Maj Gen (Dr) JS Dhull,VSM (Retd) is the Director of Amity Institute of Defence Technology at Amity University Gurgaon. He is an alumnus of Military School Ajmer and The National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune. He holds a B.Tech. in Electronics, followed by a specialisation in Advanced Electronics Communication, a Master of Management Sciences, an MBA in Human Resources, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Management.

Major Dhull has experience of over 37 years in the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers in the Indian Army. He has held various prestigious appointments during his service. As Brigadier, he was Commandant and Managing Director of the 510 Army Base Workshop, which is one of the largest industrial establishments of the Army having 2000 technical personnel. He has also been Commandant of an EME Centre at Secunderabad, where he trained over 8,000 personnel and organised the career management of 96,000 personnel.

As Major General EME, HQ Western Command, he steered the equipment management and technical training of 25000 technicians spread over four Indian states. His last appointment was as Additional Director General Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, at Army headquarters before he superannuated on 31 Dec 2020. He has been awarded the Vishist Seva medal by the President of India and has also received the Golden Peacock National Training award from the Institute of Directors New Delhi.

Amity University, Gurgaon

How do you ensure students have holistic exposure not just academics?

The Defence Technology programmes curriculum has been designed by DRDO and AICTE in a manner that provides holistic exposure to defence technologies to students. AUH has refined it further by adding many facets much beyond just academics by including foreign language courses, open elective courses, and workshops on personality development, behavioural sciences, soft skills, and communications skills.

Students are encouraged to pursue a wide range of extracurricular activities such as sports, the arts, cultural events, community service, and clubs. These activities help students develop various skills, enhance their creativity, and foster teamwork. Amity Institute of Defence Technology at Amity University Gurugram also organises guest lectures, international workshops, industrial visits & internships, mentorship sessions, counselling sessions, and the latest global exposure for holistic exposure of students.

How do you try to bring in practical approach towards subjects and how students get practical experience from studying the subject?

Bringing a practical approach to subjects is essential for enhancing students' understanding and ensuring they gain practical experience from studying a subject. Most of the Defence Technology courses offered by Amity Institute of Defence Technology have laboratory components with due emphasis on hands-on experience. The courses are designed in collaboration with DRDO, and students complete hands-on activities like experiments, case studies, internships, and projects/dissertation work in the reputed DRDO laboratories. We also provide visits to the warfare simulations and virtual labs, especially in subjects that require capital-intensive equipment with strict security arrangements. We also invite defence experts to share their practical experiences of the real world with the students.

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

Amity Institute of Defence Technology at Amity University Gurugram provides project-based learning as part of the course curriculum. The institute has collaborations with defence industries, and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs to provide students with practical experience and exposure to live projects with real-world challenges. Mentor-Mentee interactions with focused guidance to each student are also a major part of the institute. We offer career counselling services to help students identify their strengths, interests, and career paths, enabling them to make informed decisions about their future. The institute also provides opportunities for students to engage in two research projects and write research papers, thereby promoting their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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

Faculty mentors empower the students to cope with high competition in the outside world by providing a comprehensive approach focused on the student’s personal development, academic excellence, and emotional well-being. Mentors encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities, sports, the arts, and community service to build well-rounded personalities. Mentors also render excellent psychological and moral support to enable them to excel in their careers. AIDT offers an ideal air-conditioned environment and encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. The institute offers resources and mentorship to students to enable them to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations.

What do you see the department’s/ college’s greatest strengths and how it helping students to excel?

AIDT has a team of highly qualified and experienced faculty members who directly affect the student's learning experience. All faculty members are PhD holders from leading universities in India. Our highly qualified faculty members provide expert guidance, support, and mentorship. They enhance students' understanding of subjects and inspire them to excel. Amity University provides a modern, world-class infrastructure, well-equipped laboratories, a modern library, and advanced technologies to create an optimal learning environment for the students. Such facilities allow students to conduct research projects, engage in practical experiments, and have access to a wide range of resources for fostering academic excellence.

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

Stay positive and boost your self-esteem. Do Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of yourself. Improve your strengths, overcome your weaknesses, look for emerging opportunities, and protect against threats. Identify your passions and interests and pursue a career fully aligned with them. This will lead them to a more fulfilling and rewarding professional life. Define your career goals and create a roadmap to achieve them.

Embrace a lifelong learning mindset and keep honing your skills. Don't shy away from challenges or failures. Instead, view them as opportunities for growth and learning. Prioritise maintaining work-life balance to avoid burnout and for overall well-being.