The Hindu : Front Page : Engineering students now focus on English

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 12, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Engineering students now focus on English

Karthik Madhavan

ERODE: It is no longer just math, thermodynamics, alkali, chips and transistors for the students of engineering. They are also working on their English, communication skills, besides various facets of personality development. Many engineering colleges have set up English labs with faculty members and software to teach English for improving the `employability' of students. This comes on the heels of the National Association of Software and Service Companies' (NASSCOM) report stating that just about one-third of engineering graduates are employable in the software sector due to their communication skills.

In Kongu Engineering College, Perundurai, students of all disciplines make use of the English lab on a weekly basis. The engineers to-be learn the basics of grammar, comprehension, report writing, seminar presentation and interview techniques.

Says the Principal, A. M. Natarajan: "This has been made part of the curriculum. As a result, the students' chances of employability have brightened." The K.S. Rangasamy College of Technology, Tiruchengode has 60 computers at its disposal. It has also tied up with Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad. "Not just English, other foreign languages are also taught and only recently a course on German got over," says the Training and Placement Officer, S. Gopalakrishnan. Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam, has also set up an English lab.

The teachers feel that it will be better if English, communication skills and other soft skills are imparted at the school level. "At the college level, especially in engineering colleges, it becomes difficult for both the students and faculty members to attend to the lacunae," says Mr. Gopalakrishnan. A few arts and science colleges here have taken the cue. Kongu Arts and Science College has put up a lab. "We have tied up with the British Council to impart English," says C. Subramaniam, Principal. Vellalar College for Women has set up an English lab at a cost of Rs. 18 lakhs.

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