To make students industry-ready, we have taken learnings beyond classrooms, says Associate Professor BSAR CIST

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Associate Professor at B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology Dr Ashok Kumar Pandu talks about the industry-embedded curriculum as the need of the hour. He also discusses various initiatives that the institute has taken to help students become industry-ready. It includes industry visits, guest lectures, workshops and seminars. Dr Kumar has completed PhD in 2011 from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Chennai. He has both industry and academic experience on the domestic and international levels. He has written over 45 research papers that have been published in various journals and five book chapters.

Read the excerpts of the interview below:

Q: What are the salient features of the teaching methodology adopted by your college? How does this differ from others?

A: Our teaching methodology mainly comprises of practical exposure to students. All our initiatives and activities performed aim at preparing the students for a better tomorrow. Some factors of our curriculum and teaching methodology that helps us differ from other institutes are:

• The Crescent School of Science and Technology invites the faculty from Missouri University, The USA, every year to deliver a lecture to students of BTech seventh semester. The course name is Biotechnology Entrepreneurship and Management and is mandatory for students to attend the course. This course help students to gain the confidence to face global opportunities.
• All the students need to submit a project in the final semester of the curriculum. The project has to be undertaken independently by each and every student. The faculty members nurture the raw ideas and give students a direction to move forward. We also have an incubation cell funded by DBT-BIRAC-BioNEST that encourages the business ideas and enhances the entrepreneurial skills in students.
• We also have a society run by students called SLS Crescent Biotech Association. The students are evaluated on the basis of various parameters and hence, are chosen for various posts. They are responsible for conducting various programmes and events such as Exon, Intron and UG Symposium every year. This association acts as a platform for students to showcase their leadership and team-management skills.

Q: How are you preparing your students to be industry-ready?

A: For students to become industry-ready, it's important for any institute to take learnings beyond classrooms. Considering the same, we try to use as many real-life case studies as possible along with a few below-mentioned initiatives:

• We have an industry-embedded curriculum. We invite industry experts who also serve as external Board of Study members to guide us with the latest trends in the corporate world and also help us decide on the curriculum.
• The school organises industry visits every semester to take students through a practical understanding of all they studied in the classroom. This helps them gain in-depth knowledge of the concepts and makes them understand what the corporate world expects from them.
• Besides Industry-relevant curriculum and visits, we have the majority of faculty members with industry experience. So, their teaching methodology involves explaining the concepts with real-life examples.

Q: What are the qualities you look for in student applicants so that they could do well in your course?

A: We expect our students to have basic knowledge of Biology, passion to be a Biotechnologist, and urge to innovate. We also expect them to attend classes regularly.

Q: How do you ensure that your course curriculum is up to date and meets industry requirements?

A: To have an updated curriculum is the need of the hour. To abreast with latest trends in the industry and prepare students accordingly, we have:

• Experts from industries who help us with content revision during the Board of Study meetings
• Prominent Industry specialist for Exon and UG symposium who address the current need of the industry
• The faculty members spend a lot of time with students along with industry experts to train students and help them develop various products for the community benefit

Q: How is your college receptive to innovation, technology, science & entrepreneurship?

A: Yes, we are receptive to innovation, technology, science and entrepreneurship. Our in-house incubation centre helps students to collaborate and discuss various business plans. We let them innovate products related to Bio-technology. So far, students have been able to develop 30 biotech-related products. The institute has also filed 15 patents for the products designed and launched by students.