THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Since the importance of English is consistently on the fast track , proficiency in communication skills has become a prerequisite for all job seekers both at the entry point and for promotions. As such, the decision of the MG University to incorporate Communication Skills in the revised B. Tech semester 3 syllabus is certainly laudable.
However, there are certain issues which deserve careful consideration.
1. Two hours per week in Sem 3 alone is inadequate for this essential subject.
2. The college authorities will find it difficult to get quality faculty for short duration. Besides, when there is change of faculty every year, the new recruits will be less committed and always on the lookout for permanent jobs.
3. Annual change of faculty also affects the general discipline in the classroom and the morale of the students.
4. The combination of the paper is heterogeneous --Economics and Communication Skills. Since these two subjects cannot be taught and evaluated by the same faculty, it is desirable that Communication Skills be treated as a separate paper.
5. When an expensive language lab, which is an additional feature in most of the rated colleges , remains unused for one full semester, it involves great national wastage.
In the light of the above the following are suggested:
1. The subject is to be titled Soft Skills which comprises a few more essential components in addition to communication skills.
2. There should be two hours a week for Soft Skills in two semesters consecutively.
3. If two hours cannot be allotted, let engineering branches be divided into two groups for this purpose. For conventional branches like CE, ME and EEE, allot 2 periods in semester 3, and for branches like CSE, IT , ECE and AUE two periods in semester.
4. This pattern, among other things, gives continuity of service to the faculty. It is hoped that the university authorities will consider this matter so that there will be due importance for Soft Skills in the engineering syllabus.
Dr V J Sebastian Narively,
Head, Department of Humanities Amal Jyothi College of Engineering ,Kanjirapally.
04822-210021/Mob 9447036805