The academic calendar of engineering institutions is incomplete without events organised by students’ chapters of various professional bodies. The events begin with the inauguration of the chapters and have programmes such as guest lectures, and students’ training, through out the year.
These have become a necessity, says the head of an institution on condition of anonymity. The students’ chapters provide the ideal platform for students to keep abreast of latest developments in their chosen discipline, know first-hand the issues industries face and get opportunity to work on those as part of their project, and also interact with professionals.
Colleges mostly facilitate the setting up of the students’ chapters and also subscribe for online journals of the professional bodies, some of which come out with student-specific editions as well. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, American Society for Civil Engineers, American Society for Mechanical Engineers, Society for Automotive Engineers, International Society for Computer Science and Information Technology, Institution of Engineers are a few of the popular institutions.
The head of the department of a college says the students join right in the first year as special invitees for a few seminars. This gives them an idea of what they could expect in the next couple of years. For the students, a few of the seminars come at no cost when for the same lectures, experts pay a few thousand Rupees.
The principal of an engineering college says the projects the students take up in response to challenges listed in journals gives them a definitive edge over peers and this comes by virtue of their membership in the students’ chapter.
He adds that the identity the students get by their membership in the students chapter also gives them access to professionals abroad and that may turn into opportunities for studying abroad as well, he adds.
Karthik Madhavan
