viva-voce. Now, university people damaged all this good system. They are
calling experts on one day, theses reports of three students will be given just
before the students seminar. Why universities have to kill the established good
systems and spoil the education system. They can very well correct this if they
really want.
Is it not possible to see Universities that M.Tech
classes to be held regularly in their campuses and also in affiliated
colleges?. It is very well possible to be implemented. But they don’t do it. If
this is taken care, at least next generation engineering graduates gets benefitted.
Another catastrophic thing that is happening in
current JNTU system is that these un-oriented M.Tech studying faculty members are
becoming examiners for B.Tech exams. Now, you can imagine how much damage is
taking place to the system. Majority of the B.Tech students are of the opinion
is that what marks they get and what they expect are never matching. Every
student feels this. Why? These un-qualified M.Tech faculty are one reason. All these things can be easily controlled by university
authorities. But, they are not serious about it.
Majority of M.Tech pursuing and completed faculty members
(since last 10-15 years) are fond of All-in-ones or guides. When they become
examiners they are giving marks if they found the answer is from All-in-one
which they have studied. They are taking it granted whatever trash is there in
those all-in-ones. The generations are effecting because of this. Isn’t not
possible for a Vice chancellor to see that all-in-ones to be banned. I still
remember about cine actor Mahesh babu and his fans ransacking privacy CD
company in Warangal. Is it not possible for a VC to stop this. They don’t do it
as they get their percentage from publishers, Board of studies Chariman’s don’t
talk as they also get some or other percentage from all-in-one publishers. College
managements are not serious as they are getting good pass percentages which
helps them in next year admissions. Parents are happy with what marks their lad
god. This is the vicious circle that is running in engineering education. Every
stake holder (parents, university authorities, faculty, managements, government),
especially Universities have to take serious action to stop this worst
practice. Is it not possible for Universities to identify faculty members who
are contributing to all-in-ones and take actions on them?. May be, chief
examiners should be warned to see that the examiners are not giving marks only
for those answers which are from all-in-ones. University can ban those
examiners for few years and encourage those chief-examiners. Different universities
are having different approaches regarding scheme of evaluation. At this
junction, if one is serious, one can
control the effect of all-in-one.
In Andhra, few years back in order to fill seats in
post graduation they have started PGECET
as majority of B.Tech passed students from AP colleges are not
qualifying GATE. To that extent it is OK. Why universities don’t aim to improve
the quality at least after joining the M.Tech.
Why they will not ask M.Tech students to pass GATE before they appear
M.Tech theses defense or before they start their theses work. Why they cannot
ask M.Tech pursuing students who joined under PGECET to appear UGC-NET and
clear the same before they start their theses work. Why they cannot arrange
GATE orientation lectures in University campuses and help the M.Tech students
who joined under PGECET to clear GATE/UGC-NET? This way we can improve the quality
of postgraduate student and in turn improving the faculty. They can even ask
managements to arrange GATE/UGC-NET orientation lectures to clear them by their
post graduate students. However, it is better Universities to organize these
orientation lectures in their campuses. This is very well in the hands of
University. Why to blame AICTE or Government, they can implement very well
easily.
Usually in our hierarchy, an ITI qualified fellow is
called as skilled labor. A polytechnic or diploma person is referred as supervisor
who sees the work done according to engineering specification prescribed by an
engineer. An engineer designs according to some principles. Rather, our
engineering curriculum orients him like that and it is the objective of B.Tech
or B.E or graduation. Only during the post graduation, the candidate is
expected to expose to dogma of research. Thus, a B.Tech thesis is called as
project. Whereas M.Tech thesis is called as thesis and is partial fulfillment for
the award of the degree. While Ph.D thesis is full fulfillment for the award of
the degree. During the masters, candidates are supposed to expose to how
research can carried out. They are often asked to re-invent and existing
system, change and observe an existing system. Unfortunately, this is not
taking place in reality. I dare to challenge the University authorities to
prove that at least 1% of M.Tech theses submitted to them are genuine (not
purchased) and are carried out in house in a college or university and under
the guidance of a faculty member. It is
certainly in the hands of the University itself. Why to blame AICTE or someone
else.
Universities have to see that classes for M.Tech
courses to be conducted on regular intervals and faculty members who takes
M.Tech classes should be Ph.D with at least 5 years teaching experience. It is
naked fact that hardly few institutions which can be counted on fingers are having Ph.D qualified faculty members.
These colleges send the Ph.D faculty to B.Tech classes, not for post
graduation. There are many equations involved for doing this. However, total
result is the M.Tech classes are not conducted. May be university can identify
expert faculty either from their campus or affiliated colleges and entrust them
to take M.Tech classes in nodal (or some other identified) college which have
to be attended by post graduate students of nearby colleges. This type of action,
a University can be implemented easily. May be University can pay the honorarium
for faculty. Similar steps to be taken to orient post graduate students towards
research methodology course before they
start their M.Tech thesis.
DAAD(Germany) etc type organizations welcomes group
visits to their Universities. Both under-graduate(B.Tech), graduate (M.Tech)
students can apply for this as a group along with a faculty member of their
college. For my surprise, not all universities in A.P are not registered with
DAAD to extend this facility to students of our AP. For sensible University
authorities, taking this as an important thing and arranging student visits and
student exchange programs is not at all difficult. But, they are not doing
this. That is how our students are lagging global awareness though they are
getting degrees.
Also, post-graduate students have to made aware of
many fellowship programs such as Common wealth, Erasmus Mundus, Curie, Manmohan-obama,
etc., such that they will be serious while doing their Masters thesis. Who has
to take this oath of educating M.Tech students about all the above fellowships?
Is it not the University or faculty members? What difficulty university will be
having to share this with their post-graduate students?. In fact, British
Council, DAAD are always at forefront in organizing awareness programs with
their expenses. Why universities do not utilize this facility?
These M.Tech students should be made embrace the
technological developments such as e-learning, etc., during their study itself
such that when they become faculty members they can do better justice to B.Tech
students. Universities should see that they will register on-line courses
offered by prestigious universities such as Stanford, MIT, UN University. If possible, they can see that they will be
visible in their transcripts (marks lists). If needed, they can conduct final
examination and give academic credits to the course.
b.
Another pathetic thing that is spoiling engineering education is Ph.D
degrees. AICTE, Universities, and many other organizations are insisting
doctorate faculty members in the colleges? How come suddenly Ph.D qualified
people will be available for teaching? This has raised curtain for issuing
dubious Ph.D degrees. Since last 10-15 years this is getting aggravated in A.P
and also in India. Every university authority who has right to speak, do not
open their mouth, rather they are sharing their contribution to further
aggravate the situation.
Only recently, UGC made a list of banned universities
in their web site. However, by that time many colleges are flooded with Ph.d’s from these universities such as
Magadha University as their faculty. In
order to satisfy AICTE requirements, colleges are using “cat on a wall” policy.
They are under the opinion that let AICTE/University inspection people to point
about their Ph.D faculty then will look into this. Of course, they don’t hesitate
to supply purses to inspection members for not commenting or pointing about
this in their reports. Worst thing is that some
faculty members are having
on-line Ph.Ds. I strongly feel it is high time correct at this point by Universities. I don’t see what problems
they have in implementing this. Why to blame AICTE/UGC or some else. A
University can easily implement this on its own. They can demand their affiliated colleges to
register their faculty members at the university. University can issue a code
or number also to the faculty after verifying his credentials. This will stop
employing dubious Ph.d faculty in the colleges and quality of teaching and
students increases.
Some of the Universities in AP such as Rayalaseema,
Krishna, Acharya Nagarjuna, etc., are offering Ph.d degrees though they don’t have
concern departments in their respective Universities. If they don’t have
respective departments means they don’t have academic strength or Excellency in
those areas?. How they can offer Ph.D degrees in those subjects. Why Vice
chancellors of other Universities are keeping quite? Don’t you open your mouth
and start raising the issues with concerned authorities. Instead, you are
accepting the Ph.D holders from these Universities and giving promotions though
through normal promotions. Being an authority who is supposed to maintain the
standards of University, if you cannot control these things, how can you build
standards in education under your university?
Prestigious institutes like IIT’s are having limits on
number of Ph.d students attached to a faculty member. Typically it is 2 to 3.
How come these state university faculty are allowed to accept few tens to
hundreds of Ph.d students?. University authorities are encouraging this as they
are seing Ph.D also another source of
income. Ten years back, Ph.D students used to pay few hundred as their
annual fee. Now, universities are charging 25000 to 30000/-. In return, what
are you providing? Are you holding any classes to them? No. Are you providing
any library, other instrument facilities to them?. No. If so,
why are you charging so much money?. What is the scientific basis for
you for raising the fee?. Some of the university authorities says, deemed
universities are charging even one lakh also
for Ph.D, why don’t we also
charge more?. Of course, I don’t want to talk about Ph.d’s
from deemed universities. That is going
to be another dimension which is out of the scope of this discussion. What is the quality of your Ph.D’s?. Did you
make a committee that evaluates standards of your Ph.d’s for every 5 years?. Is
it not possible to take steps to maintain the standards of your Ph.d degrees?.
How AICTE can stop you if you plan to correct your Ph.d standards.
Majority of the Universities in AP are admitting their
Ph.D students through their own entrance examination. In order to build up the
quality among the faculty, why they will not ask their Ph.D students to pass
GATE or UGC-NET before they appear for pre-phd examination or before
they submit their Ph.d thesis?. If they insist then the quality of faculty
improves. After all, if they don’t qualify
them how come they make their B.Tech or M.Tech students to clear these
examinations?
Few years back, there was no restriction for
submitting Ph.D thesis. Recently, some of the universities made a rule such
that a candidate has to have one paper published in a Journal before submission
of their Ph.d thesis. Because of this many new journals have come up in the
recent past which published papers without proper reviewing. World popular
organization, IEEE has banned some of the professors publishing their work in
IEEE journals for next 5 years. Highest authorities of universities are also in
the list. What really happened?. So called Ph.D scholars our AP universities published some of the articles of IEEE as it is in these new journals by making
their names and their Ph.d supervisors names as authors?. The fact is that,
their Ph.D supervisors do not know this and they have taken aback after seeing
emails from IEEE banning their names. This is the ethical strength of Ph.D
students in our universities. Is it not possible to stop this?. Why it happened?
There can be many reasons, but one of it is: Tens and hundreds of Ph.d students
attached to a guide? How come a guide can really guide tens of students at a
time. If university limits this number then they have time to take care of
their Ph.D students. Otherwise, this type of things are going to continue.
c.
Certainly universities are required to revamp
their curriculum to make their students preferable to industry. Some
Universities such as JNTU’s are doing this to some extent unlike conventional
universities. However, they are not concentrating the enforcing the faculty
first before introducing new courses. First,
they have to organize the new course at their university campus and let private
college faculty to attend the course and pass the examination. If possible, the
same course can be offered to the students of their autonomous colleges and
share those experiences with these faculty. Only if expert committee feels that
a faculty can do justice to the proposed course, he will be asked to handle the
course in his college. Is it so difficult for an university to implement? If
not, what for Board of Studies, what for academic sections?. How AICTE comes into picture to stop your
activities in this direction?.
d.
It is not
a joke if I say that more than 60% of the faculty in professional colleges are not
having a service of more than 6 months. They have to be equipped to face a
class of strength seventy!. It is very essential to organize few days of induction
course to teach fundamentals 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. 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 have to be asked to teach the
course. This can be easily enforced by universities to get good quality
education.
The above are some of the points
out of many ideas which I have regarding
how a university can strengthen the
engineering system without blaming AICTE.
I
shall share my views on the following items in due course.
2. parents and their mindsets.
3. College
Managements
4. Industry
5. Students
and their mindsets
6. Intermediate
education and corporate culture
