The Higher Education Review

Technical education stressing on education towards employment, is one of the most significant components of human resource development (HRD) spectrum in improving the quality of living. The challenge is to inculcate the importance of technical education to the society. Focusing on this aspect is the Hindusthan Institute of Technology which is located in a sprawling campus at Coimbatore – a city known as the Education Hub of South India. Some of the renowned corporate giants that recruit students of this institute are Microsoft, IBM and Hewlett-Packard. K. Priya Satish Prabhu, Joint Secretary, Hindusthan Group, says, "The mission of the college is to educate students so that they become enlightened individuals, improving the living standards of their families and the society." The students visit various industrial training centres and therefore have exposure towards the latest technological developments. While still in college, majority of the students are encouraged to take up part-time industry assignments. This ensures that students not only have the financial support but also the much needed on the job experience. The experience gathered in the small and medium scale industries play a vital role in them getting placed in several multi-national companies.

Hindusthan Institute of Technology actively pursues associations with industry-related professionals which results in various modes of mutual interaction. All of the departments have such acquaintances under which students can interact with eminent academicians and scientists.

A few such tie-ups include those with Amaravathy Sugars, Ammaroon Foundries and Odanthurai Panchyat Plant. Dr J. Suganthi, Principal, Hindusthan Institute of Technology mentions that the self-supported Industry Institute Partnership Cell is carrying out project work and consultancy assignments for such respected companies. Through this cell in-plant training and industrial visits are arranged regularly. The institution has also signed several MoU with leading universities and corporate companies such as Infosys, NASSCOM and CISCO to enable the students remaining in constant sync with the current market. Frequent lectures from prestigious guests are also being arranged for assisting both the students and faculty.

In a knowledge-centric organization, the management emphasises on providing the best possible atmosphere with a special emphasis placed on a stress free and self-responsible work culture. The institute is supported with state-of-the-art infrastructure equipped with modern electronic teaching devices such as LCD projector and virtual classrooms. The role of the teaching staff in any institution is of paramount significance. Priority is given to the practical features of the course by a dedicated group of staff members. Out of those, around fifteen faculty members are PhD holders. The faculty members often communicate with a variety of research bodies and academic organisations by attending conferences, seminars and workshops which are offered by several research laboratories. They have also undertaken various research projects such as Combustion Technology, Structural Analysis and Alternative Fuel. Regular Research Methodology Workshops to impart training to researchers on all aspects of research including research design, hypothesis testing and analytical techniques has provided a platform for the faculty to extend their expertise and experience cutting across disciplines. The students are also increasingly motivated to assist and support the faculty members in submitting Research and Development proposals to the funding agencies. Students in turn prepare research papers and participate in events such as seminars and symposiums. Consequently, the students are naturally inclined to develop a

research-oriented mind towards the syllabus.

All of these activities assist in instilling responsibility and work-ethics in the students. Dr. Suganthi states, "Hindusthan Institute of Technology has obtained Institutional Membership from the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE) which is a reputed body of higher education." Other professional societies such as Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Computer Society of India (CSI) and Coimbatore Management Association (CMA) are also actively organized by the student office bearers which help in developing team-skills and leadership attributes in the students. These skills gain prominence during interview sessions conducted by the top recruiters. To aid preparation for employment opportunities, numerous pre-placement activities such as conducting specialized training in aptitude skills, mock group discussions and technical interviews are conducted frequently. As a result, more than ninety percent of the students are placed in different multi-national companies. The average salary package offered to the students is around 4 lakh rupees with the highest offer as lucrative as 12 lakh rupees per annum. The outgoing engineering graduates have already received over a hundred and fifty offers from various leading corporations.

A promising future ahead

Being in an industrially surrounded environment, the institute has an effective relationship with leading global companies. This supplements the quality and disciplined education which is imparted to the students. This can be observed from the success stories of the alumni who have utilized the experience that they received to great effect by getting employed in various esteemed corporate companies. Amidst the presence of numerous engineering institutes, Hindusthan Institute of Technology stands out through various aspects such as the high-quality industry-oriented training, exposure to current market innovations and the ensuing impressive placement numbers.