The rapidly developing Visakhapatnam city lacks premier training institutes for engineering and technology students as they move to other places like Hyderabad and Bangalore to explore their knowledge in advanced courses as per the market demand.
The existing educational institutions also lack adequate laboratories for the specific domains chosen by the students.
Stakeholders including the state and central governments have been urged to focus on these major challenges in Visakhapatnam, which is the largest city in AP, and the governments are also focusing on making the city the Financial Capital.
A B.Tech (Electronics) student S. Nitish Kumar said, “I did not find any options to go for training in my specific domains in the city. My seniors and faculty suggested me to join institutes like C-DAC, but did not find any such institute. It would be useful and beneficial for many students like me if the state government focuses on setting up such institutes.”
C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) is the premier scientific institute of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, known for its advanced computing and IT training programmes. It offers various postgraduate diploma courses, including the popular PG-DAC (Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Computing), which aims to bridge the industry-academic skill gap.
Agreeing with Mr. Nitish, GITAM Deemed-to-be University’s Electrical, Electronics & Communications Department P. Bharani Chandra Kumar, said, “Yes, Visakhapatnam does not have at least one leading training institute. As per the current market conditions, the city urgently needs a premier training institute related to Artificial Intelligence, as AI is currently an adjunct to every B. Tech program. Every student should have knowledge of Computer Science and its advanced applications and AI.”
Some educationists are of the opinion that engineering education should not rely solely on theory, but should emphasise practical learning through well-equipped laboratories. Advanced laboratories should be created, and the existing laboratories should be continuously upgraded and guided by industry-experienced teaching professors as outlined in the National Education Policy.
“Strengthening the laboratory infrastructure will help students acquire better practical skills and be industry-ready without the need for external training elsewhere. If the laboratories are properly equipped, students can acquire knowledge at the college level itself. To be honest, no educational institution, including government and private ones, has such advanced laboratories with expertise in the laboratory itself in Visakhapatnam,” said a senior professor from Andhra University, who did not want to be named.
Speaking to The Hindu, Rushikonda IT Park Association vice-president O. Naresh Kumar, said, “The proposal for a C-DAC Visakhapatnam centre was made in 2014 itself, but there has been no progress even today. Since the current Centre-State relations are good due to the coalition government, this is the right time to focus on it. Apart from C-DAC, Vizag also needs a Nixi, national internet exchange of India.”
There are about 30 engineering colleges in the city and only five of them have more than 1500 students in various programmes.
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Published – June 30, 2025 08:22 am IST