HYDERABAD: The only printing technology college in the two Telugu states is reeling under problems even though the printing technology course offers good career prospects for students.
Government Institute of Printing Technology (GIPT) located at Maredpally in Secunderabad is the only college offering 3-year printing technology course both in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and has an intake of 120 students. Admissions are made through TS POLYCET.
After the three-year course, a student can pursue higher studies in printing technology by joining B.Tech in printing technology or join a job in printing industry.
“Printing technology course is one of the few courses in today’s education system which immediately provides a job for the dedicated students. We have campus selections and most of the students get placed in campus selections itself. But it is disheartening that there are no opportunities for further education in this area in our state,” said Madhavi Latha, lecturer at GIPT.
Even overseas companies, especially from Gulf nations, come to GIPT for recruiting students during campus selections. With such good demand, most of the students who sincerely pursue the course, get a job immediately after the course.
But the real problem arises when a student wants to pursue higher education, as there is no BTech in printing technology course in both Telugu states. Therefore candidates are forced to go to other states by spending between `2 to 3 lakh per year. Even across India there are very few institutes which offer engineering course in printing technology like Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology in Haryana and Manipal University, among others.
“If we want to pursue BTech we have should have financial capacity of spending at least `2 lakh per year, which is a huge burden. Therefore, I have changed my plans and decided to try for a job overseas, even though I am very much interested in pursuing engineering in printing technology,” said a second year student Gunduru Srikanth.
Most of the students joining GIPT come from poor or lower middle class background and are unable to spend lakhs on education. Students want the state governments of TS and AP to seriously consider introducing engineering graduation course in printing technology.
“Now a days all printers are recruiting only qualified people as they will able to quickly learn the new developments in printing industry. Therefore there is great demand for qualified candidates in this industry and the government needs to focus on introducing printing technology course in engineering.” Uttam Reddy of Karshak Printers said.
In spite of such huge demand for further studies in printing technology, TS government is neglecting GIPT. There are only four teaching members in the college as against 11.