Climate change, GATE prep now part of engg curriculum

Chennai: More than one lakh students who enrolled in engineering colleges this year will study reverse engineering, climate change, and also analyze GATE question papers as part of their BE, BTech courses, as Anna University revised the engineering curriculum for affiliated colleges.Students from different disciplines can form a batch and undergo hands-on practical sessions under re-engineering for innovation.“This course will make the students fundamentally rethink and redesign existing systems, including home appliances such as grinders, ceiling fans, air conditioners, and refrigerators. It would help them redesign to improve their efficiency and effectiveness,” said V Kumaresan, director, academic courses, Anna University.

Further, students will also be tasked with analysing Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) preparation. “Engineering students are not very serious about GATE preparation. We are planning to create interest in the GATE exam by reviewing the question papers from the first semester onwards. It would be part of internal assessment,” Kumaresan said. This is expected to increase their chance of getting a job in public sector undertakings and help them to get admission to top engineering institutes.

Physics, chemistry, and mathematics are being linked with practical applications. “Under the new curriculum, we have allotted 50% of internal assessment to projects, analysing the question papers, quizzes, and assignments,” Kumaresan said. To address present-day challenges, a course on climate change and sustainability is introduced to all students. For the first time, physical education courses are included in the engineering curriculum to inculcate sportsmanship and improve the overall fitness of students for an active lifestyle. Students from various disciplines will also be encouraged to do a capstone design project from the fifth semester onwards.In order to expose students to the application of standards, a dedicated engineering standards course is also included in the curriculum. Studying a foreign language has also been made mandatory, and students have to study either Japanese, German, or Korean for better job prospects. Besides this, industry-oriented courses are also introduced for BE, BTech students.