Expressnews
Chennai, June 20, 2025: Private engineering colleges give out most of India’s engineering degrees. Around 50 visionary colleges among them are leading a quiet revolution that will realign engineering education by building future ready engineers, in addition to awarding degrees.
Today, at an event in IIT Madras, these visionary colleges who are changing the course of engineering education, were honoured in the presence of 5 IIT Directors.
The event, organised by PALS (a voluntary initiative led by IIT Alumni), is the result of 12 years of deep engagement with private engineering colleges across Tamil Nadu and South India. It started as a small alumni initiative that grew with the support of IIT Madras and has recently started expanding with the support of other IITs.
PALS, a distinguished voluntary initiative by IIT Alumni under the aegis of IITM Alumni Charitable Trust, hosted its twelfth Annual Day 2024–25 at IIT Madras, marking the culmination of a year of impactful programs aimed at enriching engineering education among engineering students across South India.
A highlight of the Annual Day celebrations was a high-powered panel discussion titled “Engineering Education for a New Era: Insights from IIT Directors”, featuring fivedistinguished IIT Directors. The session brought together:
• Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras
• Prof. B.S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad
• Prof. Kalidindi N. Satyanarayana, Director, IIT Tirupati
• Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar
• Prof. Venkappayya R. Desai, Director, IIT Dharwad
The discussion was moderated by Mr. Kiren M. Murthi, PALS Champion and Industry Leader, and offered deep, forward-looking perspectives on how engineering education must evolve to meet the demands of the 21st century. The Directors reflected on critical themes such as interdisciplinary learning, the integration of emerging technologies like AI and sustainability into curricula, promoting innovation ecosystems within institutions, and improving access and inclusivity for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
The panel also emphasized the role of academic-industry collaboration, entrepreneurial mindsets, and experiential learning as essential drivers in shaping engineers who are both technically strong and socially conscious. A recurring message was the need to create flexible, student-centric learning environments that nurture curiosity and problem-solving — aligning closely with the mission of PALS.
This inspiring session reinforced the initiatives PALS play in bridging premier institutions with other engineering colleges across India, fostering excellence and equity across the educational spectrum.
This year’s Annual Day spotlighted outstanding contributions by institutions and individuals involved in PALS programs across multiple regions. A total of over 50 awards were presented across seven categories, based on performance and participation in PALS program related initiatives.
Ms. Vijayalakshmi Sankar, Co-Chairperson of PALS, presented the Annual Report 2024 –25, highlighting growth in engagement, program expansion, and deepening regional impact. The report showcased 79 events conducted during the year, increased participation from students and faculty, and stronger linkages with IIT and industry. A major highlight was a day-long senior management workshop at IIT Madras in March 2025, focused on “Building Institutional Eminence”. The workshop was conducted by senior faculty of IIT Madras and PALS associated colleges, and industry experts, and based on the experiences of IIT Madras in obtaining its high global ranking. Inspired by this, some colleges have started their own initiatives, with strategies for eminence journey and ranking.
Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, mentioned, “Toppers should be encouraged to opt for non-CS disciplines. Design Syllabus fine-tuned to include Research and Education map. Students can go for dual degrees increase the thirst to prepare for GATE. encourage students to take up Civil services. For Viksit Bharath, we will need to have administrators who are tech savvy policy makers for future India.”
Mr. C.N. Chandrasekaran, Chairperson of PALS, added, “Today, we celebrated a remarkable year of achievements made possible by the PALS platform, with enthusiastic participation from the management, faculty, and students of our partner institutes. A highlight of the event was the insightful perspectives shared by IIT Directors on the vital topic, “Engineering Education for a New Era,” which provided meaningful takeaways for all attendees.”
Awards Announcement
Best Partner Institute of the Year was awarded to the following institutions for their outstanding collaboration and contribution:
• Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai Region
• Hindu College of Engineering and Technology, Guntur (Andhra Pradesh & Telangana)
• KIT – Kalaignar Karunanidhi Institute of Technology, Coimbatore (Rest of Tamil Nadu Region)
Best Debutant Institute was awarded to:
• Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, Chennai
PALS continues to act as a bridge between the IIT ecosystem, industry and partner engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Nepal. With structured programs such as lectures, faculty development, innovation contests like innoWAH!,Entrepreneurship initiatives, industry visits, industry projects, etc, PALS strives to empower engineering students and faculty with industry relevant skills and knowledge.
To know more about PALS and explore collaboration opportunities, visit www.palspgm.org***
