These gifted students will live and learn for six years at the Rajiv Gandhi University campuses
These gifted students will live and learn for six years at the Rajiv Gandhi University campuses
In a first of its kind initiative, the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT) and the Andhra Pradesh (AP) government are offering a six year programme aimed at engineering, for meritorious rural students.
Six thousand selected students have been split up over three massive residential RGUKT campuses. Their programme has started with a two-year pre university course, equivalent to a 10+2 in the science stream. This will be followed by a four-year dual degree in engineering.
"There is an acute shortage of skilled teachers in higher education," says Nitin Kumar, executive to vice chancellor, RGUKT. "So we have implemented a new model.
Students will study via personal laptops with the guidance of mentors, who are trained through a rigorous programme at the International Institute of Information Technology," he adds.
To ensure effectiveness, the ratio of 10 students to one mentor is upheld. Six days a week, eight hours per day are dedicated to learning. Kumar says, "Students view pre recorded video lectures by the best of engineering faculty like those from the Carnegie Mellon University in the US." He adds, "They refer to recommended resources on the net and access reading matter from the RGUKT intranet. Mentors hold discussions and provide guidance to them." Each department on campus also has two senior professors to provide curriculum support and upgrade knowledge.
To help rural students use this advanced model, the first year is dedicated to remedial coaching. Kumar says, "We train them extensively in using computers and the internet, improve their understanding of English, equip them with soft skills and even expose them to subjects like humanities, social sciences etc."
After six years, students will get guaranteed placements in blue chip companies. "The degree offered will be no less than that offered by the IITs," says Kumar. But this will be devoid of the mind-boggling cost. "For every student the actual yearly fee is Rs1.36 lakh. But, in our case, Rs1lakh is state government funded and Rs36,000 is loaned out by us to the student through a bank," he concludes.
n_prachi@dnaindia.net 
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}