Governor R.N. Ravi on Monday urged vice-chancellors of state universities offering engineering courses to align their curricula with industry requirements.

Ravi, who is the ex-officio chancellor of state universities, held a meeting with 16 vice-chancellors at Raj Bhavan.

The universities represented included Jadavpur University, Calcutta University and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), all of which offer BTech and other engineering programmes.

“The chancellor advised the universities that offer engineering programmes to establish links with the industry. This will make the curriculum more in sync with the times and benefit students,” JU vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said.

Tapas Chakrabarti, the authorised vice-chancellor of MAKAUT, which affiliates government and private engineering colleges across Bengal, said the vice-chancellors were advised to forge closer ties with industry from the curriculum-design stage so that students are better equipped for employment and secure improved placement opportunities.

“He suggested that we design the curriculum with industry requirements in mind, as that would enhance students’ career prospects. He told us to bring industry experts to conduct classes,” said Chakrabarti.

An outdated syllabus has dogged engineering courses across the campuses in Bengal.

“An outdated syllabus and poor infrastructure are among the reasons why thousands of engineering seats remain vacant. Seats go vacant in BTech programmes of JU and Calcutta University, with the top tankers in the Bengal JEE moving to other states. If the industry is consulted in drawing the syllabus, the programmes will be more relevant,” the official said.

Seeking help from the industry can also help create better infrastructure.

During the meeting, some of the vice-chancellors apprised the chancellor that half of the teaching posts were vacant as no recruitment had been carried out over the past decade.

When higher education minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay visited Calcutta University on Friday, the teachers’ association informed him about the acute crisis of teachers, urging him to take steps to fill the vacancies.

About 55% of teaching positions are vacant, said Sanatan Chattopadhyay, president of the Calcutta University Teachers’ Association.

“This is severely affecting the teaching-learning process at a time when the syllabus has become more exhaustive with the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020,” he said.

On Monday, the chancellor also insisted on maintaining cleanliness on campuses.

“He said that since being appointed as the governor in March, he visited three to four campuses and was upset with their lack of cleanliness. It creates a wrong impression about a university campus, the chancellor told us,” Chakrabarti said.