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L.N. Revathy

Coimbatore , March 6

AGILENT Technologies' `All India B.Tech Project Award' for engineering students is a dream offer — a month at Agilent's UK or US facility at the company's expense. The challenge however is in presenting an engineering project - a working model that is original and innovative.

The offer though has been restricted to the IIT and NIT students of Electronics and Communications branch in the inaugural year. The company, according to its President Mr Kewal Khanna, would be extending it to other engineering institutions across the country in a phased manner.

The offer is aimed at encouraging engineering students at `hands-on engineering' experience rather than `textbook engineers'.

`India has made a mark in software, but the country is yet to make an impact in hardware development. Just take a look at global investments. You find that they have traditionally been directed towards cutting edge development in electronics and hardware. The Government has already recognised this gap, and attempts are underway to make India an attractive manufacturing hub. However, to realise this dream, India would need many more `hands on engineers' rather than the presently available `copybook engineers' who are good at software development' Mr Khanna told Business Line.

Agilent, through this contest, is aspiring to act as a catalyst. Its endeavour basically is in promoting India as the potential manufacturing hub.

Commenting on the response to the invitation to the select colleges, Mr Khanna said 95 entries had been registered so far. After short-listing the entries, a final selection process would be conducted by a five-member jury.

This final evaluation has been slated for June 24.

Agilent's offer has come at a time when most IT companies voice concern about the lack of communication or soft skills amongst job seekers.

The award, company sources say "is not exactly a job offer. It is aimed at practical orientation."

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