APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) has decided to constitute a Board of Skills to diversify and link engineering courses with the industry. Engineering colleges will be permitted to enter into agreements with foreign universities for twinning programmes.
The university’s Board of Governors (BoG), which met on Thursday, gave the approval to suggestions mooted by the Academic Council and the Syndicate in this regard.
Envisaged to be modelled on the lines of the Board of Studies, the Board of Skills will comprise professionals from the domains of engineering, technology and industry. The university’s Industry Innovation Council will oversee its functioning. Its fundamental goal will be to integrate the skills training necessary to develop a knowledge society with the engineering curriculum.
The board will be mandated with submitting recommendations to address the skill gap in engineering programmes to the Industry Innovation Council. These recommendations will be subsequently implemented with Syndicate approval.
The BoG also decided to permit National Board of Accreditation (NBA)-accredited engineering departments to pursue twinning programmes with foreign universities. Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) will be inked with foreign colleges ranked within the top 700 in the QS World University Rankings. The criteria for selecting students for twinning programmes will also be finalised.
Online tests
As part of the modernisation of the examination system, online multiple-choice examinations will be launched on the model of the national-level Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). The Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) will assist the university in developing the necessary software.
The university will modify the admission criteria for MCA courses to permit all graduates who have studied Mathematics at the Plus Two level to apply for the programme.
The BoG also approved the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendation in affiliated colleges. Their implementation will make doctoral degrees and publication in peer-reviewed journals mandatory for teachers’ promotion.
The Supreme Court’s order that mandates conforming with the Council of Architecture regulations and guidelines for teacher appointment and promotion will also be implemented by the university. University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations will be made applicable for teachers enrolled in non-technical schemes in affiliated colleges. The move will enable the resumption of promotions, including career advancements, that have been stalled for years, said Vice Chancellor M.S. Rajasree.
The meeting also decided to award Starlet Ben Alex of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kottayam, Shivarajan K.N. and Nirmal S. of Government Engineering College, Thrissur with PhD degrees.
