Anurag University, HOD, Mechanical Engineering: Mr. K Srinivasa Chalapathi Interview

Mr. K Srinivasa Chalapathi received his Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) from Karnatak University, Dharwad, India in 1995, and M.Tech (Production Engineering) from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belgaum, Karnataka, India in 2004. He is doing his research on Automobile exhaust pollution control at KL University, Guntur, AP, India. Before coming to the teaching field he had 2.5 years of industrial experience as Quality Control Engineer at Nava Bharat Ferro Alloys Ltd. from Dec 1995 to June 1998. He moved to BVC Engineering College as a Teaching Assistant in the Dept. Mech. Engg. in Dec 1998 and worked till July 2001. Later he worked as Asst. Professor (Mech) at TRR College of Engineering, Patancheru, Hyderabad from June 2004 to Dec 2005. He moved to Anurag Group of Institutions (CVSR College of Engineering) in Dec 2005 as Assoc. Professor in the Dept. Mech. Engg. and served as Head of the department till June 2007. Again he served as Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering from June 2012 to Dec 2016. He is a Member of the Board of Studies of Mechanical Engineering at AGI and also served as a Member of BOS in Mechanical Engineering at JNT University Hyderabad during 2015 – 16 and 2016 – 17 and played a key role in finalizing the Curriculum for the UG and PG courses of JNTUH affiliated colleges.

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What is the latest program that you are offering in your institute/ dept. which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?

Some of the latest courses available include a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, a B.Tech Minor in 3D printing, a B.Tech Honors in Additive Manufacturing, an M.Tech in Machine Design, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. 

What are the factors that make this program the best for the students to opt for?

B.Tech honors in Additive Manufacturing (3D printing), and Open electives offered by the Department.

What are some valuable insights of the program that you are offering at your institute/ dept.?

Regular Industrial visits are arranged. We arrange guest lectures for the topics related to particular domains of Mechanical Engineering, and we also offer internships in the core sector. 

How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

In addition to regular courses, specific training from the Training and Placement Division is imparted systematically from the 2nd year onwards. Career guidance cell helps students plan for higher studies. Special courses in Entrepreneurship are offered to students to encourage startups. Regular Tech talks arranged by the alumni working in core and IT Sectors to motivate the students.

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How did you train yourself/ faculty to deliver this program to the students?

Training the faculty to deliver the Mechanical Engineering program effectively involves the following structured approach: Assessment of the Needs: Identifying the specific needs and goals of the faculty members. Understand their current knowledge, strengths, and areas requiring improvement. Curriculum Review: Ensuring that the department’s curriculum aligns with the latest industry trends and technological advancements in Mechanical Engineering. Professional Development: Encouraging faculty to participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences to stay updated on new developments in the field. Mentorship: Establishing a mentorship program where experienced faculty members guide and support newer ones will give a good result in making the faculty deliver the content in a better way. Workshops and Training: Organizing regular workshops on teaching methodologies, assessment techniques, and effective use of technologies in the classroom. Peer Observation: Encourage faculty to observe each other’s classes and provide constructive feedback. Resources: Provide access to teaching resources, textbooks, online courses, and educational technology tools. Utilizing basic software: Making good presentations, and learning the latest Mechanical engineering software for doing validation and analysis of innovative idea-based products before their actual fabrication gives good results in making the students industry-ready.

How do you tend to build an industry connection with this program?

I tend to build an industry connection by maintaining Strong Industry-Institute connections, MoUs with core companies, Research Collaborations with the core industries, and Consultancy Projects. 

What were the challenges that you faced while inculcating this program into your curriculum?

Average student IQ levels, lack of student interest in the Mechanical Engineering Core domain, lack of awareness among the students about the core jobs, and more inclination towards software jobs.

What are the benefits and career options after pursuing this course?

Special courses in Entrepreneurship are offered to students to encourage startups, students can go to the core jobs, and a lot of openings are there. Mechanical students can also take up software jobs, they can do the PG in the domain-specific to become more special in the core sector Ex: HVAC, Piping Design, NDT, Automobile Design, Automation, etc. (Possible for Mechanical Engineering students only)