Kerala Technological University board today; to discuss ways to break deadlock on mini fab labs, new courses

KTU are sitting on plans to introduce new courses and a plan to establish 50 mini fab-labs at the state's select engineering colleges.
The plan to set up 50 mini-fab labs, along with Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which were to come up in June last year, is more or less a non-starter due to the resistance from KTU’s deans.
The plan to set up 50 mini-fab labs, along with Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which were to come up in June last year, is more or less a non-starter due to the resistance from KTU’s deans.

KOCHI: The APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University's (KTU) preoccupation with plumbing, carpentry and welding as integral part of engineering seem set to come under scrutiny with the University's board at its meeting in the capital on Saturday taking up the issue.

This follows an 'Express' report early this week that the mandarins at the KTU are sitting on plans to introduce new courses and a plan to establish 50 mini fab-labs at the state's select engineering colleges.

Though the item is not listed in the board agenda, sources said Sanjay Vijaykumar, founder of Startup Village and a member of the board, has written to the board to take up the matter, considering its importance. Vijaykumar has informed the board that he will not be able to make it for the board meeting, and hence he has written to the members of the board to discuss the issue.

A board member said he will take up the matter at the board meeting, in the absence of Vijayakumar. In his mail, Vijayakumar has asked Vrinda V Nair, dean (research) at KTU, to put her position forward and how to solve the deadlock.

Dean Vrinda's concern was the high cost of setting up mini-fab lab, pegged at nearly Rs 50 lakh per college, which is fully subsidised for government colleges. The dean also wanted to see a status update in 20 colleges where mini-fab labs have been set up, before allowing other colleges to establish the labs.

Kuncheria P Isaac, a former vice-chancellor of the varsity, had earlier told 'Express' that couple of deans are sabotaging well intended proposals which will equip students in the latest technologies such as robotics, 3D, machine learning etc. Kuncheria had tried to bring fresh concepts and changes in the engineering- course curriculum, before quitting in dejection last November.

The plan to set up 50 mini-fab labs, along with Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which were to come up in June last year, is more or less a non-starter due to the resistance from KTU’s deans. Twenty mini-fab labs were set up in as many engineering colleges in the state, in the first phase. But its implementation is being scuttled or its full potential is not yet extracted in some government engineering colleges. This is in contrast to the big success of the fab labs project in several private colleges such as Federal Institute of Science and Technology, which are fully capitalising its advantages, much to the benefit of students.

Kuncheria, while at KTU, introduced a concept of ‘honors’ degree for intellectually higher-level students. Another concept, a ‘minor’ degree, is yet to see the light of the day, again thanks to KTU's "uncooperative attitude", sources said.

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