Synthesis on narrowing the gap between engineering education and industry through science, technology, economics, management and ‘fire fighting’ (STEMF)

Abstract

India globalized its economy in 1991 and thousands of MNCs have established their design and manufacturing centers in India by fully utilizing the human capital developed by the Indian universities, institutions, manufactured the state-of-the-art technology products and successfully exporting them world-wide markets. Till today no company has closed its design or production center in India for want of high performing, motivated and risk-taking engineers since the availability is ten times the need of the growing industries. However, the global industries have to meet the challenges due to Industry-4 and train their employees through various proven models like ‘learning organization’, ‘just in time learning model’, etc. The accreditation of engineering programs has been undertaken to ensure the high quality in the graduates. Continuous improvements in Teaching-Learning Process are being implemented by the engineering institutions. Certain percentage of faculty members are being continuously trained through Quality Improvement Programs of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), but the shortage continues due to fresh appointment of raw graduates who were not trained in any area of engineering education. The vacancies arise day by day. Modernization of labs and workshops are being carried out through ‘Modrob’ (Modernization and Removal of Obsolesce) scheme of AICTE and the state Directorates of Technical Education and only in government and assisted engineering colleges. Around 800 colleges were closed as per AICTE order for their deficiencies. World Bank Assisted Technical Quality Improvement (TEQIP) Projects’ capacity development has been implemented in all government, governments assisted colleges and in a few self-financing colleges only. Further, quality improvement of the curriculum and efficiency improvement in decision making, examination reforms, research work, etc. have been completed for the benefit of state technical universities and autonomous government assisted colleges only. Many research studies indicate that the curricula have to be improved and modernized. Centers of Excellence and Innovation have been established in a few institutes of national importance only. Industry-Institute-Government-Society-Partnership Centers have also been established mostly in National Institutes of Technology and institutes of national importance. Industrial training of the engineering students has been implemented in few institutes only. Dual programs have been introduced in the institutes of national importance. Finishing school courses are being introduced only in very few self-financing engineering colleges. The gaps between the curriculum and the industrial needs have been continuously narrowed only in state technical universities, National Institutes of Technology (NIT) and institutes of national importance. However, many disruptions like Industry-4, and digital technology demand for industry ready engineers in emerging technologies but the majority of the output from self-financing engineering colleges do not possess the needed skills and competencies. India is emerging as a Center for Design of Innovative Products and Services. A mega model to improve the skills and competencies of the engineers through a smart five theme approach has been developed which focuses on Science and Arts of Curriculum Development, Educational Technology, Educational Economics, Educational Management and needed ‘Fire-Fighting Model’ to meet the new gaps due to the disruptive digital technology which demands dynamism in all players. An exhaustive list of subthemes for each-major theme has been reviewed, researched and presented. There is a need for further in-depth research on closing the gap between the producers and consumers of human capital in India.