Adapting Industry Based Curriculum Design for Strengthening Post Graduate Programs in Indian Scenario

Abstract

Abstract Since last five years the demand for post graduate (PG) programs in Indian scenario are decreasing continuously year by year due to many reasons. The percentage of students opting for higher education, especially in Engineering domain hasn’t increased from 2015-16 onwards. The expectations from today’s graduates in engineering disciplines from the post graduate programs are high and much different from those of a decade ago. They expect a quality education from the institutes offering PG program with equal opportunities to interact with industries during their two years journey. Many PG programs in India have become obsolete in offering and delivering the post graduate program. These institutes have to reject the traditional approach of engineering education and have a paradigm shift to transform them in terms of delivering and improving the quality of teaching-learning process through adapting industry based curriculum design by fostering industry-institute collaborations. An attempt has been made to build a specific industry based curriculum model by introducing PLM and ERP (industry based) verticals in PG program by proper industry-institute collaborations at School of Mechanical Engineering. Two year PG program curriculum has been developed in consultation with leading PLM (Product Life Cycle Management) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) companies. As an example for industry based curriculum design, the PLM course design has been considered in the paper. The program outcomes 3 and 5 (as per post graduate NBA norms) are attained through the design, development, delivery and assessment of PLM and related courses. The assessments in both theory and laboratory course are jointly done by teaching faculty and industry professional through appropriate assessment rubrics. Overall, adapting industry based curriculum model and frequent industry institute interactions are found to be beneficiary for students, faculties and industry professional.