'DTU will work on panchsheel of education'

The Delhi College of Engineering, which has morphed into the Delhi Technological University, is poised to start its new life as a university that will award its own degrees. It will also have the autonomy of a university with regard to programmes. DTU’s first vice-chancellor, P B SHARMA, spoke to Kirtika Suneja on the road ahead. Edited excerpts:

What are your immediate priorities?
Earlier we were just an affiliated college. Now that DCE has become DTU, we will have greater autonomy and freedom and will focus on the panchsheel (five principles) of technical education: Research and innovation, world-class curriculum, integration of science and engineering, networking DTU with select world-class universities, and research-driven innovations relevant to industry. We want seamless integration of science and technology as engineering thrives on the power of science. We want to start a national knowledge highway of education and connectivity as per the National Knowledge Commission. Attracting new faculty for high-impact research capabilities is a priority.

Now students will get degrees from DTU…
Yes, the existing students will get a degree from the University of Delhi and will be examined on the same syllabi, exam schemes as Delhi University (DU). The new first-year students will get a DTU degree.

What new programmes can we expect from DTU this year?
From the current academic session, DTU will add four new undergraduate programmes in the areas of software engineering, engineering physics, automobile engineering and electrical and electronics. In addition to six master of technology programmes in new and emerging areas such as nano-technology, VLSI design and embedded system, microwave and optical communication, information systems management and intelligent power systems. An MBA programme in knowledge and technology management and 50 PhD scholarships including 25 teaching-cum-research fellowships are being added this year.

Will there be an increase in the student intake and fees?
The new programmes will be followed in subsequent years by dual degree programmes and integrated masters programme so as to create synergy between science and engineering, taking the student strength at DTU from 3,000 to 8,700 in five years. The fees will also be revised every three years depending on the cost index. However, we are not changing the fee for this year.

Are you looking at recruiting more faculty?
We have faculty strength of 250 and that will go up to 650 in five years as we plan to attract new faculty for high-impact research capabilities. We will expand the educational and research infrastructure by having multi campuses and adding constituent colleges which will be run by the university. However, we will operate from the existing 165-acre campus for the next two years.