Birla Institute of Technology & Science, which started in Pilani (Rajasthan) in 1946 as Birla College of Engineering, and became BITS Pilani in 1964, has expanded far beyond its roots. It was one of India’s first institutes to set up a campus abroad (in Dubai, in 2000), and also has campuses in Goa (2004) and Hyderabad (2008).A lot of innovation is taking place at these young campuses, says Prof Soumyo Mukherji, director, BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus. In an interview with FE’s Vikram Chaudhary, he adds that the Hyderabad campus is at the core of the government’s recent push on semiconductor fabrication. Excerpts:
The next few years could be India’s semiconductor moment. Some staffing companies have said there could be more than a lakh jobs in this area over the next few years. What kind of talent do we have, and what is BITS Pilani Hyderabad doing?
We are playing a big role in that government’s big push. We have a clean room (for semiconductor production and research), and are doing a lot of practical research in this area. We have a dedicated curriculum, organise special workshops for our students, and give them industry exposure. We are doing a lot to build the semiconductor talent pipeline.
What kind of edge does BITS Pilani Hyderabad have over other colleges?
We are a young institute, and that makes us very nimble. We are quick at decision-making, and have young faculty.We have a lot of female students and female faculty, and the latter in positions of great responsibility. The kind of energy female faculty can bring on the campus is unmatched — they inspire everyone to perform their best.Possibly our biggest edge is our local connect. For example, we run upskilling programmes for CRPF jawans who have been hurt in action, and connect them with industry to help them get jobs.
BITS Pilani Hyderabad started around the same time as IIT Hyderabad. Are both on the same path?
Yes, the path is the same — of producing fine technocrats. But the student profile at both the institutes is a bit different.
Why do some engineering streams fall out of favour?
There are crests and troughs. For example, the demand among students for some core engineering streams saw a slump a while ago. There is a socioeconomic reason for this.The process of getting into an engineering college has gotten expensive, especially into the IITs. Students spend years taking coaching, and their parents even mortgage lands for paying their kids’ fees. Now when students take admission, they choose a stream that has the highest earning potential, so that they can pay back their loans or to their parents. Depending upon market conditions, core engineering streams at times may not be able to provide the best-paying jobs.But that is now changing. Today, corporates want multiskilled students. A student who knows a bit about mechanical and civil, and also history and sociology, in addition to the core computer programming skills, will be preferred over a student who is an expert just in, let’s say, IT.
