The Director of IT-BHU, Prof. S.N Upadhyay called on graduates to start a new channel of communication with the Institute so that the Institute could adapt and respond as per the requirements of this fast-paced world. In a free-wheeling chat with The Chronicle on the sidelines of the 20th IT Convocation, Prof Upadhyay stressed on the need for passouts and other alumni to keep in touch with the institute and respective departments and give suggestions (albeit critical) on the way forward for the institute. The Director felt that this process of self-evaluation and improvement through feedback could position IT-BHU in the ivy bracket. The Director was optimistic that even in the absence of the IIT tag as is the present scenario, IT-BHU could be in a league of its own through a concerted effort by all people concerned.
Advising engineering students to stay in their core/parent discipline, Prof. Upadhyay said that the services’ growth model was not a sustainable one and that it was only the enhancement of core studies that could take the country forward. The Director, while admitting that the IT Convocation was put together in a hurried and haphazard manner, said that he was pleased with the response. He went back in time when the Convocation used to be held in full decorum faculty-wise and called for the system to be restored. On being queried about the IT Convocation Day being formalized and held in full grandeur, the Director admitted that the framework didn’t permit that at this point of time. However, he felt that this exercise would be more fruitful if held in concert with the alumni reunions in December.
Concurring with the Director, Prof. S.K. Sharma, Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering asked for the IT Convocation to be advanced to the month of August so that students could attend in greater numbers without it interfering with further studies or workplace commitments. Labeling the Convocation as the most sacred ceremony of the IT calendar, Prof. Sharma, an expert in Industrial Management called for a leaner and more agile system that would facilitate the holding of the Convocation in August. His suggestions for implementing the same included outsourcing the preparation of academic rolls to the respective Departments rather than the Academic section as is the case now.
Even some graduates felt the need for the Institute to adopt a slightly more proactive role in the conduct of the Convocation. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, some pass outs attributed the response to the delay and uncertainty in the intimation of dates. Calling for a particular day in the academic calendar to be fixed for the Convocation, the ‘degree-holders’ called the moment a dream come true and reminisced their time at the Institute. However, some were more scathing in their attack of fellow batch mates and criticized their disillusionment and disinterest for not turning up.
(Forwarded by Varun Murli MEC 2008)