Most engineering graduates in our country do not have the needed computer programming skills in spite of having it in their curriculum. Programming is like swimming. One extra moment under the water in those first few minutes and panic ensues. It makes a lasting impact on the students, creating a subconscious fear that manifests as "hey, programming is difficult". The traditional pedagogy for programming at most of our engineering colleges focuses on chalkboard and less on learning by doing. "You don't learn swimming or playing a mridangam on a blackboard and so with coding", says Ramana Telidevara, quickly adding with his trademark smile, "perhaps, mridangam you can on a blackboard, but definitely not with a chalk!" The words ring very true.
In their many years in the industry working on some of the bests and firsts of software products, working at companies like Pramati Technologies, PartyGaming, Amazon, co-founding other companies along the way, Ramana and Ravi, witnessed the potential of fresh graduates in programming, no matter their background, once they get past their fears. They are afraid of facing any new coding problem because of their college years where programming was learnt by rote. Ramana and Ravi remain hopeful to make a change and make aspiring engineers better programmers, giving the Indian IT industry no excuse to not hire from the colleges in the hinterlands.
Using Learner Centric Model
Ramana spent years investigating the root causes, taking on many cohorts of students, teaching them and proving that they can be just as skilful and employable, as those from any reputed colleges. His students from those cohorts are today placed at many reputed companies. He himself has