Delegates at the workshop in Patna. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, Sept. 18: The department of science and technology (DST) in Bihar has finally made up its mind to set up special laboratories in engineering and polytechnic colleges.

In the laboratories, students would get the facility of using latest softwares to hone their skills in things like computer-aided designing (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) through simulations.

The department would soon invite bids from companies specialising in this work for setting up the labs.

The decision to set up such a facility has been taken after Project Lifecycle Management (PLM), a division of Siemens Industries, made a presentation highlighting the importance of simulation in labs for budding engineers, in a workshop organised by DST on Saturday in which representatives of government engineering and polytechnic colleges took part.

Prior to making this presentation, PLM had submitted a proposal to the state government under its national education and skill training (NEST) programme for setting up these laboratories.

According to the proposal, PLM intends to take up this work in a phased manner. In the first phase, it would provide software to technical institutions for imparting training to students in CAD and CAE using computers. After providing the software, the company would also train the teachers so that they could use the software in training students.

In the second phase, the company would set up a full fledged laboratory in Patna, which would have the latest equipment being used by industrial houses at present, so that students could get a feel of the machines on which they are expected to work after being absorbed by companies on the basis of their technical qualification.

As far as the cost component is concerned, the proposal says that the state government should bear the cost of purchasing softwares, which would be provided by Siemens at a subsidised rate whereas the company would bear the cost of imparting training to teachers.

The Telegraph on August 25 had carried a detailed report about the proposal.

The PLM initiative, followed by DST plan of setting up virtual laboratories, appears to have hit the right chord with the stakeholders as was evident from their assertions.

“Our syllabus does not meet the current requirement of industries. Availability of a lab where students can learn things which industries expect them to know would certainly enhance their employability,” Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology principal C.B. Rai said.