Dr. Abhinav Juneja on Shaping Future-Ready Professionals Through Industry Integration and Experiential Learning at KIET

Dr. Abhinav Juneja, Director Corporate Relations and Placement Centre has more than 24 years of experience in Higher Education Technical Institutes.  He has also worked in different roles from academia to administration. He was earlier working at profiles including Dean, Department of CSIT at KIET and  Associate Director in BMIET, Sonepat. In an exclusive interview with Shiksha, Dr. Abhinav Juneja highlighted the need of new-age learning; education beyond books. Recognising that today’s students have diverse aspirations—from launching startups to excelling in multinational companies—KIET offers robust support across multiple dimensions. Through dedicated centres like the Innovation & Incubation Centre (IIC) and Technology Business Incubator (TBI-KIET).

Industry Connect is one of the three core principles of KIET Group of Institutions. The other two are driven and skill-oriented. KIET has developed a distinctive multi-level mechanism of its own to promote a unifying interface with industry. The Corporate Relations and Placement Centre is equipped to create a pool of skilled human resource by guiding the students to reach their goals with perfection; towards this CRPC has also initiated the Internship & Industry Partnership Cell (IIPC) which follows the guidelines laid down under the Internship Policy of AICTE. The objective of IIPC is to structure and institutionalize Internship which is the most important aspect of Engineering, Management, Pharma Education in the country as it provides the pre-requisite hands-on practical experience of the workplace to the students. CRPC is piloted by a dedicated team.

The department has successfully placed the students in reputed National & Multi-National Companies like Accenture, Capgemini, Cognizant, HCL Technologies, Infosys, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Newgen, Amazon, Cisco, UKG, Atlassian, Microsoft, ServiceNow, Walmart, Juspay, Innovaccer, ION Group, Axtria, Deloitte, Freecharge, Bosch, Tata Power, HUL, Samsung, Airtel, Nokia, Adani, JSW, Torrent Power, ISGEC and many more. The zeal and enthusiasm exhibited by premier companies for getting zero day slot, speaks for itself regarding the excellent quality of professionals churned out by the institute. Students get ample opportunities to pursue their dream career through the placements offered to them. 

Q1. What support does KIET offer to students interested in entrepreneurship or starting their own ventures? 

KIET (Krishna Institute of Engineering and Technology) offers strong support for students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation, recognizing that not all students aspire to follow traditional corporate paths.  

Entrepreneurship Support at KIET 

• Innovation and Incubation Centre (KIET-IIC)

KIET has established a dedicated Innovation and Incubation Centre (IIC) to foster entrepreneurial skills and support student-led startups. This center provides a nurturing environment for idea validation, product development, and business model creation. 

Mentorship: Experienced mentors from academia and industry guide students through the startup journey. 

Networking: Opportunities to connect with investors, entrepreneurs, and professionals through events and workshops. 

• Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC)

The EDC at KIET organizes various programs and competitions to spark entrepreneurial interest among students. 

Workshops and Bootcamps: Regular sessions on business planning, marketing strategies, and financial literacy. 

Startup Weekend & Hackathons: Platforms for students to pitch their ideas, form teams, and prototype solutions in a short time. 

• Access to Funding and Competitions

Students have opportunities to participate in national and state-level entrepreneurship contests like Smart India Hackathon, Startup India, and MSME funding programs. KIET also helps connect startups with seed funding and grants. 

• Technical and Business Guidance

Through its faculty and alumni network, KIET provides both technical expertise (to build prototypes and MVPs) and business coaching (for pitching, marketing, and scaling). 

• Pre-Incubation Support

KIET helps in transforming ideas into viable business plans by offering: 

• Co-working spaces 

• Legal and compliance guidance 

• Access to prototyping labs 
• Alumni Entrepreneurs and Inspirational Talks

KIET invites successful alumni and industry experts to share real-life experiences, inspiring students to pursue entrepreneurial careers. 

• Technology Business Incubator: TBI-KIET is a registered body under Society Registration Act 1860 as Krishna Path Incubation Society-TBI in 2007. TBI-KIET is jointly promoted by NSTEDB, Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India and KIET Group of Institutions, Ghaziabad. The DST, Govt. of India supported initially for 5 years and further it was expected that TBI-KIET should be self-supportive. Since 2012 TBI-KIET is self-supportive and showing satisfactory growth in terms of no. of Startup incubated, mentored and graduated. This is the only incubator across country which promote only first generation entrepreneurs.
• KIET being an Autonomous campus has introduced a specific course on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in curriculum of every 1st year B.Tech. branch which is being very ambitious through the TBI KIET. Here conventional teaching is replaced by student centric activity based learning where students work with cross departmental teams and present a business pitch of their idea.

Q2. How does KIET foster and maintain strong industry-academia collaborations, and how have these partnerships translated into placement opportunities for students? 

Key Initiatives That Drive Industry-Academia Collaboration 

• Centers of Excellence (CoEs)

KIET has set up several Centers of Excellence in collaboration with top industry players including Wipro, Innovaccer, NVIDIA , Tech Mahindra. 

These centers provide hands-on training, access to the latest tools and software, and opportunities to work on real-world projects. Students gain practical experience that complements their academic curriculum. For some COE’s we have support from the companies to the extent that they engage our students as paid interns while on campus and students get the opportunity to work on live projects. 

• Industry-Sponsored Projects and Internships

KIET encourages students to undertake live projects and internships with companies during their academic program. This real-world exposure enhances problem-solving skills and gives students a taste of corporate work culture. 

Internships often lead to pre-placement offers (PPOs) 

Industry mentors provide project evaluations and feedback 

• Curriculum Development with Industry Input

The institute regularly updates its curriculum based on industry feedback and trends in emerging technologies like AI, Data Science, IoT, and Cybersecurity. This ensures that students are learning the skills most in demand in the job market. Every Deptt has its own Board of Studies where we have Industry experts as BOS members who actively guide us on needful updates. 

• Professor of Practice, Adjunct Faculty, Guest Lectures, Industry Seminars

Seasoned professionals with vast experience in their respective domains have been engaged with the Departments as Professor of Practice and Adjunct Faculties to guide, mentor and deliver high impact knowledge and skills relevant to the students. Professionals from companies frequently conduct guest lectures, seminars, and webinars. These sessions give students insights into industry expectations and current market dynamics. 

• Skill Development and Finishing School Programs
• Through industry-aligned training in areas such as: 

• Aptitude and communication skills 

• Coding and domain-specific tools 

• Interview and GD preparation 

Q3. What steps are taken to enhance the employability skills of students—especially in terms of soft skills, aptitude training, and domain-specific certifications? 

Steps Taken by KIET to Enhance Employability Skills 

• Soft Skills Training

KIET runs structured programs to develop essential communication, interpersonal, and professional skills that are highly valued by employers. 

• Spoken English and Communication Workshops 

• Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GD-PI) sessions 

• Personality development modules 

• Corporate etiquette and behavioral training 
• Aptitude Training

Strong aptitude skills are a key requirement for most campus recruitment processes. KIET provides regular, targeted training in: 

• Quantitative aptitude 

• Logical reasoning 

• Verbal ability 

• Data interpretation 

Specialized trainers and tie-ups with professional aptitude training agencies ensure that students are well-prepared for competitive exams and placement tests. 

• Technical & Domain-Specific Skill Development

To align with industry expectations, KIET offers: 

• Value-added courses in latest technologies (e.g., Python, Java, AI/ML, Data Science, Cloud Computing, etc.) 

• Hands-on training through labs and projects under Centers of Excellence  

• Workshops and online certification programs in collaboration with platforms like Coursera, NPTEL, and Infosys Springboard 

• These certifications help students build portfolios that stand out during recruitment. 
• Pre-Placement Training Programs

As students enter their final year, KIET’s Training and Placement Cell conducts intensive pre-placement training that includes: 

• Mock interviews with industry professionals 

• Resume-building workshops 

• Technical test simulations 

• Company-specific preparation modules 
• Career Counseling and Mentorship
• Faculty and dedicated mentors offer one-on-one counseling to help students: 

• Identify their strengths and interests 

• Choose between higher studies, placements, or entrepreneurship 

• Set career goals and track progress 

Q5. Give some brief about activities/ strategies adopted by KIET, which enhance students’ knowledge and capabilities for their professional growth.

KIET’s Strategies for Enhancing Students’ Professional Growth 

1. Industry-Oriented Curriculum

KIET now being an autonomous institution has designed its curriculum focused on the future skill needs of the industry. We have offered courses which lead the students to achieve global certifications on industry relevant skills. 

2. Centers of Excellence (CoEs) and Academies

Dedicated academies and centers (in collaboration with companies like NVIDIA, Wipro, Palo Alto, AWS, Ui Path, CISCO, Infosys Springboard, Siemens, Texas Instruments, and Oracle) offer hands-on training in real-world technologies. 

3. Skill Development Programs

Regular training in soft skills, aptitude, programming, and communication begins early and intensifies before placements, helping students succeed in interviews and corporate life. 

4. Value-Added Courses and Certifications

Students can pursue certifications in trending areas such as AI/ML, IoT, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and more through platforms like NPTEL, Coursera, and Infosys Springboard. 

5. Project-Based Learning

From mini-projects to major capstone projects, students work on solving real-life problems, enhancing their technical and problem-solving abilities. 

6. Internships and Industrial Training

Students undergo summer internships and industrial visits, gaining exposure to the practical functioning of industries and building a strong foundation for careers. 

7. Entrepreneurship Development

Through its Innovation & Incubation Center (IIC) and EDC (Entrepreneurship Development Cell), KIET supports students with ideas, mentoring, and startup funding opportunities. 

8. Mentorship and Career Guidance

Each student is assigned a mentor who guide them through academics, career choices, skill development, and emotional well-being. 

9. Workshops, Seminars, and Hackathons

Frequent technical workshops, expert lectures, national hackathons, and coding competitions help students expand their knowledge and sharpen their competitive edge.