Bengaluru: Engineering colleges in the state will soon have to compulsorily hire counsellors to help students overcome problems such as emotional stress, academic and personal issues.
The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) will soon ask all colleges under its purview to appoint counsellors and career experts in a bid to boost the confidence of graduates and make them aware of career options.
Confirming the move, VTU Registrar H.N. Jagannatha Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that the plan aims to provide right assistance at the right time. “In colleges affiliated to VTU, there are a large number of students who stay away from their parents and guardians. The ‘Local Guardian Scheme’ introduced in many colleges has had a positive impact among the students and help bridge the gap between teachers, students and their parents. We plan to make it compulsory for all affiliated colleges,” he said.
According to varsity officials, each college will have two counsellors or able teachers from the faculty working towards student welfare one for psychological assistance and another to equip them with a clear idea on their career prospects after engineering studies.
“Engineering students have been facing various problems both personally and academically, with many having backlogs and facing stress-related issues,” the official said.
Career awareness
The VTU Registrar said the help of career counsellors will be sought at every institution to ensure that students are well aware of various job prospects and career options before graduation. “Not many students at present are aware of the numerous opportunities that are open in the ever-expanding industry scenario in the country and abroad. While career counsellors would help individual students pick a right path tailored to their interests, the exposure provided by such experienced hands will also benefit them to make a decision on higher education,” he explained. According to the plan, counsellors will be made available for their services daily for a minimum of three hours. Each lecturer of the college will also monitor 15 students, each assessing their overall performance and attendance and work closely with the counsellors.
