Principal Adviser of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation E. Sreedharan has expressed concern over the erosion in the quality of technical education, mounting unemployment among engineers in the State, and lack of social acceptance for engineers.
Speaking after delivering a talk at the Institution of Engineers Kerala State Centre here on Saturday, Mr. Sreedharan said the plight of engineers was miserable as they do not get social acceptance like doctors, advocates and businessmen.
The reason for the plight was poor technical standards, he said adding that the report of the studies carried out in 650 engineering colleges in the country was distressing. In Kerala, 58,000 engineers were unemployed and many were working in the Metro, as TTEs in Railways and even in shops. The proliferation of engineering colleges had to end. Starting and running engineering colleges was a business and it should end, he said.
Compared to the 20% of students who wanted to become engineers in foreign countries, 80% of the higher secondary students were opting for engineering courses in Kerala. The IITs and NITs in the country were getting students of calibre and having passion through tough screening and it was reflected when they passed out as engineers and take up employment. IITs and NIT’s performed well not because of the teachers but because of the high calibre of students.
But, in Kerala, the screening for engineering courses was not tough and it was reflected in the results. Stating that the plight of engineering colleges in the State was atrocious, the Metroman said teachers too were not of high standards.
Appointments
Mr. Sreedharan lashed out at the practice of posting IAS officers as Managing Directors of KSEB, KWA, RBDCK and non-engineers as Secretary of PWD. “Why are the engineers of 35 years experience forced to work under IAS officers with five years experience and take orders. The technically qualified engineers are being misused here. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, the engineers are heading the departments and organisations of power and PWD,” he said.
