The Higher Education Review

According to a recent survey, of the 6 lakh engineers that graduate annually, only 18.43 percent are employable for the software engineer-IT services roles, while just 3.95 percent are appropriately trained to be directly deployed on projects. In the above backdrop it was interesting to hear of alchemy of successful existence from Prof. (Dr.) Sutapa Mukherjee, Principal, B.P. Poddar Institute of Management & Technology, one of the oldest self financed degree engineering college in the state of West Bengal:

"There are over 3300 engineering colleges in India. The choice of institution is critical in achieving one's goal. With 17 years of existence in the field of engineering education, we feel to have stood the test of time quite admirably. With a live 360 degree feedback system in place, we serve our students in achieving career goals through all round development. The key point of our success is a dedicated team that works with complete transparency and ethical value."

A large pool of highly qualified faculty members interact with students in a conducive academic environment. State of the art laboratories have been developed adequately to cater to the demand

of engineering education. Also a modern central library with more than 40000 volumes, digital books & online journals provide adequate support to the need of students and teachers. Students are encouraged to participate in various co-curricular and extracurricular events throughout the year to showcase their technical, aesthetic and sporting talents. "We always focus on the required set of skills for students through feedback from renowned recruiters and provide them with both quantitative and qualitative training at various levels to bridge the gap between industry and academia. The Institute over the years has built a strong bond with its alumni. The Institute's alumni association, with its 3000 members, conducts various events in the campus such as Inter college quizzes, Interactive sessions, lectures by industry personnel, panel discussion with eminent speakers on contemporary topics to benefit the current students," explains Dr. Mukherjee.

Subsequent query revealed a few important observations about B.P. Poddar Institute of Management of Technology. A large number of faculty members are currently PhD degree holders and pursuing PhD, significant number of research publication, very high percentage of faculty retainer-ship over the years, significant number of students excelling in GATE/CAT/GRE for higher studies, students' live project from Industry, Internship, Campus Connect Programme from Industry to train the trainers, a consistent placement record over 80 percent over the years in various organizations like Cognizant, Infosys, ITC Infotech, TCS, Wipro, Bosch and most vantage point in reference to location at V.I.P. road near Kolkata Airport are working as

major pillars of strength for this Institute. Prof. Mukherjee expressed her concern for scaling further height through bringing more Industry-academia collaborations through creation of an effective interface in the Institute. She also pointed out the need to realize the importance of structured assessment and appropriate guidance to move in the right career path among students.

During our interaction with, Dr. Subir Chowdhury, Trustee, B.P. Poddar Foundation for Education & Director, B.P. Poddar Institute of Management & Technology and a renowned educationist in the region and abroad, said, "The Institute and the foundation named after a great educationist and philanthropist, Late B.P. Poddar who was a member in the Board of Governors, IIT, Kharagpur along with many other coveted portfolios during his time. Bearing the legacy of Late B. P. Poddar, our honourable Chairman Sri Arun Poddar, a renowned Industrialist and Educationist, believe in creation of value over wider horizon. Since inception in 1999, under his able guidance and long term vision, we treasure, cultivate and disseminate knowledge and give more importance in building a character than an engineer."

Interaction with Prof. (Dr.) Sutapa Mukherjee, Principal and Dr. Subir Chowdhury, Trustee& Director along with consideration of other key features may be deciphered to have evolved to an effective synergy for success over the years in engineering the future of students at B P Poddar Institute of Management & Technology.