Moulshree Dubey, CEO, PIETech emphasizes on the key learnings from the pandemic for the Higher Education.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are playing a major role in higher education learning says Moulshree Dubey, CEO, PIETech in an interview with ArdorComm News Network (ANN). Entrance exams play a very important role when it comes to technical education, what are the changes in admission patterns that can help students in simplifying admission in the coming time? The entrance examination and admission pattern in engineering education have already been altered by the AICTE in 2021, and according to the new rule book, it isn’t compulsory for students to have a physics and mathematics background in 12th grade. This new rule has created wider scope for engineering and for students to explore their capabilities in the technical field. But the various entrance examinations conducted at the state level or national level still account for physics, chemistry, and mathematics as the main topics for examination and admission process, this needs to be changed over a period of time to properly bring the new rule into action. The entrance examination now needs to provide freedom of selecting any three subjects of the following: mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, computer science, business studies, engineering graphics, information science or entrepreneurship skills, etc. so that no barrier is imposed and the multidisciplinary outlook of the AICTE will take a proper structural alignment in the higher education sector. What are the research areas in technical education that needs to work upon in the coming time? In technical education, there are a lot of virgin areas that still need to be explored in a sustainable manner. We need to look beyond the traditional practices of various industries like construction, where we concrete bred people need to look beyond concrete and work on sustainable materials as the present scenario has already indicated us to find solutions that can combat climatic challenges and environmental issues. The other industries might include information science, graphics, mechatronics where we need to work in developing bridge courses to fill the gap between industry and academia. Research-based learning programs should be compulsorily run in technical institutions at the undergraduate level to hold their validity and relevance. Do you think research and development are getting required efforts by educational institutions and universities to meet up the market requirements? Research and development is the important driver of the growth of an institute which exponentially affects the economy of the country. We are still far behind the idea of getting proper acceleration to R&D at the institute level. The universities are putting varying efforts across the country which needs to be properly shaped in accordance with AICTE. R&D at the technical institute level can be split into applied and basic research areas at undergraduate programs, this will work towards bridging the gap and meeting the market requirements. At present, the R&D at the institute level doesn’t match up with the R&D at the industry level. The productivity of research at the institute level will greatly enhance its productivity at the industry level. Presently we rely on case studies from various industries in our research practices. What are the key learning from pandemic for higher education and what are new strategies you are planning to implement for your prestigious institution? Higher education has seen a wide range of innovative practices in online teaching and learning experiences. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are playing a major role in higher education learning. The faculties engaged themselves in finding creative solutions to impart learning with utmost care to hold the attention span of students online with still so much to offer towards creating best learning practices in technical institutes. Higher education comes with its own challenges as everything cannot be taught online especially engineering courses that includes practical exposure. I have strategized to create a new curriculum with a defined space framework and technical structure and segregate the applied learnings and abstract learnings.
