306 Students Graduate during Eighth Convocation of IIITDM Kancheepuram, an ‘Institute of National Importance’
Chennai: A total of 306 students graduated during the eighth Convocation of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing – Kancheepuram held virtually today (31st October 2020). It is an ‘Institute of National Importance’ coming under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and located near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
For the Current Academic Year of 2020-21, the Institute launched three new M.Tech. programs in Advance Robotics, Power Electronics System Design and Computer Science and Engineering to empower the young engineers of India with specialized skill sets and to face the technological challenge of the future. Information Technology (IT) drives both undergraduate and postgraduate education in the Institute with focus on Design and Manufacturing as two major verticals.
The Degrees were awarded virtually in the presence of Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Chairman, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 Committee, who was the Chief Guest, Shri. Arun Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, Intellect Design Arena, Chennai, the Guest of Honour, Prof. S Sadagopan Chairman, Board of Governors, IIITDM Kancheepuram, Prof. Banshidhar Majhi, Director, IIITDM Kancheepuram, faculty and staff of the Institute.
Addressing the Virtual Convocation, Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Chairman, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 Committee, said, “The vision of India’s new educational system has been crafted to ensure that it touches the life of each and every citizen consistent with their needs and necessities besides creating a just and equitable society. The approach is to realize a new system aligned with aspirational goals of 21st century education while remaining rooted to India’s value systems and ethos. The policy provides an integrated, yet flexible approach to education.”
Further, Dr. Kasturirangan, also a former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said, “Further, it has kept the inter-connectedness of the various phases of education in mind and how the same will enable continuity, coherence and processes to ultimately realize an end-to-end educational road-map for the country.”
“As I see from the reports, IIITDM Kancheepuram has achieved tremendous success in creating an urge and strong desire among students in the sphere of Design. The institute focuses on futuristic and multi-disciplinary courses with a blend of design and engineering curriculum, which could make the graduates to be industry-ready. Institutes with such a profile will transform our nation into a hub for design and manufacturing. Indeed, the institute is playing a critical role in our country’s effort towards ‘Make in India’ campaign launched by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The pace of making in India will be accelerated by the focus on design in India,” concluded Dr. Kasturirangan.
PLACEMENTS & STARTUP INCUBATOR
The institute incubation cell ‘MaDeIT’ presently supports 17 startups which includes seven under incubation and ten under the accelerator. Another ten startups are in the pipeline. One of the incubate companies has been recognized among the top 10 Agri-tech startups in the country in a recent poll
Every year, the Institute is adding new companies as recruiters and there is an increase in salary package offered by the companies. During the last year, 182 students were placed in reputed firms such as Microsoft, IBM, ZOHO, Saint-Gobain, Mathworks, and TVS Motors, among others.
The highest salary package offered was around Rs.55 lakh by Google and Microsoft. The median salary offered during placements at IIITDM Kancheepuram last year was Rs. 9 lakh. The percentage of students who opted out of placement to pursue their higher studies in reputed institutions in India and abroad stands at 20 per cent.
Speaking earlier, Shri. Arun Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, Intellect Design Arena, Chennai, the Guest of Honour, said, “The faculty and the senate are designing beautiful academics programmes and I must appreciate all of you who are passing out of this institution with distinction. I think it is very unique not only in India but global world, where we are able to focus on design. It is about design which drives last 2% to 200% (in a product). So, the value any product which you are designing, 98% in the world are similar, it is just the 2% which drives the 200% value in the system and that is what the intensity and passion when you are going to the field.”
The Institute is executing research projects with funding to the tune of Rs. 3 crore from the government and private funding agencies. The Institute courses such as Machine Learning, Deep Learning, IoT, Robotics, Big Data Analytics, Cyber-Physical Systems aid in the development of skillsets needed to support national priorities such as Make in India, Skill India, and Startup India.
Addressing the Students, Prof. S Sadagopan Chairman, Board of Governors, IIITDM Kancheepuram, said, “The year 2020 will go down in history as a very special year when the world witnessed the Covid-19 pandemic causing enormous difficulty to millions of our brothers and sisters. Practically, everyone on this planet has been impacted by COVID-19. IIITDM students and faculty are no exception. You all had to stay home for nearly half of your last Semester and face lots of difficulties particularly by the less-endowed students and those who had limited access. It must have been equally challenging for many of your faculty members who had to adapt to new forms of teaching. Together, the students and the teachers could complete your studies without compromising on quality, thanks to technology!”
Prof. Banshidhar Majhi, Director, IIITDM Kancheepuram, said, “IIITDM Kancheepuram was established in the year 2007 by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, with a specific mandate to excel in IT, and IT-enabled Design and Manufacturing-focused education and research. In the present Convocation, Degrees will be awarded to 306 students, out of which 146 degrees are B. Tech., 112 are Dual Degrees, 41 are M.Tech., 2 are M.Des. and 5 Ph.Ds. Apart from this, institute medals will be conferred in various categories. The institute follows an inter-disciplinary curriculum and CBCS from its inception with thrust on ‘Design Thinking’ and ‘Product Development’.”
Further, Prof. Banshidhar Majhi said, “The curriculum has a provision for students to take online courses offered in SWAYAM platform. IIITDM’s Technology Business Incubator ‘MaDeIT Innovation Foundation,’ popularly known as ‘MaDeIT,’ is a Section 8 Company, was setup in August 2016 to support design and technology-driven startups and MSMEs in the manufacturing sector. During last academic year, our Teaching Learning Centre (TLC) at IIITDM Kancheepuram funded by Pandit Madhan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) scheme of the Ministry of Education has made significant progress in terms of establishing new infrastructure. IIITDM Kancheepuram established the Design Innovation Center (DIC) in 2017 to inculcate, facilitate, and spread the culture of innovation among the students and faculty through innovative engineering and industrial design-oriented courses, special training workshops, internships on product design, seminars, competitions, and industrial visits.”