Pravara Rural engineering college

Dr Sanjay Gulhane is the Principal of Pravara Rural Engineering College. He has 30 years of teaching experience. He has significantly contributed to research and implementing the innovative skill-based curriculum. He has one patent registration and around 50 published papers in national, international journals, conferences proceedings to his credit. 

What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

“Contributing to society and in turn towards the growth of the nation”

It is a noble and challenging profession where you get an opportunity to contribute to shaping the youth of the nation. It is challenging to shape the students from raw to the well-finished technocrats who are not only acceptable in the market. In the current pedagogy of outcome-based education, it becomes more challenging. It's not what students have learned throughout his course duration rather it is expected what the students can do after completion of the course. The delivery of outcomes to the expectations of the stakeholders provides a high level of satisfaction. These are the factors that kept me connected with the education sector.

What is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

“I mainly aim at identifying the right people and empower them with skills”

As a leader one should have a clear vision about the goal he wants to achieve. My role is to harness the talent from rural India. Kids here are very hungry about knowing the fundamentals of technology. My role is to provide them with that kind of platform, motivate them for higher education and bear national responsibilities. Leadership partially includes good administration. Administration on my campus is purely interactive. 

How do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your school?

“I believe that the students, alumni and stakeholders are the best ambassadors of the institute”

The name and fame of the institutes depend on to what level the stakeholders are pleased with the working of the institute. If the students, alumni, parents or some industry person is talking good about the institute it will have a different impact. At Pravara, we have a very strong and participative alumni base which has an active involvement in placements, industrial collaboration and various co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. The interactive networking of past and present students which in turn brings more knowledge sharing among juniors is very playful and effective, so I focus on this as a strategy.

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In your experience, what can an inbound student gain from studying here in your institute?

“Bringing together the best practices for the students”

In my institute, I believe that the students are getting exposure to the best practices run at abroad universities like project-based learning through tinkers lab set up in association with the Alumni Association. As we know, digitization has made everyone cater to knowledge from different corners of the world. I promote my students to participate in similar kinds of events and activities conducted at international universities. 

How does the curriculum of Pravara Rural Engineering College ensure the best practice of industry?

“Steps were taken to adapt the trending technologies into the syllabus”

We follow the curriculum of one of the best universities in the nation, Savitribai Phule Pune University. Here industrial experts are involved in designing the curriculum. Various technical skill courses, workshops, expert talks from industrial people are arranged to bridge the gaps between curriculum content and industrial requirements. We encourage the students for industrial internships, getting industrial projects, engaging teachers in consultancies.

Any insights into how your College could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

“Skills and learning is what we focus on instead of the backgrounds”

Being a rural area college, most of the kids belong to farmer families. Farming is the only income source here or some small shops run by parents. Naturally, they come from average or poor economic backgrounds. They are from different races and economic backgrounds but in the institute all are equal. There is no such discrimination neither by the students while participating in the learning process, nor do we observe such discrimination by any faculty. 

When you first came to Pravara Rural Engineering College, what was your vision for the university? Has it evolved, and how far along in implementing that vision are you?

“Developed an efficient academic process by enhancing the skills of faculty and students”

We regularly promote the participation of teachers and students in the fundamental and latest technology. I want to see the institute to the level where the institutional environment is faithful, trustworthy and up to the expectations of all the stakeholders. My role is providing a good career to my students who later can come up with various avenues of earning through various industrial skills and entrepreneurship. This is what makes the college grow.

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What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and for Pravara Rural Engineering College specifically?

“Bringing in revolutionary changes for the betterment of the academic sector”

To keep pace with fast-changing technology is a challenge for any technical Institution. While teaching fundamentals, we need to connect them to advancements in technology. Further, being in a rural area, we need to work on presentation skills of the students. The curriculum gives us limited time to complete all these activities. So managing with speed and grasping is the biggest challenge today. 

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

“Whatever you do, do it to the fullest extent”

The current youth is very inspiring and excited for career-shaping. You need to be at the pace of changing technology and work in a team with networks. You should share the responsibility of your career by connecting with technocrats and alumni from the industry. Further, I would like to suggest that it’s immaterial what and where you get your education from but how you do it that matters most.