M Rafi Ahmed
Many manufacturing companies and MSMEs prefer to hire skilled polytechnic students rather than engineering graduates as the former possess good skills since they undergo intensive training. This quote of former Anna University Vice Chancellor E Balagurusamy which appeared in The New Indian Express (TNIE) few years ago holds water as a sizeable Tenth passed students crave for job-oriented diploma courses.
There seem to be more awareness for vocational stream courses among the SSLC completed students this time as they were opting for diploma courses with a view to shoulder the burden of their parents mostly from low-income households. With the prevailing poor employment scenario, the demand for diploma courses has increased manifold as polytechnic colleges prepare students with skills based on industry needs to get placements in their final year.
It may be recalled that the Tamil Nadu State Higher Education department top honcho in 2020-21 stated that over 73% of polytechnic students both from government and government aided colleges got campus placements. Efforts to increase the placements percentage was taken up wherein the students reading, writing and speaking skills in English was initiated as it was essential to diploma holders to work in places other than Tamil Nadu.
Coimbatore Government Polytechnic College for Women located at Bharathiar Road, New Siddhapudur is a reputed institution established wayback in 1964 at Government Engineering College campus and in 1969 it was shifted to the present campus to hone the skills of women in different vocations. With a vision of imparting students with sound technical and practical knowledge besides hands-on training across actual work spots, the college also shapes and moulds them with good character and discipline.
Likewise, the Government Polytechnic College (co-education) on the arterial Avinashi Road near CIT has been churning out skilled force, who are now serving different government and private sector manufacturing units. Both the women’s college and co-education institution offer eight diploma courses like Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Computer Engineering, Garment Technology, Commercial Practice and Computer Technology (Sandwich).
Affiliated to AICTE, the Government Polytechnic Colleges spread across different districts in Tamil Nadu impart complete knowledge of technology with maximum practicals across well-equipped laboratories. The placement cell at the colleges plays a pivotal role in ensuring cent percent placements to the students. There are several private polytechnic colleges offering similar courses. Speaking to this scribe, the admission coordinators said that none of their students left the institution without a job. For admission and other particulars, Tenth and Plus Two passed can apply for diploma courses through www.tnpoly.in.
