Mangaluru: St. Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), Mangaluru, has been conferred Fresh Autonomous Status with effect from the Academic Year 2021-22. The college was granted autonomy by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the UGC Scheme for Autonomous Colleges 2018 in response to its application of November 2019. Recently, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, notified autonomy for nine years starting from the coming academic year.
The UGC Expert Team had visited the college on November 28 and November 29, 2020 and thoroughly assessed the college on multiple parameters. The fact that only a handful of engineering colleges in the State have attained Autonomous Status, adds to the credibility of the college that has been on a constant upswing.
Autonomous status as college inches close to the twentieth year
As the college steps into the twentieth year of its existence, it remains committed to offering quality education to all its students leveraging autonomy to design a curriculum that is more industry-oriented. True to its motto of “Service and Excellence”, the hard work put in by the college has resulted in getting the recognition which has endorsed the academic framework and policies that the college has been practising since its inception.
Autonomy will make it convenient for the college to design curricula by recognising the needs of the industry, offer elective courses of choice, collaborate rigorously with foreign universities and conduct the continuous assessment of its students.
With autonomous status, the college will be able to interact with its stakeholders, alumni and all the people who employ the students. The process has already began to work on curriculum that is infustry-oriented, especially customised to various local industries. The college has had discussion in April 2021 with the stakeholders from industries and associations such as Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry among others . So the first pillar of the college would be industry-oriented curriculum. Second pillar is fair and transparent assessment to improve quality of our students further. Faculty training is our third pillar, especially encouraging them to get international technical education certification, for example under IUCE so that students can be imparted better knowledge. The final pillar is building alumni relationship. The college alumni is strongly connected to the college and their contributions has been immense, even during this pandemic where in they are associated with college’s Covid care initiative.
The college also has started new course under Engineering, Computer Studies with Business System and also new branch of MBA – MBA in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Venture Development (MBA in IEV). Also college is one among 49 in India and among 5 in Karnataka to get AICTE Idea Labs with outlay 1.1 crore half of which is expended by college. This helps to turn students’ simple ideas into products.
The Outcome-Based Education (OBE) practised at the college has led to the college being accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for four of its B.E. Programmes. In February this year, the college was awarded the prestigious A+ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The college is among the few institutions that got A+ grade in its first cycle scoring 3.39 out of 4 points.
St. Joseph Engineering College, Mangaluru
The college is completing 19 years of its existence and currently has more than 2500 students on campus. This clean, green and smart campus has become the destination of choice for engineering seat aspirants in the coastal region. The candidates are attracted to the good infrastructure, academic ambience, discipline on campus, excellent placements, incubation facilities, support for entrepreneurship and innovation, competent faculty, and encouragement given to technical, cultural and sports activities.
The announcement was made at the press meet by Dr Rio D’Souza, Principal of SJEC in the presence of the Director, Rev. Fr. Wilfred Prakash D’Souza, Assistant Directors, Rev. Fr. Rohith D’Costa and Rev. Fr. Alwyn Richard D’Souza, Rakesh Lobo, Human Resource Manager, Dr.Shreeranga Bhat, IQAC Coordinator, Dr. Vincent Crasta, Head of the Department (HOD) of Physics, Dr. Ramananda H. S., HOD of Mathematics and Dr. Binu K. G., Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
