Experts at a seminar organised by the Orissa Private Engineering College Association in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, March 9: Orissa Private Engineering College Association organised a seminar as part of the Entrepreneurs Week celebration here today. Director of IIT Kharagpur Damodar Acharya spoke during the seminar titled “Development of Technical Education and Knowledge Centre”.

“Private technical institutes should stop running after quality certification or stamps of accreditation. Instead, they should make efforts to improve the quality of education they offer so that students get adequate returns,” he added.

“The focus should be on making sure that skill we build in our students will enable them to do well globally. We must prepare our students for global competition. As institutes, ultimately you will be judged by the quality you produce,” he said.

Speaking about ITIs, Acharya said that the country was yet to get qualified carpenters, plumbers or drivers. “Most of our people learn by practice or continue with hereditary professions. The National Council Vocation Training certificate will not be recognised outside. The institute should try to get certificates from global players so that the technicians we produce can be employed with better salaries,” added Acharya.

“Engineering, MBA and MCA mania is a typical Indian phenomena,” said Acharya. The US, with three times the GDP of India, produces just 73,000 engineers whereas we produce 12 lakhs of them,”he observed.

“Physical attributes, state-of-the-art curriculum, qualified faculty, teaching learning practices and evaluation are some of the key areas which private colleges need to address effectively,” said D.N. Reddy, vice-chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.

Speaking on the occasion, industries secretary T Ramchandru said engineering colleges should encourage students to take up Plus Two science to solve the ongoing seat vacancy crisis.

In another development, the Orissa Private Engineering Colleges Association demanded amendment to the Orissa Professional Education Act, clear admission guidelines before Joint Entrance Examination and proper steps to fill up NRI and general vacant seats.

The association also demanded that JEE be held for 50 per cent seats, while 25 per cent seats to be filled through All India Engineering Entrance Examination . The remaining 25 per cent NRI seats should go to the management.