Dr. Meena Kumari Sharma, is currently holding the position of Head and Professor in the Civil Engineering Department, at Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ). She did her B.E. in Civil Engineering from Government Engineering College and her M.Tech in Environmental Engineering from MNIT, Jaipur. Thereafter, she did her doctoral research work in the field of onsite/community-based sanitation systems at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee. She has 19 years of teaching and research experience while working with various Institutions. She has published 25 research and conceptual papers in various national and international SCI/Scopus-indexed journals and filed 3 patents in the area of water and sanitation. She has presented more than 30 research papers at various conferences in India & Abroad. She has also authored a book on Environmental Studies and Disaster Management. She is a life member of the Indian Society for Technical Education and the Indian Water Works Association and an associate member of the Institute of Engineers.

Manipal university Jaipur

You have held key positions at education institutes throughout your professional career. What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

Teaching and research are my passions. Since finishing my Masters in 2004, I’ve been associated with the education sector. As an educator, I don’t just teach students, I also have to keep upskilling and learn the current trends. This is the sector where I can educate the young mind and enrich people’s understanding of themselves and the world. It improves the quality of their lives and leads to broad social benefits for individuals and society. Education raises people’s productivity and creativity and promotes entrepreneurship and technological advances.

What is the latest program that you are offering in your institute/dept? which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?

“We are offering B.Tech in Civil Engineering and B. Tech (Hons.) in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Geoinformatics”

The School of Civil and Chemical Engineering comprises two departments at Manipal University Jaipur and the department of Civil Engineering is one of them. And we are offering two courses which include B. Tech in Civil Engineering and B.Tech (Hons.) in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Geoinformatics to our students. It's no secret that Civil Engineering is one of the most esteemed and wide-ranging career paths. 

The Civil Engineering Department of Manipal University Jaipur provides outstanding higher education in structural, geotechnical, transportation, environmental, water resource, and construction engineering and management via state-of-the-art infrastructure and devoted faculties. By contributing to exceptional academics, a rich alumni legacy, and fulfilling the fundamental requirements of our society through cutting-edge research activities and people connections, the department has now achieved a level of excellence. 

What are the factors that make this program the best for the students to opt for?

"Elective courses, awesome infrastructure, training, and professional visits makes it worth pursuing"

The Department of Civil Engineering provides a four-year full-time B. Tech. Civil Engineering and B.Tech (Hons.) in Civil Engineering with specialization in Geoinformatics which includes industry internships, experiential learning, field visits, and project work that is spaced out over eight semesters. There are a wide variety of factors that makes this program worth pursuing students. Both programs offer a variety of electives, open electives, and value-added courses to students because we focus equally on imparting both theoretical and practical knowledge to students. Geoinformatics is an interdisciplinary program that teaches students how to use geospatial technology to solve real-world problems in the environmental, earth sciences, social, and economic realms. The core strength of the program lies in its creative curriculum, which introduces current and prospective professionals with current knowledge of development challenges as well as the usage of cutting-edge geospatial technology to solve real-world problems. It introduces, the basics of remote sensing and computerized GIS database management system to civil engineering students, with the subsequent strengthening of professional exposure. 

Next, we have an excellent infrastructure in terms of manpower, books, teaching aids, and well-established laboratories with upgraded tools for producing excellent Engineers. Lastly, the IASTEA student exchange program provides international connections to students. 

What will you say are the “best practices” in the course you’re offering?

"We regularly connect with students, and their parents and also provide them direct industrial exposure"

Our department follows a (TG) teacher-guardian scheme where a teacher becomes a guardian of students (a teacher has responsibilities of gathering the contact details of students, parents, and hostel warden during the first-second day of commencement of the first semester) and providing holistic development to the students, this scheme has proven to be the best approach. We also conduct regular connect sessions with students' parents and to troubleshoot students' academic and personal issues, we connect with them usually once in 15 days via class committee meetings. Apart from this, the Department of Civil Engineering and the Training and Placement Cell jointly conduct seminars and counseling for students. Additionally, we organize expert lectures by industry experts and leading trainers, discussion sessions about competitive examinations, and personality development classes for our students. Our faculty members also supervise students for their research projects. Also, our department conducts Innovation Day in alliance with the Entrepreneurship Cell of the University to give students a platform to showcase their ideas. Continuous feedback is taken from students for various courses to review and improve the effectiveness of its teaching methodology. 

What are some valuable insights into the program that you are offering at your institute/dept.?

"Our laboratories are well equipped with the latest tools, and equipment to carry out research and consultancy projects"

Laboratories of the Civil Engineering department are well equipped with modern equipment and other necessary experimental setups. These laboratories are manned with experienced technicians who take care of all these equipment and experimental setups and help faculties carry-out experiments designed for the students. In addition to the regular labs, the department has developed an innovative construction materials lab where students can carry out their projects and research work under the supervision of faculty members. 

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How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

"We assign projects to students and also organize guest lectures and international visits"

All the fundamental and advanced industry-oriented courses are included in the B. Tech Civil Engineering curriculum. We regularly update it as per the inputs received from industry people, advisory groups, alumni, and current students. And we have adopted the approach of Project Based Learning (PBL) and Experiential Learning (EL) to enhance the interest of students in skill-based learning. This project-based learning is carried forward in the higher semesters under the mentorship program and students get a platform to present their work at conferences. Department of Civil Engineering always invites eminent speakers from industries as well as reputed academic institutions to give valuable information from their experience (industry challenges, its latest technologies, and ever-changing requirements) and expertise to our students. The department always encourages collaborations with prestigious national/international universities. We have also signed various MoUs with QS-listed foreign universities to provide students with an excellent opportunity for international exchange (by organizing conferences, and workshops, attending training programs, and doing internships). Different student clubs and technical student chapters are running in the department. 

How did you train yourself/faculty to deliver this program to the students?

"We participate in various faculty development programs and courses offered at various platforms like AICTE, MOOCs, NPTEL, Coursera, and SWAYAM to enhance their teaching skills"

I firmly believe that self-learning can be endorsed in the university by generating various facilities, activities, resources, and environments for the faculty members based on their academic backgrounds. It also provides a multidirectional learning approach to them from the basic to the advanced level. The university has created an Internet facility with a 700 Mbps leased line and 1600 computer terminals facility to promote and motivate the ambiance of self-learning. And we generally prefer platforms like MOOCs, NPTEL, SWAYAM, and Coursera to provide them with various kinds of training programs as and when required. We also encourage our faculty members to participate in Faculty Development Programme conducted by AICTE and other government bodies. In labs and workshops, faculty personnel typically conduct more qualitative research than students do. There are resources available to faculty members who wish to carry out their own or student-led projects.

How do you tend to build an industry connection with this program? 

"We have signed MoUs with industry partners to bring the best opportunities for Internship and placement for civil engineering students"

More than eighty-seven MoUs have been linked with various industries to provide our students with required training programs and to make them ready for placements. Academics, internships, projects, and research decisions are made based on comments from the department's advisory committee, which consists of high-ranking industry professionals. Each semester's course topics feature guest speakers from the industry who discuss the latest developments in their fields.

What were the challenges that you faced while inculcating this program into your curriculum?

“There is a lack of professional skills in the students”

Students' communication and soft skills admitted in the program are inadequate to match professional course requirements. It is also aggravated by the fact that knowledge of mathematics and the first basic sciences principles often lack in the students admitted to the program. The lack of insufficient funds compared to Govt. funded institutions can be attributed as another reason that hinders the quality of education in the department.

What are the types of projects that the students are working on through this program?

Civil engineering students complete various projects during the B.Tech program. There are a variety of civil engineering projects that students can choose from. Some of the most popular projects include infrastructure projects that include the construction or improvement of roads, bridges, airports, railways water systems, and other large-scale infrastructure. 

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What are the benefits and career options after pursuing this course?

"The Civil Engineering professional are currently in demand in industries and NGOs"

In my opinion, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics Engineering are among the most popular majors among students. Demand for civil engineers is expected to soar soon. The students of our department who graduated in 2022 found great jobs in well-paying and highly-reputed companies. Students who complete an internship in the industry for six months have more opportunities to get a job offer from the same company. 

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

Be focused and hardworking, since diligence is the key to success. Don’t question your ability and talent, instead, work hard and have an open mind to learn, observe and grasp.