In this digital world of today, tradition is fast giving way to a new lifestyle, as a result of which the structure of the entire teaching-learning process is undergoing a sea change. Many stereotyped courses are not always able to guarantee employment to the new-comers in the job market, at the same time prospects of new jobs and entrepreneurship are opening up every day in new and innovative fields. The new opportunities are mainly opening up through application of digital methods in the mode of teaching and in courses with a digital orientation.
If any institute turns a deaf ear to the call of such technology, then it will be the loser and the students will suffer. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), West Bengal has been already aware of the importance of the use of such contemporary digital methods as effective teaching-learning tools.
The recent outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the lack of infrastructure for the application of such new techniques in many institutes. As MAKAUT, WB has done the groundwork earlier, it has become easy for the faculties, staff and the students of the university to adapt to online modes. The university has been resorting to such application of Digital Pedagogy with the help of dedicated faculties for the overall development of the students in their journey to acquire knowledge and build their careers.
It is the teachers, who can apply their innovative mindset to implement it properly. How best these techniques can be used for the benefit of the students, depends on the teachers, who must adapt to the new mode of teaching over time. At the same time, Digital Pedagogy is not only using digital technology for teachers, it is an approach to augment the entire teaching-learning process.
MAKAUT is well aware of the digital revolution and wants to take an active part in this evolution of a new academic system. This is a both way relationship, necessary for the survival of the students, as well as the teachers themselves. MAKAUT's objective is to assist both students as well as faculties in improving their digital efficiency.
The university is encouraging the students and faculties to enrol themselves for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and in this respect MAKAUT is ahead of many institutions. The purpose is to make students undertake these courses and enrich their knowledge. Also there is a system of credit transfer, where if within 160 credit B.Tech courses, the student is unable to undertake physical curriculum, they can do MOOCs from different learning platforms. This mode of credit transfer is also helping the students during the unprecedented crisis due to Corona Pandemic.
In many cases, students have to pay, in order to get a certificate from MOOCs. But if the student has any financial problem, he/she can be assessed by MAKAUT, from that course, in that platform and can be given a certificate.
MAKAUT also has the objective to build its own repository/portal of lectures, like IITs and other eminent institutions, which will be accessible to users all over the world.
MAKAUT is reducing the course burdens of the students by utilising MOOCs. If a student can earn 20 credit points from MOOCs, he/she will achieve a B.Tech degree with honours. MAKAUT plans to introduce premium honours if a student gets further 10 points from MOOCs. That means if a student has a knack for digital learning, the university will always encourage him/her. Digital Pedagogy will pave the way for a flexible education system with enjoyable courses.
MAKAUT wants to be a true friend of students and has introduced an array of modern courses in its lush green campus at Haringhata to improve their employability, and encourage entrepreneurship ability, so that they do not have to look back in their life. In this context, mention may be made of the Courses on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Forensic Science, Robotics, Multimedia Science, Hospital Management, Risk Management, Data Science, Analytics etc.
Post Graduate Diploma and Certificate courses have also been introduced with industry partners and different chambers of commerce in Cyber Security, Machine Learning & Data Science, Health Informatics & Telemedicine, Digital Marketing, Python, Drone Operation, Hospitality Management, Optician etc. The objective is to cater to the needs of the industry and society as well. All these courses emphasize on specialized learning and we have particularly chosen those subjects, which are in high demand in the job market across the world.
The traditional in-house courses of B. Tech in Computer science and Engineering and IT are already there.
In this context mention may be made of the B. Sc, M.Sc., Certification and Diploma courses in Forensic Science. We are the first University in Eastern India to offer full-fledged courses in this subject. A special mention may also be made of M.Tech in Renewable Energy, Industrial Energy and Management, Microelectronics & VLSI Technology etc. M.Sc. Courses have been introduced in Film and Television Production, Multimedia, Animation & Graphic Design.
The MBA courses in Waste Management and Social Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Venture Development, Hospital Management are also good choices for the students. In-house certification courses are also there in Haringhata Campus in 3-D Printing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Forensic & Cyber Crime etc.
The CentraliSed Placement Portal of the university is also ready, where both the students and employers can register their names. Thus MAKAUT wants to make the task easier for all concerned.
MAKAUT has initiated the system of Digital Inspection last year to supervise its affiliated colleges, which are more than 200 in number. It was impossible to carry out physical inspection regularly in all the colleges.
The university has adopted the Mandatory Additional Requirements (MAR) to be completed by the students while earning their degrees in order to ensure holistic development of the students. These mainly involve online courses, social developmental works, sports and entrepreneurial activities. The students attain activity points and earn certificates by involving themselves in such activities. Even special activities are earmarked for the Lockdown period, which even involve helping the family members in household work, pursuing hobbies, creative writing and so on.
Credit goes to the MAKAUT family for organising the fourth Regional Science and Technology Congress 2019 at Haringhata, Nadia for the Southern Region in great grandeur on 23rd and 24th of December 2019. It was jointly organised by the Department of Science & Technology and Biotechnology (DSTBT), Govt. of West Bengal and MAKAUT.
When the natural flow of life was suddenly disrupted by Coronavirus, MAKAUT decided to stand beside the underprivileged during this period of crisis. In addition to Online Classes the entire MAKAUT family devoted sincere efforts to prepare ‘hand sanitizer’ by following WHO Guidelines. These were distributed to the needy and in Government Offices. Then came stitching masks and starting a ‘community kitchen’. All these were distributed from door to door by the members of the MAKAUT family.
Presently MAKAUT has invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for Start-up ventures to set up hand sanitizer manufacturing units at the Haringhata Campus on a collaboration basis. The university will give know-how and space for the proposed venture. The demand for such healthcare products will increase manifold in the near future and MAKAUT wants to encourage entrepreneurship in the manufacturing of other related products too.
It may be mentioned at this point that MAKAUT, West Bengal is the nodal university of the state which provides affiliation to more than 200 colleges offering traditional, as well as modern courses in Engineering & Technology, Pharmacy, Architecture, Management and Applied Sciences. The sprawling academic campus of the University at Haringhata, Nadia, the City Office at Salt Lake, Kolkata, the nodal centres functioning at Siliguri, Kalyani, Durgapur, Hooghly etc. and the affiliated colleges are all working in close cohesion to achieve the objective ‘In Pursuit of Knowledge and Excellence’.
A renowned academician, the writer is presently the Vice Chancellor of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), West Bengal. He is a Chartered Chemical Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Engineers (India). He has filed two patents, authored three books and three book chapters. He has received the S.S. Bhatnagar Memorial award for the year 2018-2019 for his contribution to research in the field of Chemical Engineering and Technology.