Govt to make two industrial visits must for engg students

Lucknow: Students pursuing technical education in the state will have to make mandatory industrial visits and training for practical exposure.Chairing a review meeting on Tuesday, technical education minister Ashish Patel said, “Engineering students need practical exposure beyond textbooks. Civil engineering students will visit expressway, tunnel and dam construction sites, while mechanical and electrical engineering students will gain hands-on experience at EV manufacturing units and industrial establishments.”The govt intends to make two industrial visits mandatory for each student.Patel pointed out that new opportunities for youth are being created with upcoming industrial corridors, expressway networks and investment projects. It is, therefore, essential to prepare technical education institutions to meet industry needs, he said.During the meeting that was attended by Deloitte representatives and departmental officials, Patel said the govt is intensifying efforts to align technical education with industry demands with an aim to transform the state into a one trillion-dollar economy. The meeting highlighted initiatives taken by the department to equip graduates with practical knowledge, modern technology skills, and real-world industry experience, thus, fostering self-reliance and immediate job readiness.A progress report was sought on key initiatives such as a placement portal, AI integration and improvements in NAAC and NIRF rankings.Patel said that the department’s placement portal has already onboarded over 8,000 students. A dedicated landing page in collaboration with Naukri.com is being developed to provide students with more local employment opportunities, connecting them with both private sector and global prospects, he said.