The Class of 2024 will all graduate to be a rather different breed from their predecessors. The batch that started undergrad engineering education during the pandemic is the largest cohort so far to have been exposed to the most diverse curriculum apart from the transformation in courseware. Moreover, the new breed of engineers must deal with the immense pressure of outperforming as employable all-rounders, being able to lead from the front irrespective of the situation the world is facing. Creating such tech-leaders who will function as the prime runners in India’s push towards becoming a global superpower, Rajalakshmi Engineering College (REC) comes as a bright light of hope, even during these gloomy times of the pandemic.
Started in 1997 in Rajalakshmi Nagar Thandalam – Chennai, with just 3 UG courses, and an initial intake of 180 students, REC has grown manifold in terms of providing the best opportunities for engineering aspirants to showcase their talents, in turn, supporting and guiding them on all fronts. Now a haven for thorough engineering teaching & learning, REC can accommodate 15 UG & 9 PG programs with over 2000 students making the college their home. Built around a serene atmosphere, with the best state-of-the-art facilities for effective learning, the engineering college has accreditations by NBA for all its UG programs with a NAAC A-Grade.
Always keen on providing exemplary tech-learning experience to all its students, and promoting a sense of complete belonging and inclusivity, the latest ICT-enabled learning systems like the Lecture Capturing System in classrooms, LMS modules, and so on, have been adapted effortlessly during the pandemic to cater to the changes. In addition, helping all present on campus to learn and grow, learning via experience in each specialization is promoted on a large scale, helping students grow both inside and outside the classrooms. The college has been featured in the Academic Insights Magazine as the Engineering College of the Year 2020.
Imbibing all-rounded proficiencies
While the academic world sensed a huge challenge due to Covid-19 Pandemic, REC continued its smooth Teaching-Learning-Assessment Cycle because of its practice of online incorporated T-L-A effectively. Also, due to the relentless support received from the Rajalakshmi Educational Trust and owing to the benefits received from being an Autonomous institution, REC has thoughtfully made its curriculum with industry mentorship to provide its students all that would make them industry-ready. Embarking on giving an educational experience, which pushes all students to move in pursuit of picking up striking careers in their respective fields and sectors, the curriculum includes laboratory integrated courses where theory courses are packaged with respective labs, giving equal importance to holistic learning. Industry collaborated programs like B.Tech (CSBS) with TCS, Computer Science & Business Systems aim to meet future demands of the IT Industry whose landscape is rapidly evolving in the era of Business 4.0.
“Well equipped laboratories with a passionate team of faculty have always given our students a rich learning experience, not just to succeed academically, but also professionally”, stated Dr. S. N. Murugesan, the current principal of REC. Talking about how every step/endeavor taken up at Rajalakshmi Engineering College has always been in the favor of facilitating a smooth learning curve for the students, the principal gave us an inside view of the whole ethos present at the college. Adding to his earlier statement, he listed out the amenities made available to the students and everyone present on the campus – “We have a Centralized Computing facility, Wi-Fi-enabled campus, emails & email group for all students, LMS access, Library with a rich collection of books and journals, Digital library, E-Journal Access, E-books & other E-resources, help them learn more and in-depth”.
Rajalakshmi College of Engineering strives towards catering to the masses by providing the best engineering courses across various streams and disciplines. From conventional streams such as Mechanical & Computers to new-age courses in Food Technology & Mechatronics, the wide range of courses are mentored by some of the best academicians & industry professionals acting as Academic Guardians, who mentor the students until they complete their tenure. Guiding the students across all walks of life, the onboard faculty members track individual progress and developments. Also, by motivating the students to venture into all possibilities, students are given full power to showcase their leadership and technical expertise. Since REC has had LMS and E-Lectures even before this pandemic, it was managed very smoothly by making use of effective classroom structure and e-assessments for both continuous and proctored online end semester assessments. Moreover, reviews of projects are also conducted online and ensured the progress with required support from faculty.
A participative environment of growth & development
Right from the Governing Council, the Industry expert’s mentorship is ensured at committees of all capacities including the Academic Council, Boards of Studies, and so on. Eminent experts teach as adjunct faculties for courses that add upon current day industry practices as value addition. MoUs with many leading companies strengthen the industry-institute relationships and make them focused. Regular guest lectures are arranged by all departments, giving students a real-world view of the industry/corporate life, they are about to enter. Furthermore, industry internships organized regularly to provide the students with good exposure, facilitate them with credit transfer for the same, encouraging a whole lot of them, to take up internships with industries in their respective specializations. Industry-Institution Interaction Cell (IIIC) present on the campus supports conducting tests for employability, arranging for in-plant training sessions, and Industrial visits for experiential learning and exposure.
All in all, REC being a research-focused tech-institution, has put in dedicated efforts since its inception in the field of research and development. A center for Sponsored Research & Consultancy (CSRC) was constituted to strengthen research activities, in turn, enhancing industry interaction and fostering industry-relevant research. The CSRC initiative provides support and guidance to enable faculty and students to take up research and innovative development relevant to the industry as well as society. In addition to CSRC, REC has a cell to encourage students to develop projects for social causes with implementable solutions. Every year IPC (Innovative Project Cell) conducts a competition for all students to present their projects, where the best and the most innovative of all are given credible rewards. Lastly, with funding grants for research projects received from Governmental agencies like DST, AICTE, UGC, DRDO, ICMR, and many more, REC has become a haven for today’s engineering aspirants, acting as the best launchpad into the world, with a clear vision of developing competent and ethical professionals of society. The college has been featured in the Academic Insights Magazine as the Engineering College of the Year 2020.
Dr. S. N. Murugesan – Principal
A Mechanical Engineer from Thiagarajar College of Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Thermal Sciences from Anna University, Dr. Murugesan pursued his Ph.D. at the Institute for Energy Studies from the year 2000 to 2003 in the area of Vapour Absorption Heat Transformer. He started his career as an Associate Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering department at National Engineering College, Kovilpatti. He has served for 24 years in various colleges in India. He has also served for 4 years as head of the Mechanical Engineering section and one and half years as head of the Engineering department at Ibra College of Technology, Sultanate of Oman. He has published 12 papers in Journals and conferences. His field of specialization is thermal sciences, specifically vapor absorption systems and heat transfer.
