• By 2020, about 70% of Indians will be below the age of 25. India will be a very young nation Moulded correctly by proper policies, this young work force can be made hugely productive, and the country can surely achieve the economic superpower status in a not too distant future. The macro statistics reflect our vision for the Department of Electrical Engineering in 2020 – one might say a clearly focused 20-20 vision of the Department in 2020.

• The vintage “Old Glory” image will be replaced by that of an observable dynamic institution generating an industry ready output. Tremendous competition at entry, and a growing technologically oriented industry at the off take will demand a dynamic, outward looking department, dedicated to excellence in teaching, but fully cognizant of the industrial environment to which it will be catering.

• State of art equipment to train students, problem solving approach in teaching, emphasis on design and analysis in syllabi, continuous evaluation, continuous up gradation of content and interaction with industry, Non-esoteric industrially oriented patents and research at post grad level, incubator for student entrepreneurs will be some noticeable criteria from which the department, its students and its faculty will be judged.

• The student in 2020 will be able to choose subjects which are best for him, and study them in an interactive and stimulating environment. Lectures, projects, simulations, analysis, presentations and case studies will be the basic knowledge transfer mechanisms, with personal or electronically aided one to one interaction. These will be supplemented by exposure to current equipment, technologies and facilities in labs. Labs will aim at allowing the student to truly experiment - to learn and to freely try out creative ideas, failure or success not withstanding and both counting as learning.

• The learning and apprenticeship process will be augmented by a sandwiched exposure to industry via attachments, industrially supervised and sponsored projects, guest seminars, and active and vibrant professional societies.

• In 2020 we can foresee a young faculty member, average age 35, selected purely on merit, fully qualified for teaching, research and consultancy. His technological skills will have been honed by several years of exposure to the industry. He will be mature enough to forecast the directions and young enough to reorient himself to the fast changing world of technology.

• The teacher will have to be given his incentives and facilities -, an environment conducive to productivity, autonomy and freedom to mould his course content and teaching method for maximum impact, communication infrastructure to interact effectively, recognition for publications and patents, IPR protection, funding from industry etc. He will work within supportive infrastructure that is adaptive and geared for optimum response.
  
  
• Conventional funding agencies – government, UGC, AICTE will not be funding this framework. Being a PG/UG institution we may anticipate a self reliant scenario, where remunerative research, industrial projects, income from training fees and consultancies and spin offs incubated by the department will finance the institution.
  
• Will this vision solidify as reality? It will require encouragement and support from inside as well as outside. The administration and the internal components are supportive. Encouragement and momentum will come from the external partners – the “citizens” of the department scattered all over the world - our torchbearers – our alumni. It will also come from the industries which have tested, approved and assimilated our students, and from the goodwill for “Kalabhavan” in the heart of all Barodians.

• After all, the EE Tower is and will always identify Kalabhavan.