In the education industry for 16 years, Dr. Harish Mittal, Principal of BMIET, shares experience

Dr. Harish Mittal has completed his Ph.D. in Software Engineering from Guru Jambheswar University of Science & Technology, Hisar. He is a renowned name in the field of technical education and has a rich experience of over 15 years. He has guided many research scholars to complete their projects and thesis in the field of software engineering and information technology.

Dr. Mittal has also been the editor-in-chief to various reputed journals for many years. He has published various research papers in National and International Journals of good repute. Moreover, he has attended and organized a lot of national and international Conferences, Seminars and Technical Workshops. He has also authored books on Discrete Mathematics. His areas of interest are Database Systems, Discrete Mathematics, Fuzzy Logic and Software Engineering. Apart from the administrative works of the institute, he guides the students about various career prospective and advancements in the field of Engineering & Technology to prepare the students for the challenges of corporate sector.

Tell us about your experience in the education industry and what makes it the best industry to work in?

It has been close to 16 years since I began my journey in the education sphere and experiencing the best practices in them. Working in the field of education so far has been enriching. During this journey I got the privilege to contribute some practices to those places which had initially nurtured me.

Early days of my career started with Vaish Education Society followed by Sat Priya Group of Institutions. Currently, I am associated with BM Institute of Engineering and Technology, Sonepat. 

For me, imparting education is rather a noble practice of inculcating the young talents with innovation and academic learning to secure their bright future. There are numerous reasons why education industry is the best and most challenging industry. A few of them are:

• It has the rare opportunity as well as the challenge of shaping the future generation.
• The nature of its service itself gives the practitioners a chance of continuously getting better.
• Only industry that pays for continuous learning, knowledge up-gradation and new skills.

There is always an immense sense of satisfaction when my students achieve greater heights through excellence in their careers.

Serving the education industry gives us an opportunity to contribute in the progress of our nation, where youth is nurtured through quality education.

Being the Principal of B.M. Institute of Engineering and Technology, what is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

Investing in the long-term development of the stake holders is the best way to achieve sustainable results. In this regard, my effort as a Principal has always been to accommodate the needs of the people rationally. As a head of the Institute, multi-tasking as per the situation is required. It is imperative to have a good team for success in any field; my efforts are always to lead the team with motivation and clear instructions. Faculty and staff are the backbone of any institute; I show a lot of compassion towards my team and try to understand them individually. My motto of work has always been to move ahead with equal participation and involvement with all team members.

Focus on the development of students is my key responsibility. My sincere effort is to create an environment conducive to study and research in the institute for the students through regular monitoring.

Any of the significant challenges you faced as the Principal of B.M. Institute of Engineering and Technology? 

At times it becomes very difficult to balance the needs of all the stake holders such as students, faculty, staff, and the ownership.

The significant challenges have been:

• In the strategy dimension, keeping the focus on the organic growth of BMIET at a required pace, in consonance with the BMIET vision of ‘transforming the institute into a modern constantly progressing temple of learning in Technology, Engineering and Management with a distinct identity.
• Matching the standards of IP university, keeping the faculty focused on research and helping them bring that learning to the classroom.
• Helping the faculty add value, ethics and insights to the modern-day classroom where students have the access to all knowledge through the latest technological innovations.

How does your curriculum ensure best practice of industry?

The GGSIPU Curriculum is followed at our Institute which is as per the latest Industry standards.  To keep in pace with the latest technologies we organize various workshops/Conferences/Seminars by the experts from Industry. Emphasis is given on imparting practical knowledge through ultra-modern Lab facilities. Regular training for the students in relevant industries are organized. In addition. we provide Skill development programs in various field of engineering.

Being the Principal, how do you look at the growth of students through placement opportunities available at B.M. Institute of Engineering and Technology? How do you wish to push the envelope further?

For me, placement of the students is the most important responsibility and it takes immense pleasure to say that IT giants such as INFOSYS and IBM are visiting our campus regularly. Placement team works round the year to provide opportunities to the students. Special classes are conducted for the students to upgrade their skills for the placement test. Regular mock-test/interviews are organized for the students to face the challenges.

Regular meetings with the placement team and Industry people are held. Sincere efforts are put in to provide the placement opportunities to students and I aim at achieving the 100% placements.

How do you tend to establish a relation with the students being the Principal of the university? How do you make yourself available to them?

I am always accessible to students and have direct and close contact with them. They can visit me, call me, and mail me whenever they wish. My relation with the students has always been that of a friend-philosopher and guide. I believe to create a student centric environment at our Institute. Residing on the Campus gives me an opportunity to be available for the students round the clock.

What would be your ideal school environment, and how would you encourage that kind of culture?

I aim at providing an environment which is favorable to students and staff. Having students and staff from all parts of the country makes a cosmopolitan environment. Friendly and social culture is promoted in the institute where there is no sense of biasing amongst all.

With a large population of students inclined towards engineering, what according to you are the top qualities that an aspiring engineer must possess?

According to me an aspiring engineer must possess a good aptitude with flair towards the chosen discipline. He should be Creative, Imaginative, Analytical and Technical

What goals do you have in your mind for your university for the next few years?

We aim at leading the GGSIP University and become the top Institute in the region in next two years.

We are also working towards promoting startup and establishing incubation center at our institute. 

Any suggestion you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

My suggestion to the youth and aspiring students is that, they should identify their interest and skills before choosing their fields of study. Ethics play a vital role in shaping the nation; my sincere appeal to the youth is to be ethical in all spheres of life.

I would like to reference a well-known quote:

“I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”