The IT department has initiated steps to boost the employability of engineering graduates by ensuring that the IT industry participates in charting out the engineering syllabus to increase industry orientation among students.

While the need to give students a thorough industry orientation has been there for quite some time, this is the first time that the information technology and communications department has chalked out plans to establish an industry think tank, and revamp the syllabus.

The decision to initiate radical changes in the engineering education system was taken after meetings between IT industry representatives, academia and the AP State Council for Higher Education. While establishing an industry think tank is high on the agenda, making training a part of the curriculum is the priority as it will save time and money.

“We have constituted a special committee for looking into employability. Currently the employability per cent is around 28 to 30 per cent which is quite low. Students undergo various trainings ranging from six months to one year after completing course. We want to do away with this and instead make it a part of the curriculum,” said minister of information technology and communications, Mr Ponnala Laxmaiah.