"EDUCATION is a man-making process, and not a job-providing process," argues Dr. E. Balagurusamy, former Vice-Chancellor of Anna University, Chennai. He is not happy with the trend of various companies, especially the information technology (IT) companies, invading engineering colleges even when the students are in their third year, and offering them placements. He feels that once third-year students are assured of jobs in a company through these placement melas, they lose interest in their course of study. "If the student is made to search for a job himself/herself, he will study well," argues Balagurusamy. "It is not our job to get them placements. Our job is to provide them quality education."
Balagurusamy, who describes engineering as "nothing but application of science," argues that one can become a good engineer only with a strong background in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. He refutes the argument that there are no takers for graduates in core engineering disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, civil and textile engineering.
"We have to orient our graduates on the importance of the manufacturing industry and other core sectors. Unless we produce core engineers for the manufacturing sector, the country will not be able to prosper," says Balagurusamy.
T.S. Subramanian
