Upskilling, deep learning of technology, transformation of innovative ideas to arrive at solutions for problems to improve the lives of people, along with inculcation of universal human values was essential and critical for students and young engineers of the country today, Prof (Dr.) T.G.Sitharam, Chairman, All India Council of Technical Education, said on Saturday.
Delivering his Graduation Day Address and handing over degrees and awards at the 23rd Graduation Ceremony of Easwari Engineering College (an SRM Group Institution and affiliated to Anna University) at SRMIST, Kattankulathur, Prof. Sitharam said the rapid strides in the development of advanced technologies especially generative Artificial Intelligence, had created possibilities for people to lose jobs, and hence continuous learning, upskilling, and reskilling had become very critical.
“Recently we published the approval process handbook and this is revolutionary and open. AICTE internship portal has 2 crore registered students with over 75,000 companies offering internships. Following the success of this initiative, AICTE created a placement portal, and more than 2,000 companies have already offered jobs, and in 2024 the placements will be taking place in colleges located in rural and tribal areas, Prof. Sitharam said. He added that the placements will be offered in core engineering jobs – be it automobile, electronics, civil and mechanical engineering. This is part of other initiatives to sustain the interest in core engineering.
Further, AICTE’s – NEAT National Education Alliance for Technology – Portal has more than 800 technology companies’ tools that are made available for students and these companies have been asked to give credits to students so that it could be transferred to their colleges. “This is not an additional burden to students. I urge students and also graduands to visit NEAT portal,” he remarked.
Universal human values was one aspect that was equally important for students to focus on as merely graduating with engineering and technology disciplines was not enough. Courses on universal human values will help youth to be composed and controlled, Prof. Sitharam added.
Stating that AICTE had established Institution’s Innovation Council in about 7,000 institutions, he said such forums should be set up in all institutions and that students should compete with each other in all events – especially Smart India Hackathon.
Prof. Sitharam said the New Education Policy 2020 laid a lot of emphasis on practical, hands-on skilling than classroom-based learning and also spoke about the new courses offered by AICTE in the emerging areas such as advanced telecommunications like 5G.
In his Presidential Address, Dr. T.R.Paarivendhar, Founder Chairman, SRM Group of Institutions and Lok Sabha MP, while recalling former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who had said education was the most powerful weapon with which one could change the world, said students of the institution were fortunate on three counts – they were students of Easwari Engineering College, their college was affiliated to Anna University, and that they were part of SRM Group of Institutions that is well known all over India and the world. He insisted on three virtues – confidence, ability to face challenges, and hard work for youth to achieve success.
Appealing to students and young graduands to pursue excellence in their place of work, he also reminded them on the importance of continuous learning. He also exhorted the young engineers, while having their jobs, to also try and start their own business as part of efforts to become entrepreneurs. Dr. Paarivendhar said that during his interaction with the Honourable Prime Minister and his Cabinet Colleagues, and other Parliamentarians in New Delhi, all of them would enquire him about SRM Group of Institutions – which he said was a matter of great pride to him.
Krishnan Sadagopan, Senior Vice President, Ashok Leyland, who was the Guest of Honour, said the Government of India had rolled out several initiatives and schemes to proper economic growth and employment generation. There were immense opportunities for young engineers to innovate, research in the areas like energy especially green hydrogen, circular economy and many more.
Dr. Sitharam and Paarivendhar, handed over certificates and awards to the young graduands, including rank holders in the presence of Krishnan Sadagopan, Dr. R. Shivakumar, Chairman, SRM Group of Institutions, Ramapuram and Trichy, S.Niranjan, Co-Chairman SRM Group of Institutions Chennai, Ramapuram and Trichy, Dr. C.Muthamizhchelvan, Vice Chancellor, SRM IST, Dr. R.S.Kumar, Principal, Easwari Engineering College, Dr. K.Kathiravan, Director, SRM Group of Institutions, Ramapuram, and Dr. Narayanan, Associate Director.
1363 graduands of the 2021 batch and 935 graduands of the 2022 batch received their degree certificates, including PhD. Among these graduands, 71 students are College rank holders.
