Engineering colleges have key task to make India a front-ranking nation: Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee has called on engineering colleges across the country have a key task to train their students to make India a front-ranking nation.

Addressing faculty and students of the College of Engineering here last evening after inaugurating the platinum jubilee celebrations of the College of Engineering in Trivandrum, the president said India is pursuing a high growth strategy to make itself a front-ranking nation in the world.

"This requires significant contribution from the knowledge sectors. One of the crucial academic streams that produce skilled personnel for the economy is engineering. It is a field of study which is vital for fulfilling our developmental objectives. Our engineering colleges, therefore, have a key task to produce highly competent engineers and scientists who can become an asset for the profession and the country," he said.

He further stated that Indian institutes must evolve from being a mere teaching institution to a knowledge-creating one.

"For that, research pursuits must be promoted through institutional support mechanisms. Research activity of an institute must focus on issues and problems that are peculiar to that region. Research must also endeavour to find ways of achieving greater efficiency in utilizing existing resources," Mukherjee said.

"Engineering institutions are a fertile ground for innovation. They must work towards making the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy 2013 a success. They must mentor grassroots innovators to develop their ideas into useful products, benefitting the common man. The fact that 30 per cent of students graduating from the College of Engineering Trivandrum to join higher studies and research programmes shows the kind of interest in research that this institute has been able to generate amongst its students. It is heartening to learn that papers presented in national and international conferences by the faculty of College of Engineering Trivandrum have been recognized for their academic excellence," he added.