Dr. V. Naga Bhaskar is a Professor and the Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the Rajeev Gandhi Memorial College of Engineering and Technology. He holds a B.Tech. degree in EEE and an M.Tech. in Power Electronics along with a PhD in Electrical Engineering. Besides his present employment, he has also worked at the Dr. Samuel George Institute of Engineering and Technology as a Lecturer.

Dr. Bhaskar has ten papers published in SCI, SCI-E and ESCI journals, eight papers in Scopus journals and five papers in non-Scopus and non-SCI journals. He has also presented papers at 19 international conferences and five national conferences. Not only did he have two patents published in his name but he also has had four grants issued worth INR 16 lakhs and more. Moreover, he is presently guiding seven PhD students with their theses.

Rajeev Gandhi Memorial College of Engineering

Being a head of department of college, what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students? 

My roles and responsibilities are multi-faceted. I have to work to accomplish values of excellence in the field of electrical engineering by incorporating regular changes in the curriculum on par with industrial trends. I also need to provide an education that combines academics and practise with an emphasis on the safety of electrical equipment, inculcate knowledge in the production and maintenance of electrical power generation through renewable energy sources and meet the power demand of society.

How do you tend to establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty?

As a Professor, I primarily handle subjects, and teaching them to the students has given me scope to notice the minor vibration of students towards their careers. Any deviations found are then addressed with the proper changes in administration as HOD. To ensure regular monitoring and counselling of students, we also have a mentor-mentee system implemented. Regular meetings with the faculty and students are maintained to address their problems and resolve them. We also motivate fellow faculty towards NBA and NAAC accreditations by communicating their importance in providing quality education.

How do you try to bring in a practical approach towards subjects and make it industry-oriented? 

Bringing in a practical aspect to education is important for our students to be ready for jobs. To do so, we have adopted numerous factors. By arranging regular workshops for students and FDPs for faculty in cutting-edge technologies, students get to interact with industry experts and understand what is in trend. Also, estimating the multi-disciplinary approach towards industry requirements helps our students grasp opportunities better on campus.

What are the best practices offered by the department to the students that help them gain necessary skills?

We motivate our students to work out their knowledge by providing them with unique assignments. They are encouraged to take part in coding competitions such as hackathons and codathons. The faculty members are instructed to provide awareness of all available resources in the institute to the students. It is also compulsory for the students to complete internships and NPTEL certifications in order to graduate.

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How do you strategize the curriculum and how often it gets updated to make it befitting for the students? 

The department curriculum has been revised three times since the date of its autonomous status conferred by UGC in 2010. It is revised according to the vision, mission and PEO of the institute. Curriculum changes are incorporated in RGM-R10 by adopting more practical exposure by introducing three practical courses in each semester and one Skill Development Course is introduced from the first semester onwards. The changes are incorporated in RGM-R12 by adopting more changes in the syllabus of B.Tech. by motivating them with fundamental aspects of engineering sciences. A Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) has been introduced in RGM-R15 by incorporating a credit system for the program, concepts of massive online open courses (MOOCs), offering minors in Power Engineering, Electrical Machines and Power Electronics. The curriculum is also strengthened in RGM-R15 by introducing open electives (courses offered to other departments) and extra-academic activities (EAA). We have also introduced the gap year concept in RGM-R15 which allows student entrepreneurs and outstanding students who wish to pursue entrepreneurship to take a break of one year at any time after the first year to pursue entrepreneurship full-time by the recommendation of the evaluation committee.

What are your views upon the placements and higher education about the students from your department or How does your department prepare students for Higher education?

To strengthen industry-institute interaction, we need to prepare a comprehensive list of industries. These relationships can help students visit industries frequently to explore the possibilities of their recruitment through campus interviews. We also must have MOUs with different industries. We conduct programs for students in areas like personality development and communication skills with the help of the HRD committee. We also try to help students get vocational training in industries during vacation and establish facilities for the smooth conduct of interviews by visiting industry personnel.

How do you help your student to cope up with the competition being so high in the outside world? 

An important part of the mission of the institute is to improve the quality of the graduate student experience. To that effect, we spend a considerable amount of time talking with students about their goals, concerns, and suggestions for improving their experience. The institute is working towards enhancing the institutional culture to better serve the needs of an ever-changing and dynamic learning community. RGMCET offers career guidance on all aspects of career planning, job searching, and post-graduate studies. We provide individual counselling through scheduled appointments. In career services, we work with students and alumni/alumnae towards exploration of various career options, pursuing post-graduate studies, finding work that is consonant with one’s values, such as long-term economic stability, intellectual challenge, professional prestige, working towards a sustainable environment, and/or balancing family and work. We maintain substantial databases of jobs for part-time and full-time post-graduate programmers and help students prepare for their job search through assistance with resumes and interview practise. We assist students with the application process to post-graduate and professional schools, including advising on optimal application strategies and reviewing personal statements. The institute library is resourced with up-to-date resources on career fields, post-graduate programs and information on potential employers. We bring alumni/alumnae to campus to participate in seminars on career fields and postgraduate study, and we also manage a network of alumni career advisors who have agreed to talk to our students.

Do you have any extracurricular activities/ programs to enhance the skills of the students or expose them to the real-world challenges?

The NSS unit was introduced in this college in 2010, and from then on, programmes have been going on that hire a number of volunteers, numbering about 200 both boys and girls. We have a Student Activity Club active on campus, along with an Institution Innovation Council (IIC). To mingle and be active in societal needs as part of the curriculum we have introduced the community service project. Resource persons from IIT and NIT are also available but scarcity of multiple disciplines expertise in the faculty fraternity.

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When you came to the college, what was your vision and how are you trying to achieve the same? 

Our vision is to improve the curriculum of Electrical and Electronics Engineering to meet the changing technological needs of industry. Our goal is to address current social concerns and build an environment that does not compromise safety and quality. We also aspire to contribute effects for the betterment of humankind, taking cognizance of the greenhouse effect.

What are the interventions and approaches you bring in apart from curriculum to train/teach the students?

We have introduced a research and development cell in our institute. The cell aims to act as an incubator to promote research activities on campus. We also want to have projects, activities and events that will help our students learn their curriculum better. These cells will also help students get ideas off the ground and get a running start on entrepreneurship.

What do you see the department’s/ college’s greatest strengths and how it can be enhanced?

We have a high number of faculty members pursuing doctorates in the department. Currently, over 23 faculty members are pursuing their higher education degrees. Over 1.8 crores of research grants have been availed of by the EEE department alone. A large number of publications have been published in 65 SCI for the last three years in the department. We also have ten PhD scholars who have been awarded their degrees and 15 are on their way to completing their theses.

What valuable advice would you like to the students for them to have a prosperous career ahead? 

Utilise the time to the best of your abilities. Everyone has 24 hours but how best we are using it is the question. Seek out proper guidance and make effective use of all the campus resources. Strive hard to achieve your goals. Four years of hard work at the campus will reflect your 40 years in the future.