B. Tech. (Bachelor of Technology) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Electrical and Electronics Engineering is a major engineering discipline that involves designing, studying and application of the electronic equipment devices, gadgets, equipment and system run by using electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. It is perhaps the foundation stone for many technological advancements we are witnessing today be it in power generation, computer engineering, telecommunications, signal processing, instrumentation and many more.

As the human race started inventing and developing more and more products that would be operated with the help of electricity, the Electrical and Electronics Engineering too witnessed an array of changes in the last century. Today, this timeless discipline has paved way for countless number of sophisticated technological progressions including nano technology, renewable energies, mechatronics, electrical material science etc, to name a few.

Power as in electricity, electronics being a subject of interest in scientific world, there is no dearth for opportunities for those pursuing EEE. Contrary to the opinion, it does not involve shaping up and fixing the electronic appliances but deals with the concept of generating power, distribution and machine control. It also involves computers, electronics, mechanical and communication fields and with these areas witnessing phenomenal changes every year, EEE graduates enjoy a great demand in the job market.

In a Q&A session with Dr S Balamurugan, Chairperson: Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore Campus, we bring all you need about this high-in-demand discipline of engineering.

Technology is growing at a faster pace and so are the changes in the field of Electrical & Electronics Engineering.

In these days and times of fast paced technological progressions, the line between electrical engineering and computer engineering got totally blurred. We cannot have two different disciplines and keeping in need of industry demand and to make our students future ready, we launched another new course in B.Tech. – Electrical & Computer Engineering. Essentially, we offer two undergraduate courses, the first one is the conventional EEE, while the other is Electrical & Computer Engineering.

For instance, if we are teaching power system the students also get introduced to computing tools, operation and control of the power systems. And to give hands-on training to the students we create tabletop models of generation, transmission and distribution of power systems for better understanding. We are in fact equipped with a huge, power systems hardware lab which they can use even at the student level.

B.Tech. EEE is that quintessential conventional course comprising core subjects related to machines, power systems, electrical etc offering deeper understanding. But in B Tech- ECLE, the students will also get a hang of computer related subjects besides few core subjects from the regular B. Tech. EEE. Precisely it is an eclectic mix of both electrical and computer engineering.

There is a general misconception that B.Tech. EEE is a very tough course to crack. If the students are really interested and get fundamental knowledge, with basic mathematical background, it is easy to understand all the core subjects of B.Tech. EEE. Ditto with ECLE, thorough grasp of all fundamental concepts plays a major role in clearing it with good marks.

Global trends are leaning towards innovation. Problem solving in the most efficient, innovative ways gets a thumbs up from all quarters. Our students from the day one receive great support and motivation through our institution and innovation council in our campus, we encourage students to come up with new ideas by often conducting various seminars, interactions with successful people etc. Regular workshops on designs, series of lectures, on the positive effects and societal impact is order of the day.

We also have a unique concept called ‘open lab’ and students are encouraged to come up with a problem and find solution to it. By the end of third year the students need to demonstrate their innovation and discovery. The students get access to all labs and believe me, we get amazing results, at the end of every academic year.

There are a plenty of career opportunities in these both disciplines. For EEE graduates, it can be either core electrical application job or an integrated one where computer is involved. So, when students with pure electrical background get into jobs, they can excel in design and R&D but may not be great while handling computer related programs. Control and instrumentation, embedded systems, power electronics, renewable energy are few areas they can fit in.

Companies like Robert Bosch is one of our regular recruiters. Siemens, Cisco, TCS, CTS, Cognizant, Infosys, Honeywell, Wipro, Ford are few among many companies where our students are placed.

It is often said that 70 to 75% engineering graduates cannot clear interviews. But at Amrita, all our students get placed without any problem. Please explain about the efforts?

We focus both on technical and soft skills to ensure a great placement for our students. Our Centre for Industrial Relations trains students in soft skills and students receive training from the first year onwards, as it is a part of regular curriculum. The faculty take care of academic excellence by aiding the students in proper application of their knowledge. Persistent training for all these years will make them get recruited successfully.

A majority of students get serious about their career plans by third year or by the beginning of fourth year. At one point of time, joining the job used to top the agenda but these days the trends are changing. Many toppers, I should say at least the 20% of total students are going for higher studies. Though a majority of them still opt for placements, at least 70% of them come back for higher studies and do post-graduation after gaining some amount of work experience.

We are witnessing an amazingly positive trend of students getting interested in internships. They understand its significance very well and want to learn it early. We get most number of internship opportunities from Centre for Industrial Relations and the students itself. Students through their contacts propose their internship plans and after thorough scrutiny, we give a go ahead. Around 80% of our students show keen interest in doing internship. In our 2019 curriculum, we dedicated 8th semester completely for internship without any regular course work.

The lab structure in our department is not just any conventional setup. Our labs are equipped to meet the demands of not just undergraduate students but also M.Tech students, faculties guiding Ph.D scholars. We have a sophisticated research setup to bring in innovation, research component. Whenever the advanced equipment is needed or in demand, we procure it immediately for our students. When it comes to infrastructure, we ensure modernisation of the department for every 5 years

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is an undisputable leader in the realm of private universities offering the best quality education in India.

It is the 4^th Best Ranked University, among the private universities as ranked by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF Ranking), as issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India for the year 2020

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham holds Institute of Eminence tag, issued by the University Grants Commission

It is the No 1 Private University in India, as per The World University Rankings, 2020

It is also ranked No 1 for the International Faculty by the QS World University Rankings for the year 2020

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham stands tall as No 1 among the private universities as per the ranking issued by QS University Rankings, Asia for the year 2020

A complete vegetarian, self-sustainable campus, the faculty and staff believe in nurturing the young minds of India into responsible citizens

The alumni of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham occupy prestigious positions in various government and private organisations in India and across the world

The university boasts 25 plus Centres of Excellence, has 180 plus research collaborations, 65000 citations, 12,000 publications, 100 plus patents and $100 million funding

Every semester around 200 students from Amrita secure admission into prestigious universities abroad.