Mr. S.A.Varaprasad is the Head of the Department (ECE) at BVC College of Engineering. He obtained a B.Tech & M.Tech (ECE) in 2008 and 2013 respectively. Currently, he is pursuing Ph.D. in ECE in the area of medical image processing from NIT, SILCHAR. He qualified for PGECET in 2011 and APRCET in 2019. He was selected by KL University as a Research Scholar and attended the coursework in 2020. He was the mentor for the YOUNG SCIENTIST Research Excellence Awards 2021 for the final year SMART BLIND STICK Project. His areas of interest include Image Processing, Signal Processing and VLSI. He has published several papers.

BVC College of Engineering

Being a HOD of the ECE Dept., what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

My role and responsibilities as an HOD include academic leadership and management, faculty and student development, infrastructure and resource management, industry and alumni engagement, research and innovations, quality assurance and accreditation and communicated and stakeholder engagement. 

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

Establishing healthy relationships with students and fellow faculty is crucial for fostering a positive and productive academic environment. I am establishing open communication with students and faculty so that they feel comfortable approaching me with their concerns, ideas, or feedback. I am ensuring transparency in administrative decisions, academic policies, and evaluation criteria, so everyone understands the expectations and processes. I believe in treating everyone with respect and empathy recognizing their individuality, backgrounds, and experiences and showing genuine interest in their well-being and academic progress, and acknowledging their achievements.

One should address conflicts and disputes promptly and impartially, striving to find solutions that are fair and acceptable to all parties involved and be accessible to students and faculty during designated office hours and appointments, ensuring they have access to your guidance and expertise. Implementing regular feedback mechanisms for students to provide input on courses, teaching methodologies, and overall departmental experiences is also important. 

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

Bringing a practical and industry-oriented approach to subjects is essential for preparing students for real-world challenges and enhancing their employability. We have established partnerships with the industries to understand their requirements and tailor the curriculum accordingly. We facilitate internships in relevant industries, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. Designing and conducting hands-on laboratory sessions to reinforce theoretical concepts through practical experiments and assign projects that mimic real-world challenges and encourage students to develop solutions or prototypes is also very important. We are inviting industry professionals to deliver guest lectures and conduct workshops on emerging technologies, trends, and best practices. We are organizing panel discussions with industry experts to provide diverse perspectives on industry demands and opportunities. We are also conducting mock interviews and resume-building workshops to prepare students for job interviews and enhance their communication and interpersonal skills.

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

To ensure students gain the necessary skills for success in their academic and professional endeavors, a department can implement various best practices like skill development workshops focusing on essential skills like communication, problem-solving, time management, and leadership to enhance students' overall competency.

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

Developing and updating the curriculum to ensure its relevance and alignment with industry standards is a dynamic and ongoing process. We are conducting assessments and designing the curriculum. We believe in stakeholder engagement and feedback collection from employees and students.

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What are your views on the placements and higher education of the students from your department How does your department prepare students for Higher education?

My views on placements and higher education for students from our department are focused on providing a well-rounded and comprehensive approach to prepare them for successful career transitions and further academic pursuits. We prepare students with industry-ready skill development, mock interviews and resume building. We prepare our students for higher education like GATE/GRE/IELTS preparation. 

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

Helping students cope with the high level of competition in the outside world is a significant aspect of supporting their growth and success. We are offering career counselling, soft skills development and stress management workshops. We are encouraging collaboration over the competition and emphasizing lifelong learning and regular feedback and progress tracking. 

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

Absolutely, incorporating extracurricular activities and programs to enhance students' skills and expose them to real-world challenges is an essential part of our department’s approach. We have hackathon and coding competitions, technical workshops and seminars, robotics and automation workshops and community services and social impact projects at large. 

What are the challenges you faced/ are facing to uplift the quality of education of your department?

Uplifting the quality of education in any department comes with its own set of challenges. Some common challenges we have faced or may face are adapting to technological advancements, faculty development and retention and balancing theory and practical learning. 

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

Goals + Commitment = Dreams Come True is our vision. To get recognized by the Department as a renowned center for learning technological trends in Electronics and Communication is our sole mission.