Latest news with #ECE
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Picking an engineering course in Tamil Nadu
Over 2.5 lakh students are expected to take part in the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) 2025 counselling from July 14. The merit list was released Friday last. Early trends suggest a continued preference for Computer Science-centric courses — though surprises cannot be ruled out. Private engineering colleges report that courses like Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity are in high demand, in line with the industrial trend nationwide. In contrast, traditional core branches such as Civil and Mechanical Engineering continue to struggle for patronage, despite recent efforts at reviving interest in these courses. Principals across engineering colleges agree that students mostly prefer Computer Science and allied fields. 'In our institution, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science are the top picks, followed by Computer Science and Engineering [CSE], and Electronics and Communication Engineering [ECE],' said T. Saravanan, principal, New Prince Shri Bhavani College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai. ECE has gained popularity owing to the government's push in the semiconductor sector, while Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) and Mechanical Engineering are regaining traction. However, Civil Engineering continues to evoke low interest, with only 30% of seats filled at his college, he added. Under the TNEA 2024 single-window counselling system for colleges affiliated to Anna University, only 4,451 candidates opted for Civil Engineering-related courses as against 10,772 available seats. 'Civil Engineering is still not preferred. We offer only 30 seats, and just 35% of them are filled under the management quota,' noted K. Palanikumar, principal, Sairam Engineering College in Chennai. 'Interestingly, students opting for Civil Engineering often have parents working in the construction sector. What we have noticed is that there is a disconnect between job opportunities in government departments and public perception.' He added that the fear of lay-offs in information technology companies has slightly slowed the admission to CSE, while the government push for manufacturing has sparked interest in Mechanical Engineering and EEE. Staging a comeback In Coimbatore, the Dhaanish Ahmed Institute of Technology has recorded a surge in interest. 'Cybersecurity is the buzzword in information technology companies such as TCS, Wipro, Infosys, and CTS. After computing, semiconductors are next in demand,' said its principal K.G. Parthiban. He added that Mechanical Engineering and allied branches — such as Robotics, Automation, and Mechatronics — are on the radar again, thanks to the growing demand in the auto and industrial automation sectors. 'There's even an increase in girl students choosing Mechanical Engineering.' At Vivekanandha Educational Institutions, Tiruchengode, girl students mostly opt for Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, CSE, ECE, and IT — in that order, said executive director S. Kuppuswamy. Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology rank fourth, while core engineering courses trail. Despite his personal efforts to advocate for core courses like Civil Engineering, students remain unconvinced. 'We have 30 Civil Engineering seats and fill them through government counselling. We've chosen not to surrender the branch, hoping that the interest in it will revive over time,' he said. A few years ago, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) allowed colleges to surrender seats in less popular disciplines so as to start new courses. Many colleges relinquished nearly 50% of their Civil and Mechanical Engineering seats and then expanded Artificial Intelligence and data-centric courses. While some institutions are attempting to revive core branches, IT-related programmes continue to shape the engineering education in Tamil Nadu, fuelled by immediate job prospects. This is not limited to Tier-2 and Tier-3 engineering colleges. Even the country's premier institution — the Indian Institute of Technology — is no exception. A recent event organised by the Pan-IIT Alumni Leadership Series (PALS) in Chennai discussed ways to improve candidates' choices. Directors of several IITs took part at the event. A recurrent theme was the need to encourage students to choose core engineering programmes. PALS has adopted 50 Tier-2 and Tier-3 engineering colleges to help them improve performance. A model for other students IIT-Madras Director V. Kamakoti acknowledged that in the past decade, 99.9% of the toppers in the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) — the qualifying examination for admission to the IITs — opted for CSE. Students did not choose Electrical Engineering. This is a matter of concern against the backdrop of two major occurrences — the COVID-19 pandemic and Operation Sindoor. 'In the first one, a solution came from biological sciences and in the second, from multiple disciplines. It is not just Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. It was the multidisciplinary approach, much beyond traditional AI,' he pointed out. 'We must reach out to people who studied in these core disciplines and are now doing well for themselves. They could be examples for younger students.' Mr. Kamakoti gave a wide range of suggestions, from improving syllabus to encouraging students to appear for competitive tests to help them evaluate themselves against their peers. He suggested that autonomous colleges fine-tune their syllabus to attract students. Colleges could call on their alumni in core engineering programmes to interact with the aspirants. Institutions could focus on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education. Candidates should be encouraged to take up dual-degree programmes. Every institution must encourage students to take 40% of their credit through advanced courses to prepare themselves for the industry, he said. The AICTE and the University Grants Commission have permitted colleges to offer 20% skill-oriented courses. These courses could be taught by industry experts, and students could be assigned credits. Faculty members should encourage students to take the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering to help them understand their self-worth among peers, the IIT-M Director said. 'Self-audit is very important for students.' Instead of focusing only on engineering education, college faculty members could offer students wider choices, encouraging them to go in for even the Civil Services Examination. The country would benefit from tech-savvy engineering graduates who could shape technology-driven policies, he pointed out. IIT-Tirupati Director K.N. Satyanarayana suggested that students be given more time for practicals. Introducing Artificial Intelligence in Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering is the way forward, he said. But there are no teachers for the subject. Lack of engineers He pointed out that India had built only 50% of the infrastructure it needed. It aspires to be the manufacturing hub for semiconductors and electronic chips. Lack of trained engineers resulted in an Indian company Tata advertising for workers in Taiwan to work in its semiconductor industry. While it is true that civil engineers get paid lower than a software engineer or a CSE graduate initially, a level playing field is achieved for a core engineering graduate when the candidate completes 30 years in service, he added.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
What to B.E.
Over 2.5 lakh students are expected to take part in the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) 2025 counselling from July 14. The merit list was released Friday last. Early trends suggest a continued preference for Computer Science-centric courses — though surprises cannot be ruled out. Private engineering colleges report that courses like Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity are in high demand, in line with the industrial trend nationwide. In contrast, traditional core branches such as Civil and Mechanical Engineering continue to struggle for patronage, despite recent efforts at reviving interest in these courses. Principals across engineering colleges agree that students mostly prefer Computer Science and allied fields. 'In our institution, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science are the top picks, followed by Computer Science and Engineering [CSE], and Electronics and Communication Engineering [ECE],' said T. Saravanan, principal, New Prince Shri Bhavani College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai. ECE has gained popularity owing to the government's push in the semiconductor sector, while Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) and Mechanical Engineering are regaining traction. However, Civil Engineering continues to evoke low interest, with only 30% of seats filled at his college, he added. Under the TNEA 2024 single-window counselling system for colleges affiliated to Anna University, only 4,451 candidates opted for Civil Engineering-related courses as against 10,772 available seats. 'Civil Engineering is still not preferred. We offer only 30 seats, and just 35% of them are filled under the management quota,' noted K. Palanikumar, principal, Sairam Engineering College in Chennai. 'Interestingly, students opting for Civil Engineering often have parents working in the construction sector. What we have noticed is that there is a disconnect between job opportunities in government departments and public perception.' He added that the fear of lay-offs in information technology companies has slightly slowed the admission to CSE, while the government push for manufacturing has sparked interest in Mechanical Engineering and EEE. Staging a comeback In Coimbatore, the Dhaanish Ahmed Institute of Technology has recorded a surge in interest. 'Cybersecurity is the buzzword in information technology companies such as TCS, Wipro, Infosys, and CTS. After computing, semiconductors are next in demand,' said its principal K.G. Parthiban. He added that Mechanical Engineering and allied branches — such as Robotics, Automation, and Mechatronics — are on the radar again, thanks to the growing demand in the auto and industrial automation sectors. 'There's even an increase in girl students choosing Mechanical Engineering.' At Vivekanandha Educational Institutions, Tiruchengode, girl students mostly opt for Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, CSE, ECE, and IT — in that order, said executive director S. Kuppuswamy. Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology rank fourth, while core engineering courses trail. Despite his personal efforts to advocate for core courses like Civil Engineering, students remain unconvinced. 'We have 30 Civil Engineering seats and fill them through government counselling. We've chosen not to surrender the branch, hoping that the interest in it will revive over time,' he said. A few years ago, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) allowed colleges to surrender seats in less popular disciplines so as to start new courses. Many colleges relinquished nearly 50% of their Civil and Mechanical Engineering seats and then expanded Artificial Intelligence and data-centric courses. While some institutions are attempting to revive core branches, IT-related programmes continue to shape the engineering education in Tamil Nadu, fuelled by immediate job prospects. This is not limited to Tier-2 and Tier-3 engineering colleges. Even the country's premier institution — the Indian Institute of Technology — is no exception. A recent event organised by the Pan-IIT Alumni Leadership Series (PALS) in Chennai discussed ways to improve candidates' choices. Directors of several IITs took part at the event. A recurrent theme was the need to encourage students to choose core engineering programmes. PALS has adopted 50 Tier-2 and Tier-3 engineering colleges to help them improve performance. A model for other students IIT-Madras Director V. Kamakoti acknowledged that in the past decade, 99.9% of the toppers in the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) — the qualifying examination for admission to the IITs — opted for CSE. Students did not choose Electrical Engineering. This is a matter of concern against the backdrop of two major occurrences — the COVID-19 pandemic and Operation Sindoor. 'In the first one, a solution came from biological sciences and in the second, from multiple disciplines. It is not just Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. It was the multidisciplinary approach, much beyond traditional AI,' he pointed out. 'We must reach out to people who studied in these core disciplines and are now doing well for themselves. They could be examples for younger students.' Mr. Kamakoti gave a wide range of suggestions, from improving syllabus to encouraging students to appear for competitive tests to help them evaluate themselves against their peers. He suggested that autonomous colleges fine-tune their syllabus to attract students. Colleges could call on their alumni in core engineering programmes to interact with the aspirants. Institutions could focus on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education. Candidates should be encouraged to take up dual-degree programmes. Every institution must encourage students to take 40% of their credit through advanced courses to prepare themselves for the industry, he said. The AICTE and the University Grants Commission have permitted colleges to offer 20% skill-oriented courses. These courses could be taught by industry experts, and students could be assigned credits. Faculty members should encourage students to take the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering to help them understand their self-worth among peers, the IIT-M Director said. 'Self-audit is very important for students.' Instead of focusing only on engineering education, college faculty members could offer students wider choices, encouraging them to go in for even the Civil Services Examination. The country would benefit from tech-savvy engineering graduates who could shape technology-driven policies, he pointed out. IIT-Tirupati Director K.N. Satyanarayana suggested that students be given more time for practicals. Introducing Artificial Intelligence in Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering is the way forward, he said. But there are no teachers for the subject. Lack of engineers He pointed out that India had built only 50% of the infrastructure it needed. It aspires to be the manufacturing hub for semiconductors and electronic chips. Lack of trained engineers resulted in an Indian company Tata advertising for workers in Taiwan to work in its semiconductor industry. While it is true that civil engineers get paid lower than a software engineer or a CSE graduate initially, a level playing field is achieved for a core engineering graduate when the candidate completes 30 years in service, he added.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Change in leadership team: Another project boss back
Yet another former boss of the new Dunedin hospital has swung back into the revolving door of its leadership team, sources say. It is understood that former programme director Tony Lloyd was let go from the role last November but is back working on the long-delayed inpatient building again. He first joined the build in June 2022. Mr Lloyd, director of AGL Consulting, joins energy company Todd's boss Evan Davies, who resigned from chairing the build's governance board in June 2023 but returned as Crown manager of the project this month at the behest of Health Minister Simeon Brown. Both men have hospital construction experience, including in Christchurch. However, some sources in the construction industry expressed concern about the two men's comeback in Dunedin, due to the project's overall slow progress. One said: "This smells of positions for mates and corporate interests while the project and people suffer. What confidence can the government give to the South that the build is being managed competently?" Other sources blamed turgid and complex command lines at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ (HNZ) for the project's slow-go, rather than Mr Davies and Mr Lloyd's leadership. There had been "paper pushing and pontificating" up the chain. Minutes from the project's board when it was headed by Mr Davies complain about the problem. During the duo's previous reign, they worked with construction giant CPB which has been planning the build under an Early Contractor Engagement (ECE) agreement that began in August 2021. It was meant to progress to a building contract by early 2023, but it did not happen. Mr Davies, who originally joined the build in December 2020, jumped ship in June 2023 claiming a demanding day job at Todd. In response to a question about the return of Mr Lloyd, Mr Brown said Mr Davies had "full authority" for the inpatient build now, including "making personnel decisions necessary to get the job done". In a separate comment about Mr Davies' reappointment, Mr Brown said the Crown manager role would be easier than Mr Davies' previous hospital role because it was "substantially more limited". The new role was focused on getting the inpatient building constructed. In March last year, prior to Mr Lloyd's departure, an Infrastructure Commission general manager Blake Lepper shifted to be HNZ's head of infrastructure delivery and was consequently named senior responsible officer for the Dunedin hospital project. In March last year, prior to Mr Lloyd's departure, an Infrastructure Commission general manager Blake Lepper shifted to be HNZ's head of infrastructure delivery and was consequently named senior responsible officer for the Dunedin hospital project. When asked last November to comment on Mr Lloyd's exit from the role of programme director, Mr Lepper said HNZ had "looked closely" at the hospital build's management and thought "a different approach is needed". HNZ had signed a letter of intent with Crown Infrastructure Delivery (CID), a company mandated to help agencies struggling to deliver infrastructure, he said. Mr Lepper is understood to have then led the reconsideration of a fixed-price approach to the contract and a ward block refit rather than a new build. The former is thought by some other construction experts to be inadvisable, and the latter is definitely off the table and had been previously. An HNZ spokesperson failed to answer questions about the appointment of Mr Lloyd and whether Mr Lepper or CID were still working on the build. The HNZ spokesperson said the agency was "confident we have the team in place to deliver this modern healthcare facility for the people of the South".
Otago Daily Times
22-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Hospital stall due to contract
The government bungled the opportunity to crack on with the new Dunedin hospital's in-patient building last year by blowing up contract negotiations in sight of the finish line, sources say. It is understood a type of shared-risk deal was previously being nutted out with global construction giant CPB, meaning any overspend above a threshold would be shouldered by both government and CPB. Contract signing with Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) was close but, sources say, negotiations stalled around the time government ministers came to Dunedin in September, announcing there had been a blow-out of the hospital's $1.88 billion budget. A fixed-price deal was then sought from CPB. It was the type of deal government had originally hoped to achieve when the project was conceived seven years ago and prices were lower and fluctuated less. The flip-flopping was condemned by former Labour health minister and hospital campaigner Pete Hodgson. Mr Hodgson said it risked CPB now walking away from the deal — with the government having no guarantee of a cheaper deal with another contractor — causing further delays. "The government would have to re-engage the market with the reputation of being a risky client, always changing its mind ... and if CPB can't pull it together with their array of subcontractors, it seems unlikely anyone else would be able to." CPB, which has many contracts overseas and consistently declines to comment about the Dunedin hospital negotiations, had agreed in 2021 to an Early Contractor Engagement (ECE) contract to plan the inpatient build. There was an expectation it would then be contracted , with work starting in 2023 — but two years on, it still has not happened. CPB has successfully built a hospital in Christchurch, but it has not always had cordial relations with the government — two CPB government-commissioned construction projects have resulted in legal wrangles. Multiple sources have told the Otago Daily Times that a shared-risk contract for the Dunedin hospital build had been discussed with CPB for years. Construction experts, engaged by government to help seal the deal, had advised that a shared-risk contract would likely prove the cheapest, and deliver the best build outcomes, through a collaborative client-contractor relationship. It is understood that the experts included Evan Davies, Todd Corporation boss, who led a new Dunedin hospital governance committee from December 2020 until mid-2023 and who was last week brought back by Health Minister Simeon Brown to lead the build project as Crown Manager. According to sources, CPB wanted a shared-risk contract and its senior managers have also stated, in public forums, fixed-price contracts can be inappropriate for large, complex builds due to pricing variables. A shared-risk contract means the contractor does not need to charge a premium to cover its risk exposure and the public purse benefits from any cost savings achieved, possibly countering any over-spend. After the last election, construction expert Robert Rust was commissioned to review the project. His report, published in May last year, pointed some blame for the project's delays at poor governance and explained that a "target total cost" model was being proposed. The model would provide a "threshold for any potential pain or gain sharing". In January this year, two months after the project's latest programme director left, and four months after former health minister Dr Shane Reti and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop came to Dunedin with their budget blow-out announcement and pressed pause on the build, Mr Brown said it would go ahead within budget and with cutbacks. It is unknown if the cutbacks were due to concerns about being saddled with a premium-laden fixed price above budget. No timescales for the build have been announced by HNZ but Mr Davies' role as Crown Manager requires him to seal a contract within three months.
Hans India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
JNTU-H signs MoU with 2 German varsities on dual degree programmes
Hyderabad: Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTUH) has established a significant academic partnership with two German institutions: the Knowledge Foundation at Reutlingen University and the University of Kassel. The MoU was signed between the senior officials of the JNTU-H and the German Universities on Thursday. The MoU aims to launch an innovative International Integrated Bachelor's and Master's Program, offering students a truly global academic experience. The program is designed to provide students with a dual qualification — a Bachelor's degree from JNTUH and a Master's degree from a partner German university. With academic components in both India and Germany, this initiative promotes global exposure, cross-cultural learning, and access to high-quality research and educational resources. The collaboration between KF Reutlingen University and JNTUH enables students to pursue a 5.5-year Integrated International Bachelor's and Master's program in Professional Software Engineering. Students will spend one semester at JNTUH, followed by three semesters at KF Reutlingen. This partnership promotes cultural exchange, global competencies, and academic excellence. Similarly, in the case of the University of Kassel Collaboration, the University of Kassel will expand its existing double-degree Master of Science program titled 'Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency – Management, Engineering, and Application (REMENA)' in partnership with JNTUH. This strengthens expertise in energy systems and sustainability. The MoU was officially signed by JNTUH, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. T. Kishen Kumar Reddy, and Daniel Geigis, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), KF Reutlingen University, Germany; Prof. Dr. SC. Techn. Dirk Dahlhaus, Head of ECE Program, University of Kassel, Germany; Raj Vangapandu, President, German Varsity, and Dr. N. Bangararaju, CEO, Indo-Euro Synchronization, India.
