Engineers from colleges in tier 2 and 3 cities in the country were driving the start-up ecosystem in India, observed chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) T.G. Sitharam.
Speaking at the Karnataka Geotechnical Fusion – 2023 organised by Indian Geotechnical Society at Vidya Vardhaka College of Engineering (VVCE) in Mysuru on Saturday, Prof. Sitharam said India’s start-up ecosystem, which was the third largest in the world, had added more than 110 unicorns during the last two and a half years.
Hence, it shows that engineers graduating out of colleges in tier 2 and 3 cities were successful engineers and are helping drive the country’s start-up ecosystem.
Most of the engineers at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), who propelled Chandrayaan 3, were not from the elite IITs or NITs. A majority of them were from engineering colleges in tier 2 and 3 cities, he said.
India was producing one million engineers every year from its 3,600 engineering colleges, besides another million diploma engineers from about 3,000 diploma colleges, he said.
Prof. Sitharam said excellent talent was hidden in rural India while emphasising the need to give such students an opportunity.
While a majority of students from rural India were comfortable in conversing or understanding the English language, he said AICTE had embarked upon a programme to popularise text books written in mother tongues of students in both diploma and engineering colleges in different parts of the country.
The engineering books, which will be made available to the students free of cost, will be authored by experts including professors from IITs, NITs, and other leading institutions across the country.
Prof Sitharam also referred to the need to change the role of teachers from the traditional teaching methodology that depended on knowledge in text books to more experiential and hands-on learning modules. “So, we have created AICTE Idea Labs, Innovation Councils, and start-up eco-system, besides offering entrepreneurial encouragement,” he said.
Referring to India’s goal to become a USD 5 trillion economy in the next five years, Prof. Sitharam said he was hopeful that the milestone will be reached much faster if the country’s present demographic dividend is converted into quality technical human resource.
Pointing out that the demand for skilled manpower will rise not only in India, but across the world, he urged every young person to identify one skill either digital or domain skill.
The event also marked the 75th year celebration of Indian Geotechnical Society.
IGS president Anil Joseph, IGS secretary A.P. Singh, IGS Bangalore chapter head Dr. Madhavi Latha, Hubballi Chapter head, Dr. S.S. Quadri, Mysore Chapter chairman Dr. S.K. Prasad, Surathkal chapter chairman Dr. Sreevalsa Kolathayar, VVCE Principal Dr. B. Sadashivegowda, president Gundappa Gowda, secretary P. Vishwanath, and treasurer Sreeshaila Ramannavar were also present on the occasion.
