Things to remember while choosing an engineering college

Engineering aspirants must understand the nuances of science to help develop the society. It is imperative that one possesses the mindset to find their area of interest from the diverse fields in engineering and work in an interdisciplinary model. In the current competitive world, to be an adept engineer, technical skills must augment the strong domain expertise.

Choosing the right college is always an onerous task for every student and the parents. With many colleges making numerous promises, it is crucial that students are not swayed by just the physical appearance but should look for the potential in the institution. Here are the quick five pointers that students can adhere to before making their choice.

Do you really want to be an engineer?

It is common in India for many to pursue engineering just for its mass appeal and peer pressure. There was an era when securing a government job was the overarching goal of everyone. Similarly, the generation in the 90s saw an ‘engineering frenzy’, which refuses to diminish. One needs to ensure that they really want to be an engineer before taking the plunge. The alarming rise in the number of dropouts from engineering courses highlights the befuddled mindset of the youth. Thus, do not be a sheep that follows the herd; find your inner calling to become an engineer.

How promising is the placement policy?

"100% Placement”, is a game plan of every other institution today to attract more students. Unfortunately, not even the most prestigious institutes in India can claim to offer 100% placements. This is because placement is not just about facilitating a job for a student in a specific domain, but to provide students with the chance to develop the courage to accept every challenge paving the road to the development of a society. Recently, the AICTE and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) published its Linked Institutes 2018 report, which mentioned that 22% of the engineering colleges have no collaborations with the industry and hence the curriculum is not industry oriented. So, before enrolling in a college, one must do a thorough study of the college’s industry tie-ups and placements.

Check for scholarships and financial aid

Engineering is usually one of the costliest college majors. Fortunately, there are scholarships available for students. In India, especially, scholarships are not just limited to the meritorious students but are also extended to certain caste groups and students living below the poverty line.

Prioritise stream, not college

In a world of brand fanatics, this is a hard decision to make. However, there is no point of choosing a lower grade institute that is not offering the right kind of courses. Do not be fooled by the glamour of a brand and check if the stream you are looking for has potential if done from the college of your choice. Make sure the college has a strong faculty, robust industry exposure programmes, ability to convert its claims of intellectual research into intellectual property rights, incubation centre, industry-oriented training centre, good internship programmes linked with leading research and development organisations and a good platform for entrepreneurship ambience.

Have a holistic approach

The big Indian IIT dream is universal among all the students aspiring to be engineers in India. There are many cities in the country that has come into prominence only because of the countless IIT coaching institutes nestled there. Unfortunately, these cities are also infamous for increasing depression and suicidal tendencies among students. With the world offering multitudinous opportunities, no student should be disheartened on being rejected by an institution. Even though choosing the engineering college is significant for one, it alone does not decide your future. Try to look beyond the IITs and NITs.

Keeping all these criteria in mind while choosing a college will be beneficial. However, never forget that any world-class institution can only mould you into a better person. Come what may, a rejection from an institute cannot be the end of your dreams.

Mistakes made by aspirants:

• Opting engineering just because their friends or neighbours have chosen it
• Joining an engineering course only due to social pressure but not because of personal choice
• Not investigating or being aware of industry demand before making a choice
• Selecting an engineering stream without understanding the basic skills needed
• Not preparing oneself in fundamental mathematical knowledge
• Joining a college that lacks good facilities and faculties
• Enrolling in a college that does not have adequate industry partnership programs leading to low or nil campus placements
• Joining an engineering college only for its brand name

(The author is the principal of NIE-Institute of Technology, Mysuru, Karnataka)