Engineering Special

.:: Some Tips For Fresh Engineering Students ::.

It will be entirely a new environment, new friends, new teachers and new ways of learning. There will be a lot of change from the studies at +2 level and the present one. Hence, it is necessary to have a change in the mind set to adjust to the new environment. The purpose of this article is to make them aware of the pros and cons of this change so that, they can mend their ways, if necessary, and be successful because, these four years of study can make or break their career.

The five month impasse and anxiety for the aspiring engineers is finally over, as they have joined in their chosen branch and college through web counseling. Let us welcome them and wish them all a very successful and meaningful college life. Although there may be some dissatisfaction among some of them regarding the branch and the college they are admitted into, it is high time now to think about how best they can utilize this opportunity and be successful in their career. The present scenario of job market in India is very good and all the branches of engineering have plenty of jobs. Hence, students need not worry about the branch. If they are technically sound, and get the degree, there are many jobs for them.

Challenges in the new environment :

Last two years must have been hectic for these students in terms of preparations for the IIT entrance and EAMCET examinations. Most of the students might have sacrificed small enjoyments like going to a movie, watching a live cricket match on TV etc. Now, suddenly, they find freedom and feel like relaxing and thus neglecting their studies. My observation over the years is that the top EAMCET rankers may not necessarily be toppers in engineering studies. This is because of the newly found freedom. While in +2 level, all the corporate colleges forcibly make students read in the name of study hours, there will be no one doing that in engineering. The student has to realize this and plan his time effectively. It is sufficient if he/she studies for 3 to 4 hours per day apart from the college hours.

In the first year there will be the three basic science subjects, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Apart from these subjects there will be three more subjects, namely, English, workshop practice and C-programming and numerical methods. The orientation of all these subjects is aimed towards engineering. Hence, it is necessary to inculcate the problem solving habits instead of just understanding the theory. Here the laboratory experiments will play a key role unlike at +2 level, where the laboratories are totally neglected. Another important subject is the C-programming and Numerical methods. Proficiency in this subject helps the student in a long way in his/her career because, any engineering job requires computational and computer skills. At this stage I feel that it is necessary that all the students note the following points.

* All the universities follow semester system from the second year and year-end examination pattern in first year. (JNTU KAKINADA has introduced semester system from 2010-11even in the first year).

* All the universities follow credit based evaluation (not marks as was the case earlier)

* More than 75% of attendance is necessary for appearing for the final examinations in any semester.

* Normally there are two mid examinations and assignments which contribute to the internal marks. (normally 30% and the other 70% is for external examination at the end of the semester)

* Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is given at the end of the exams and not the marks. CGPA is awarded in a 10-point scale.

* Do not expect that the total syllabus will be covered in the class room by the faculty members. You may have to be ready to study on your own some of the last chapters.

* Do not expect the teachers to know everything about the subject. There will also be limitations for them. Never ill-treat your teachers.

* Be genuinely interested in learning. Do not insult if someone asks you any silly question. Some questions you pose may look silly to someone else.

All these points suggest that unless a student plans his studies properly, he/she may end up with difficulties. All these are finally linked again to placements. Any company that comes to campus for placements insists that the students should have minimum CGPA of 6.0 with no backlogs. (Backlog means failing in the examination in the first attempt)

Many students, even though they are good, due to the newly found freedom relax in their academics and fail in the first year subjects. This naturally increases the pressure on them in the subsequent years and reduces their CGPA which ultimately results in rejection of their candidature in the campus placements. Another important aspect is the attendance. They have to maintain more than 75% attendance otherwise, they will not be allowed to sit for the examinations.

There will be no spoon feeding as in +2 level and hence, the student should motivate himself/herself and study. If you want to become a professional, start behaving professionally. Be well dressed, polite and pleasant in manners.

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Hostel life in Residential campuses:

The most enjoyable part of the four year career is the hostel life, though there will be some discomforts like food etc. Certainly it cannot be a substitute for your own home where your mother cooks the food of your choice. However, this is a place to learn many skills like independent living and experiencing the joy of being independent. Few tips to have a memorable hostel life are -

* Be friendly with everybody.

* Do not discriminate anyone with regard to caste, religion or any other aspect.

* Respect other's sentiments although you may not follow them.

* Do not waste your time and other's time.

* Do not get carried away by somebody's statements. Confirm the facts, if necessary.

* Plan your academic schedule and follow scrupulously.

* Do not postpone things.

* Be assertive about your rights but make them known politely.

* Never involve in illegal activities like usage of drugs etc. Initially it may seem exciting but it will lead you to disaster.

Interpersonal skills

In any job it is the team work that matters. Hence everyone after getting his/her degree needs to work in a environment where they have to work in a team, learn how to listen to others views and how to convince others and so on. These interpersonal skills cannot be acquired over night. It is advisable to develop and practice these things. The best way to develop them is to participate in extra-curricular activities like participating in seminars, organizing group discussions, joining as a student member in professional societies and attending the programmes organized by them from time to time etc.

Another important aspect is soft skills. As per the reports, not more than 18% of the passed out candidates are employable. Almost all companies attribute this problem to the poor communication skills, lack of commitment and lack of knowledge in their subject. Learn how to communicate your idea properly. Learn to speak in English. Try to be precise and meaningful when talking about technical points of your subject. It is not necessary that one should be very fluent in English. Convey your thoughts in simple sentences but be precise. This comes only by practice. The best way is to practise with your classmates. It is also a good idea to have discussions about the subjects among the classmates.

Importance of Sports:

Develop some liking towards sports. Just academic excellence may not be sufficient to be successful in one's own career. Play at least one game. This will have two advantages. 1) It will keep you fit and healthy and 2) It will be very much useful to relieve the tensions once you join in any job. It is also a good idea to inculcate interest in music and dance.

About courses and course material

The present generation is very lucky because of the availability of technology. All the information is available on the Internet. There are many sites where solutions, explanations and presentations are all available on the Net. There are video lessons developed by experts on various subjects. All these can be searched in www.google.com. Experts from all IITs, under the leadership of IIT Chennai, have developed video lessons called NPTel (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) which can be downloaded by any student from the website http://nptel.iitm.ac.in.

One last word...

It is a fact that everyone has many aspirations in life. It may not be possible to achieve all aspirations. Do not get depressed if you have not achieved what you have aspired for. But put in your best efforts. It is not the end of your career if you fail in one examination or the other. You must take it as the first step for success. Be mentally strong enough to face challenges in life. A failure in an examination or a failure in love should not deter you from reaching your goal.

Remember that your parents are the best friends you have. No other person can shower love and affection towards you as much as your parents do. If you have any problem, do not hesitate to discuss with them. At times it might take some time to convince them but do not forget that they are the people who really and sincerely share your pleasure and pain. Never ever try to cheat them.

Respect your fellow students. They also have some aspirations. It is not proper and logical to think that they should listen to you or love you. Be a good friend. Never ever be responsible for any suicides or acid attacks. Wish you all good luck.