KCG College Of Technology: Creating Global-Ready Innovators and Change Makers

Dr Anand Jacob Verghese

Chairman

There are several factors that contribute to making a Computer Science Engineering (CSE) college ‘ideal’ in a learner’s eyes, and offering theoretical knowledge is just the beginning of the list. Particularly in rapidly shifting technology-driven industries like computer science, it becomes imperative for engineering institutions to extend beyond fostering just academic efficiency in their students.

They need a broader skill set, which can be cultivated through a myriad of opportunities for practical learning, research, technical and non-technical skill development, and the professional network offered by the colleges, equipping them to influence change in their chosen fields and society. Standing as a perfect education partner, KCG College of Technology, one of Chennai's leading engineering institutions has been consistently leveraging a perfect amalgam of the aforementioned perks since 1998.

KCG College of Technology is a constituent of the Hindustan Group of Institutions, a 1966-born pioneer in technical education in India established by the late Dr KCG Verghese, an illustrious educationist, and a commendable thought leader. Following the suit of its parent group and the founder, KCG College of Technology is distinguished by its unwavering commitment to delivering unparalleled quality and holistic education to regional as well as international students. Falling in the NIRF rank band of 201-300, NAAC A+ grade college offers 13 UG and 5 PG programs in different specialties.

Claimed to be the biggest and oldest department, the institute’s full-fledged CSE wing is accredited by the NBA and provides BE, ME, and PhD programs in the realm of computer science, guiding its students to become future-ready. With Dr M. Muthukannan, Principal, KCG College of Technology, at its helm, the department has secured multiple reputed recognitions, including Academic Excellence, Best Innovator, Intelligent Innovators Hackathon, and consistent Smart India Hackathon awards.

The Roots of the Excellence

Although affiliated with Anna University, KCG College of Technology is an autonomous institution, allowing flexibility to its CSE division to design the curriculum as per the industry needs. Governed by the industry veterans spearheading its regulatory, advisory, and management board, the department comprises highly qualified faculty who share passion and capabilities to guide the students to push the boundaries of the technology and the industry. The department also endeavors to promote experiential learning, self-learning, and digital learning, as exemplified in NPTEL courses. The students can choose a certified specialization course among a pool of contemporary and futuristic technologies, like DevOps, AR/VR, and Java full-stack steered by well-equipped laboratories.

Catalyzing career development, KCG College of Technology emerges as a compelling force through its multiple activities, including invaluable soft-skill development and placement-related training, which begins as early as the first year. Additionally, the institution is located amidst IT giants, in the region of Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), popularly known as the largest IT corridor in Chennai, which further helps the students connect directly with the industry leaders through regular guest lectures and workshops. The proximity of the college also makes the whole arrangement convenient for both the college and the experts. The 6-month internships in QS-ranked institutes further enable the students to achieve pertinent work experience.

With MoUs with over 25 International universities and professional bodies, including the UK-based Institution of Engineering Technology and Computer Society of India, KCG College of Technology also provides a well-rounded education to the students. They are also encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities, specifically recreational sports, such as international tournaments of tennis, Cricket, and badminton.

Along with hands-on industry exposure and foreign language courses, the college also strives to provide a global perspective to its domestic students through its student exchange programs. Dr M. Muthukannan, Principal of KCG College of Technology, explains, “As part of the international collaboration, each student is assigned two mentors, one from KCG and another from the partnering foreign university. Together, they guide the students in tackling global issues, with the entire process being documented and published in the Scopus-indexed journal”.

A Research-Intensive Environment

As one of the six research centers within KCG College of Technology, its CSE division collaborates with research scholars who actively share their knowledge with both UG and PG students. “Our curriculum includes a compulsory research methodology paper to equip the students with necessary research skills”, adds Dr Cloudin, Head of the Computer Science Department. These efforts are strengthened with a dedicated project development cell, which propels both the students and the faculty to convert promising departmental projects into patents while also providing the necessary seed funding.

The student-driven innovation community INNOCOM of the CSE department envisions encouraging every student of the CSE department towards the path of innovation and entrepreneurship by conducting workshops in cutting-edge technology and Innothan, a national level Hack fest. The educators are also encouraged to publish high-quality articles and research papers with adequate funding, infrastructure, and incentives to reinforce the research. The faculty exchange programs also add an advantage in improving the overall quality of teaching and research.

KCG College of Technology also prepares its students for innovation and entrepreneurship. The institute possesses an extensive incubation center with the capacity of supporting 20 incubates. The center has incubated around 10 innovative startups, which are ideated by its alumni and are at the interim stage. The college also boasts an active alumni network, consisting of professionals who have excelled in not just technical or inter-disciplinary professions but also in civil services and entrepreneurship, and remain a supporting pillar for the current students.

Moving Beyond

“We are currently drafting a new customized curriculum, particularly third-year courses, to incorporate revolutionary technologies, which will be led by industry experts in our management and regulatory board”, adds Dr Prabhakaran K, Dean, KCG College of Technology. As a part of its 20-year vision, the college is also planning to introduce employability enhancement courses and AI courses with core engineering fields, emphasizing majorly quantum computing, DevOps, HCI, UX design, and advanced robotics.

The syllabus will also adhere to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and focus on upholding ethical and social aspects of technologies. Abiding by the founder chairman’s motto, ‘Make no man a failure, everyone a success’, the institute, according to Dr Anand Jacob Verghese is rearing to become one of the top 10 most promising CSE colleges in India.