Former Vice-Chancellor of the Anna University D. Viswanathan lauded the MRK Institute of Technology at Kattumannarkoil for having produced nine university rank holders from the very first batch of engineering graduates (2009-2013).
He was delivering the first Graduation Day address at the college on Sunday.
He said that the college, situated about 70 km from here, had achieved such a commendable performance despite the fact that it was set up just five years ago and the students hailed from backward rural areas.
Mr. Viswanathan lamented that though the Anna University had set the cut-off mark at 195 for admission to engineering courses, 40 per cent of first-year students failed in the examinations. He pointed out that even engineering colleges of 20 years’ standing had not got a single university rank and as many as 50 engineering colleges faired poorly. He attributed the performance of the institutions to the vision of the founders, the dedication of teachers and the hard work put in by students. He hoped that the MRK Institute would emerge as one of the 25 top engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu in another five years.
Mr. Viswanathan urged the fresh graduates to become social architects and leaders of renaissance.
M.R.K.Panneerselvam, former Health Minister, spoke.
M.R. Deivasigamani, trustee, MRK Memorial Educational Trust, P. Kathiravan, college chairman, and K. Anandavel, principal, participated.