Latest news with #PanIITAlumniLeadershipSeries
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
MITT shines at PALS annual conclave
Maharaja Institute of Technology, Thandavapura, (MITT) has been recognised as one of the best performers in Karnataka at the recently held annual conclave of Pan IIT Alumni Leadership Series (PALS). A statement issued on behalf of MITT said that over 50 students from the institution participated in various competitions and programmes conducted throughout the academic year 2024-25 as part of the PALS, an educational initiative of IIT Madras to enhance engineering education across India.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India needs more than coders: IIT directors speak out against ‘herd mentality' around computer science craze
The Price of Parity From Code to Country Redesigning the Future of Engineering You Might Also Like: 'Will date myself again': IIT graduate CEO falls in love with himself after an evening by the lake In a hard-hitting panel discussion held on the campus of IIT Madras on Friday, the directors of five prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology united in a common refrain: it's time to abandon the obsession with computer science engineering and instead channel talent into disciplines that are equally vital for India's growth. The session was part of the PanIIT Alumni Leadership Series (PALS), a voluntary initiative championing transformative conversations around engineering education in India As reported by The New Indian Express, IIT Madras director V Kamakoti set the tone for the discussion with a bold appeal: 'The country needs bright minds in other disciplines too.' He went on to emphasize that national toppers should be encouraged to pursue areas beyond computer science, noting that engineering knowledge should also find its way into civil services and policymaking for a more tech-savvy of the key reasons students are drawn almost blindly toward computer science, panelists said, is the lure of lucrative entry-level salaries. Shreepad Karmalkar, director of IIT Bhubaneswar, pointed out, 'This herd mentality needs to be gotten rid of.' He observed that while compensation packages for software roles might be tempting, this singular focus comes at the cost of neglecting critical sectors of national concerns were echoed by KN Satyanarayana, director of IIT Tirupati, who pointed to the growing void in core engineering disciplines . 'There is a big vacuum in the battery, semiconductor sectors which are the sunrise sectors,' he said, arguing that the need of the hour lies in nurturing chemical engineers and material scientists—professionals who can steer the nation's self-reliance in cutting-edge economic aspirations dominate student choices, BS Murty, director of IIT Hyderabad, delivered a stirring appeal to reorient that ambition. 'Put the country first over your personal aspirations,' he urged, calling on India's youth to think beyond just job security and high-paying R Desai, director of IIT Dharwad, chimed in with a message that connected engineering with social impact. He encouraged students to channel their creativity toward making India a better place to live in—reminding them that real engineering innovation solves problems for people, not just critiques of current trends, the panel also shared their forward-thinking vision for engineering education. Interdisciplinary learning , the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, a focus on sustainability, and stronger academia-industry partnerships were seen as key levers to make engineering education more relevant in the 21st was another focal point. The directors called for educational access to be broadened for students from varied socio-economic backgrounds, ensuring that engineering is not just elite but Chandrasekaran, chairperson of PALS, also weighed in on the discussion, supporting the vision that a paradigm shift in engineering education is not just necessary—but India stands at the crossroads of its technological and developmental journey, these IIT heads are urging the next generation of engineers to look beyond the keyboard. Because while coding may be king today, building the nation takes a much wider toolbox.
New Indian Express
21-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Think beyond computer science engineering: IIT panel
CHENNAI: Students and their parents should get rid of the herd mentality of choosing computer science engineering courses over other streams, said directors of five IITs at a panel discussion organised on the IIT Madras campus here on Friday. Speaking at the discussion organised under the banner of PanIIT Alumni Leadership Series (PALS), a voluntary initiative by IIT alumni, on the topic 'Engineering education for a new era', V Kamakoti, director of IIT Madras, said toppers should be encouraged to opt for disciplines other than computer sciences, since the country needs bright minds in other disciplines too. Stating that the country needs administrators who are tech savvy policy makers, he said engineering graduates should also take up civil service. KN Satyanarayana, director, IIT Tirupati stressed the country needs more engineers in the core fields at present. 'There is a big vacuum in the battery, semiconductor sectors which are the sunrise sectors. A chemical engineer, or a material scientist is the need of the hour,' said Satyanarayana. Shreepad Karmalkar, director, IIT Bhubaneswar said many students opt for computer science over core engineering courses due to the parity in pay packages at entry levels. 'This herd mentality needs to be get rid of,' he added. BS Murty, director, IIT Hyderabad appealed to the youth to put the country first over their personal aspirations. Venkappayya R Desai, director, IIT Dharwad urged students to use their creativity in making society a better place to live in. The panelists also shared their vision on how engineering education must evolve to meet the demands of the 21st century, stressing the need for interdisciplinary learning, integration of emerging technologies like AI and sustainability, academia-industry collaborations, and improving access and inclusivity for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, CN Chandrasekaran, chairperson of PALS, also spoke.
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Encourage students to choose core engineering courses: IIT-M Director
Students who wish to join engineering must be encouraged to choose core engineering programmes, said V. Kamakoti, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras. At an event organised by the Pan IIT Alumni Leadership Series here on Friday, Mr. Kamakoti said 99.9% of toppers in JEE (Advanced) had chosen computer science and engineering. 'We must see a significant number of students go into core engineering. If a topper chooses civil or mechanical engineering it should be because they like it. We must reach out to students in the core engineering departments and try to educate them on professions,' he said. Since autonomous colleges had the freedom to design their curriculum they could fine tune their syllabus to align their curriculum and research with the 17 sustainable development goals. Institutions must also consider introducing interdisciplinary programmes, he said. Students can go for dual degrees, take the GATE. Humanities could tweak their syllabi to encourage students to take up civil services as the country needed to have administrators who are tech-savvy policy makers for future India, he said. IIT-Tirupati director Kalidindi N. Satyanarayana recalled his early efforts of reaching out to engineering colleges to explain the importance of the discipline. The country had completed only half its requirement of infrastructure, he said, emphasising the need for more students to take up core engineering programmes. Directors from IITs in Dharwad, Hyderabad, and Bhubhaneshwar also shared their insights on engineering education at the PALS (Pan IIT Alumni Leadership Series) event. Vijayalakshmi Sankar, co-chair of PALS who presented the annual report said it had delivered 29 programmes reaching out to 23,600 students. It worked with around 50 engineering institutions in six States and Nepal. PALS is an initiative of the IIT alumni that conducts outreach programmes for engineering colleges, including management, faculty and students.
