freshmen newsletter

Website : www.gct.ac.in/aperture Facebook page : www.facebook.com/sjcgct Blog : www.sjcgct.wordpress.com

Volume 1 - Issue 3 - December 2014

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Clubs in GCT

ResearchThe path

less taken

Life in GCT

In Coversation

with the faculties

The Musingof an

Ex-GCTian

Know your City‘Spark n’ Beyond’Entrepreneurship as a Career Option

TEAM APERTURE - FRESHMEN NEWSLETTEREDITOR Deepak Krishna U

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bharanidharan P, Siva Subramanian

WRITERS & REPORTERS Ahmad Fayaz, Deepak R, Deepika B, Divya T, Jaya Shankari S, Meenakshi S, Parthiban C, Pavitra M,Prasana B, Sara Banu H, Toziba B

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Arjun Subramanian P, Sukumar S, Suriya T N A, Vigneshwar D

CARTOONISTS Banupriya L, Surendar K

From the Editorial BoardHello All,Student Journalist Council (SJC), the official student media body of GCT publishes “Aperture”- The Quarterly Student Newsletter. It's been few months since you have joined the college, we hope that you are well in track pursuing your dreams and aspirations. From school to college is a big leap for any student and getting accustomed is another challenge ahead. Team SJC, wanted to help you during this transition. SJC takes immense pride in launching the first Freshmen Edition. In the process, we have brought you an exclusive edition that explores numerous opportunities in and around GCT. We have launched a blog (www.sjcgct.wordpress.com) recently, to keep you posted. A dedicated website will be on air shortly. We believe it will aid in ameliorating the student community. While the editions are created by a small team of around twenty students, we hope that our vision of this club becomes your’s too. You can also write to us regarding issues that concerns you and suggest solutions to help the cause. So to be a part of team SJC, there are no prerequisites and qualifications. A keen sense of things happening around and able to report the same will be very helpful.

If you wish us cover any important stories in Aperture feel free to write to us. You can follow us on www.facebook.com/sjcgct or write to us at sjcgct@gmail.com and we will get back to you.

FRESHMENNEWSLETTER

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTERDecember 201402

CLUBSOF

GCT

There are lots of opportunities and rostrums exist for an

invigorating GCTian to develop his/her flairs and to get a better exposure during their study he

evidence turns out from the numerous clubs in the college.

Pupil across various department agglomerate, prune their skills

and build camaraderie with one another.

Clubs are meant for instilling co-ordination and leadership

qualities in students. This purpose is wholesomely fulfilled

in GCT and the above description comes out as a

proof for that.

Tamil MandramBeing the oldest club of GCT, Tamil mandram gets the prerogative in the long list to follow. It fosters one of the ancient languages, Tamil. At the outset, 5 members took efforts to give it a start. These Tamil enthusiasts & aficionados, who have a sense of concern and interest towards the language, has always brought laurels to the college .

They have won numerous prizes in cultural fests like Festember of NIT-T, Kurushasthra of Sastra University, Techofes of CEG to name a few. To get a vivid picture of Tamil Mandram, you need to be at 'Muthamizh Vizha' (an inter college Tamil literature fest).

Fine ArtsFine arts Club nurtures the creativity, explores the picturesque, pops novelty everytime. The event list and contribution of fine arts in "Muthamizh Vizha" and "Sangamam" marks its craftsmanship. The events like Graffiti, clay modeling, Quill art, Madhubani painting delights the onlookers. The Art gallery named 'Chromolouver' hosted by Fine Arts during Sangamam 14 with 'Palace' as its theme made people skip a heart beat with its brilliance. Also 'Puppet Play', a disrepair art of Indian Culture was staged during Sangamam 14.

Student Journalist CouncilStudent Journalist council (SJC) is started with its main objective of enhancing and inculcating the spirit of journalism, photography and design in the college. SJC, the official student media body of GCT publishes ‘Aperture’- The Quarterly Student Newsletter. The Newsletter acts as a verbal reference to the achievements, events, milestones and the culture of GCT on diverse platforms, that ultimately serves as an inspiration to the pupil of the institution. The Newsletter aims at reaching all the students, staff of GCT, the Alumni, the executive-corporate community and all the well-wishers of the Institution.

SJC also establishes its presence in the social media by posting regular updates about the activities in the college.

Literary and Debating SocietyLiterary and Debating Society of the college is a 41 year old organization. "Via Veritas Vita" meaning "The Way, The Truth, The Life" as the motto, it imparts global exposure in the college. Every year a separate Inter department fest is organized for the freshmen called "Confluence". "Brainstrain", an event organized by LDS is very popular among the school students across Coimbatore. This year, BrainStrain was held with 'Hunger Games- Catching Fire' as its theme.

TEDx GCT

TEDx GCT

TEDx GCT is an independently organized event by the students under the organization TED. It stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design where x=independently organized event.

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to spreading ideas in form of short and powerful talks (18 minutes or less) under the epigram of 'Ideas worth sharing'. It is an annual event organized with a license. The speakers from various fields are invited to share their views and ideas. The event is organized by following the rules of TED. So far two TEDx GCT events have been organized, TEDx GCT - Uncharted Water on February 2013 and TEDx GCT - Reconnecting Roots on July 2014.

Green ClubStarted in 2012, Green club aims at developing a greener society by not just planting saplings, but also provides technical solutions and innovations to achieve sustainability.

Prakriti 14 - A Zero Paper Event, organized by Green Club stands a testimony to its innovativeness.. The Event entered into the Indian Book of Records for their achievement.

In the previous year, it finished at the 31st place in TechFest, the annual technical fest of IIT, Bombay. GCT won the Sustainable Campus Award from Pondicherry Government in the year 2012 owing to the efforts taken by the Green Club.

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S T U D E N T J O U R N A L I S T C O U N C I L

G.C.T.

EROTABMIOCGREEN CLUB

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTER December 2014 03

The very concept of internship is to gain firsthand experience in the field chosen by the applicant. In Internships the two major divisions one can find to chose is between Research Internships and Industrial Internships. Ever since the quality of research has gone down substantially in the country, efforts has been made to invest more in it and also urge the undergraduate students to be an part of the system. Since we are in the odd semester, this is a perfect time to make students aware of the opportunities as most of the universities offer Internships during summer vacation. Student Journalist Council (SJC), spoke with Internship applicants and Research interns who had the experience of applying to Internships in the past academic year. In this article, we would like to establish a basic idea of research opportunities available in both India and Abroad.

A Research Internship opportunity, can be as exciting in India as doing it in any of the foreign universities. Even though the place of Internship might cause a difference in the cost incured, the procedure remains the same. Following are some of the steps that one must take to apply for an Internship.

The StartSelf assessment of one's own strength and interest is the best way to start. One can do that by introspecting the subjects one has learnt, and can contact the professor in the respective department to know about the latest research happening in that particular field. This could arguably be the most important step as while applying for Internship one has to mention their area of interest.

Short listing UniversitiesFirst Look for the country, for which you are going to apply and then start out short listing for universities which offers courses adhering to his/her interests. Identify faculty members and their research areas by visiting university web pages. One can also look for existing fellowship programmes that provide research internships to students.

When and How to Apply?This is the most arduous step in the entire process. Try and design your own application which includes cover letter and curriculum vitae. Instead of simply stating your credentials, specify how motivated you are, one can also do a bit of background reading about a given group’s research activities. This would put you in a better position to elaborate on how you’d fit in and contribute to said activities. The application can be strengthened by getting Letter of Recommendation from professors back here in GCT. With your application all set, establish contact with the professor you intend to research via email, and wait for his/her reply.

Scholarships and FundingRegarding Funding there are many fellowship programmes both in India and Abroad for students. DAAD WISE, Mitacs Globalink, Charpak Research Internship Programme, IIT-M Summer Fellowship Programme, Summer Fellowship Programme by India Academy of Sciences to name a few. But these programmes offer scholarship to only a few a students across India, so the best way to get an entry pass is to follow the above mentioned steps. Though the cost incurred by students might be a deterrent factor, but the experience it provides to the students is unparalleled. Also the experience of Internship will help a student while applying for graduate studies abroad.This article might feel premature to the students in first year, but getting first hand information will help a long way. Also students in their second and third years can make use of the information provided and get a gate way pass to Research.

Some useful linkswww.facebook.com/eduinfoupdateswww.facebook.com/groups/internships.abroad.utkarsh/www.facebook.com/groups/eduinfoupdates/

Start Early. This holds particularly while applying for foreign Internships.

Have a good CGPA. This well help in eliminating a lot of competition.

Have some prior research experience in the chosen field. This can be done by co-ordinating with the professors here in GCT

Do’s Dont’s

Spam the professor inbox with your e-mail.

Highlight facts about your persona that is irrelevant. Applying for an

Research Internship is different from an Industrial Internship.

Lie in your cover letter and curriculum vitae.

RESEARCHT h e p a t h l e s s t a k e n

Illustration by Surendar K

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTERDecember 201404

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Rezina KInformation Technology - Final Year

Being an all rounder

Just like many of you out there, I started my journey in GCT with a lot of dreams and hopes. My life in GCT started in cushy way. I was focussed only on academics, and paid least attention towards other opportunities that college offered me. Days rolled over, I realised that GCT provided its students a good platform for expressing themselves. I thought it will be perfect to utilise the opportunity, to explore my latent talents. In my first year, I got a chance to represent the Ball Badminton team of GCT, that's when I got to meet Sowmiya the captain of the team. She was one of my inspiration. She not just excelled in Ball Badminton but also in academics. It gave me a spark that I was looking all along.

During my Second year I then became captain of Ball Badminton team, Executive Member of CSITA department, I started participating in Inter College competitions, and started winning in quite a few. "Work while you work, play while you play ", this is a clichéd quote but I always used to remember this, which helped me prioritize my aspirations. Initially, I did find it difficult, but gradually I found my feet and the experience that I got through made me prepare for the greater challenges that awaited me. According to me , academics should be interlaced with extra-curriculars, so that when you look back down the lane there will be nostalgic memories.

To those who are reading this, I would like to say that don't let your dreams give a pass. Try to pursue them, because down the years you will be happy that you did.

Julia SinglongComputer Science and Engineering - Third Year

Life as always given its fair share of up's and downs. But life couldn't be more challenging and unpredictable as I got here. My Journey began all the way down to south travelling 2247 miles from the north. With future plans and sparkling dreams in my eyes, least predicted and many fortunes unfolded.

I thought, " My college life is finally going to begin in GCT." I found my dreams ignited with passion and determination. Turned around to see, people as calm as water and there I faced the biggest stumbling block of my life, starting from food to linguistic difference, I felt cold sweat down my spine. I began asking myself, " How will I survive ? Should I return home? ". Tears started rolling down my cheeks and I gave up. I called my mother and said " I can't! I am coming back home."

"If you want, you may return, but where ever you go, it is never going to be the way you want it to be. All you have to do is look on to the brighter side. “ my mother said. That became the turning point of my life. I told myself " Never give up ". I started learning the language, making new friends and getting accustomed to the food. Eventually, I realised that it was never the place which made me lonely. It was me against the world. I never tried and shied away from taking up challenges and coping with the adaptation.

Then the sun started to shine brighter, and here I am today happy as ever ! Problems still arise, but now I have my friends to grab hold of me, to help me and push forward. As the saying goes " If you need the rainbow, you have to deal with the rain ." I am now learning, growing and moulding myself into a better person.

Away from home

Life in GCT

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTER December 2014 05“

Saravana Kumar PMechanical Engineering - Second Year

Language is not a barrier

I still remember the day I entered college, my mind was filled with various emotions. One among them wasthe fear for learning in a new language 'English'. As a student who has hailed from Tamil medium andpredominantly studied in Tamil, I knew a daunting task awaited me. But the confidence I had in me, boostedmy morale.

The first help I received was in the form of staffs who were friendly and understood our problems. Theytaught us in Tamil and helped us overcome the fear towards the language English. The most admirablefactor I felt was that, they evaluated our papers by testing the concepts and not our grammatical skills.

The second thing which motivated me is to learn the concepts in the right way. The papers which involvedproblem solving were easy, it helped me enhance my competitive skills and made me to aim for goodgrades. Though Physics and Chemistry paper were theoretical, I was keen to learn the concepts and expressthe contents in my own way. Whenever I prepare for exams I would sit with my friends who were not onlyfrom my department, but from other departments too. Those group studies were really helpful and helpedme in gaining the much needed confidence in learning theory papers as well.

The additional things which helped me was reading newspapers and using dictionary whenever I cameacross a new word. The results of my first semester increased my confidence, as I secured grades above myexpectations. The process continued throughout the second semester and by the end of it I forgot thelinguistic difference in academics and started to learn with much ease. I also secured good grades in secondsemester. Now I have started to learn engineering in the best way I can, to improve my skills further.

Anand Raj

Initially I thought placements were guaranteed, since I got a seat in GCT. But as the days passed, within oneyear I felt that it's not true and our future depends on how we work. Though I was interested in Softwarefield, being a Biology student in my 12 grade, I had fear, which made me to struggle in programmingsubjects.

My attempt failed and unfortunately I got an arrear in 'C' Programming. Being a Computer ScienceEngineering student, I felt it as an obstacle for my career prospects. But, soon I realised that I need to workhard with hope. I strengthened the basics of programming by discussing with my friends. Then I clearedthe 'C' Programming paper in second semester with 'S' Grade. I was self inspired and this motivated me.

My seniors guided me, about placements and scope of the companies. They showed me the way to developskills which were essential for securing a placement. Then I tried solving several problems, discussedsolutions with my friends and further optimised my codes. Alongside curriculum, I studied other subjectsand maintained a healthy CGPA.

Even though I prepared well for plactements, it didn't start well. I couldn't get clear the first round of twocompanies viz Commvault (my dream company) and Vembu Technologies that I attended. But I continuedmy preparation with hope and it helped me secure a job offer in Payoda. After that I helped my friends forpreparing for their placement. This helped me in enhancing my concepts, which further lead to anInternship offer in Amazon. The dream run didn't end there, the consistent efforts helped me secure a joboffer in Accolite with a high package (CTC). At the moment my friend asked me "Had you not got an arrearin C programming paper, would you be able to achieve this? " At that moment , I paused to look back myfour year stay in GCT and I felt it's was the turning point for my career.

Computer Science and Engineering - Final Year

Being self-motivated

“Life in GCT

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTERDecember 201406

Hello all! Since most of you would have been new to Coimbatore, you might be facing a hard time figuring out the multitude of hangout spots around the city. Don't worry, we think we might have a solution in hand. Here is a list of some of the most beloved hangout spots around the campus. Student Journalist Council spoke to various sections of students in search for the perfect place to eat, a spot that promises a day-long adventure with hostel mates or even a theatre to catch a late night movie.

Know your City

A food heaven for all organic food lovers in and around Coimbatore. Perhaps one of the

few places offering unadulterated food.

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Lakshmi Shankar Mess, GCTA food heaven for all organic food lovers in and around Coimbatore. Perhaps one of the

few places offering unadulterated food.

Le MeridenLe Meriden- Enough said. One of the few five star hotels in Coimbatore. But eating here would leave a dent in one's pocket.

Readers Point The proximity to the college and also the minimum lending price offered by

the shop, makes it a great spot to GCTians.

Crossword, Fun mallCrossword is a great place for people

who seek information, knowledge or just the pleasure of reading.

Sree Annapoorna Sree GowrishankarOne of the finest hotels for vegeterian lovers.

Well known for its unique taste across all its branches. Ardent food lovers term it as

“Pride of Coimbatore”

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Hotel Haribhavan, GandhipuramIt is a destination which no non-vegetarian

food lover would want to miss. They provide a wide range of gravy, parathas.

Their special menu also contains brain fry!

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Brooke Fields MallThe mall has many food outlets like KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut , Cafe Coffee Day. They surely fit in for the birthday treats !

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Chin chin-The Residency, Avinashi roadOne of the few restaurants offering Chinese food. The restaurant provides other cuisines too. Their

foods items are delicious but a tad expensive.

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Raja Book House, Sai baba ColonyThe '9' pointers visit the shop during the start

of the academic year whereas the normal GCT junta swarm the shop on the eve of exams.

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Cheran Book Store, Town HallIt serves the GCTians during the dawn of exams. It houses all kinds of academic books ranging from so called foreign authors to local authors.

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Majestic Book House, Town HallGCTians worries due to their book

expenses are wiped off as it offers a wide range of old books at affordable prices.

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Odyssey, Brooke fieldsIt offers genres from fiction to biopic. Also

the availability of affordable gifts, makes it an automatic choice for the customers.

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FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTER December 2014 11

A food heaven for all organic food lovers in and around Coimbatore. Perhaps one of the

few places offering unadulterated food.

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KG Big Cinemas, Race CourseA little far from GCT but gives a nice fun filled experience. 5 shows a day makes

the theatre busy.

SPI Cinemas, BrookefieldsThe most well equipped theatre in the city and

the best place to watch the 3D Hollywoodmovies. Shouting is strictly prohibited.

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Fun Cinemas, Fun Republic MallFar from GCT , but still a perfect place to

watch movies. Could be said as the sibling of brookefields. Nice place to hang out with

friends from PSG and CIT.

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Karpagam Complex, 100 Ft RoadJust a few stops from GCT. One of the older theatres in Coimbatore, but still a

busy spot for movie goers.

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VR Complex, VadakovaiThe most visited theatre by GCTians mainly due

to its proximity from the college. The theatre largely depends on GCTians and it is

always thankful to us.

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Senthil KumaranOne of the favourite theatres of GCTians. Mainly

visited for its affordable eateries inside the theatre and also for Hyderabad Biryani

adjacent to the theatre.

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Shanthi Complex, Railway JunctionA not much visited theatre but still a

good choice to watch movies at release dates.

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A food heaven for all organic food lovers in and around Coimbatore. Perhaps one of the

few places offering unadulterated food.

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Siruvani WaterfallsSiruvani Waterfalls is located in the west of

Coimbatore City. The reservoir at Siruvani was built to meet the drinking water requirements

of Coimbatore city. The place is definitely worth a visit for people who would like

to get a break from the hustle of city Life.

Nilgiri Biosphere Nature Park (NBNP)NBNP is located at Anaikatti, about 32km from

Coimbatore. The NBNP is an initiative of the Coimbatore Zoological Park Society to promote conservation of the fauna and flora of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

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PerurPerur is a neighbourhood located on western side of Coimbatore. The history buffs in GCT

can definitely look up to this place as it beholds the sight of many ancient buildings.

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Velliangiri MountainsA cool place to visit for the adventure loving GCTian. This place is bestowed with beautiful

nature. Also the mythological stories surrounding this place, adds to aura around it.

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Isha Yoga CentreIt is located in the Velliangiri foothills and the organization offers yoga programmes. The picturesque location makes it an attractive

hangout spot.

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GD Naidu MuseumThe legend and technocrat, G.D. Naidu has

done many inventions in the field of automobile, electronics, mechanical and agriculture. In his name an exhibition is established displaying his contributions. G.D Naidu Museum located in

Avinashi road is a place worth visiting.

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City Facts1804

1831

1866

1868

1906

1945

Coimbatore becomes District Headquarters

First School, London Mission School, set up

Coimbatore accorded municipal status

First college, Government Arts College, established.

College of Agriculture now Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, set up.

First Engineering Institution,Government College of Technology, started.

10,50,721*Population

8,66,098*Literates

Mrs. Archana Patnaik IASDistrict Collector

Mr. P. RajkumarCity Mayor

*2011 sensex

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTERDecember 201408

While students chose their departments before entering GCT, little do they know about it. It is perhaps to cater to such students, Student Journalist Council spoke with faculties cutting across various departments to enlighten

students on what's in store for them when they enter their sophomore year.

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It is an engineering disciplines that would enable the graduates to design, develop and manage Computer hardware and system software. As every filed like Design and Manufacturing, Media for Communication, Medical, Surveillance and security, Transport System needs automation and Control with the aid of computers, the scope for the Discipline of Computer Science Engineering and Information Technology is great!

The Computer Science / Information Technology graduates would find opportunities in IT Industries that involve design, development and Maintenance of automated products for varying fields. Every private sector has the doors opened for computer Engineers. Public sectors like Indian Railways, IAF, Navy, Indian Army, Cyber Crime unit of Police Department, CDAC, NIC, RailTel have ample opportunities for Computer Engineers.

Significant current research areas in the field include Pervasive Computing, Network Security, Big Data Management, Green Computing and High Performance Computing. Various Indian Research Institutes like ISRO and Atomic Research Centres have provision for researchers to contribute. Researchers in leading Educational Institutes are funded to nurture research ideas and IT products.

Dr. Miracline Joyce PamilaAssociate Professor, CSE

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The major driving force for the present day information technology revolution is the development in Electronics Engineering. The advances in microelectronics, satellite and optical fibre technology, analog and digital in communication techniques have resulted in developing fast and efficient telecommunication systems.

The private sector offers plethora of opportunities for fresh graduates. A degree in this field develops candidate’s analytical and programming skills, which makes you compatible for even software industries. Siemens, Motorola, Intel, Texas Instruments, Thought works are some of the recruiting firms. BHEL, ISRO, DRDO, Indian Navy also offer recruitment to ECE graduates.

For last few years Electronics Engineering has been very dynamic with the rapid growth of portable and mobile communication devices. Electronics Engineering covers few sub disciplines, where the activities related to research has been paramount.(i) Communication Engineering (ii) Microelectronics, VLSI & Embedded Systems (iii) Signal Processing (iv) Instrumentation Engineering (v) Electromagnetic and MicrowaveMany reputed technical institutes are involved in research on the above mentioned fields.

Dr R. SatyabamaProfessor and Head, ECE

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Electrical and Electronics Engineering deals with electricity, electro-magnetism and electronics. It also covers power, control systems, telecommunications and signal processing. The engineers are usually concerned with large-scale electrical systems such as motor control and power transmission, as well as utilizing electricity to transmit energy.

Electrical engineers work in business such as, (1) Scientific research and development firms (2) Electrical component manufacturing companies (3) Power generation, distribution and transmission (4) Manufactures of navigation controls, medical equipment, and measurement devices (5) Architectural firms.A variety of jobs awaits an Electrical engineering graduate including research, engineering design, technical sales, system operation, education and management

Research engineers work in the lab, testing and inventing. This job require a high level of creativity on the part of the engineer, as well as a great deal of patience. The research work is supported by sponsored projects from many government agencies such as DST, DOE, MHRD, MIT, ISRO, DRDO as well as many private industries such as General Motors, General Electric, Nokia, Philips, Integra, ABB.

Dr. V. GeethaAssociate Professor, EEE

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Civil engineering is branch with greater scope of creativity with never-ending infrastructure development. There are enormous opportunities for civil engineering students both in public and private firms. Each and every subject in Civil Engineering holds a solid possibility for gaining employment in all over the world.

Civil Engineers are recruited by companies like Larsen & Turbo, Consolidated Construction Consortium Limited, Tata groups of Engineering Services to name a few. Central Institutions like Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), SAIL, ONGC, IOCL, NTPC recruit Civil Engineers through their GATE score.One can also work under State Government by writing exams like TNPSC, SSC with B.E or M.E qualification.

Graduate students who are interested in research can avail opportunities in Structural Engineer Research Centre(SERC), Central Scientific Industrial Research(CSIR), Central Road Research Institute(CRRI), Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) with PhD specialisation in respective research field.

V. Sathish KumarAssistant Professor, Civil Engineering

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERINGINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

CIVIL ENGINEERING

ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATIONENGINEERING

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICSENGINEERING

In Conversation with the Faculties

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTER December 2014 09

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All the things that we see around us have something to do with Mechanical Engineering. Talking about its scope in future, Being a core branch it forms the basis for Production, Aeronautical and Mechatronics branches of Engineering to name a few. Hence its scope is never ending

The core job opportunities in this field mainly fall into five categories namely Design, Modelling, R&D, Manufacturing and Quality Management. Some of the automotive industries offer immense job opportunities to Mechanical Engineers. Technical Institutes like ISRO, DRDO, HAL need Mechanical engineers for modelling, manufacturing and analysis. The Indian Railways, Mining and Defence Ministries of India, and also PSU's like ONGC, GAIL, IOC recruit a lot of engineers through their GATE score.

Mechanical engineering is perhaps the most "broad-based" of the engineering disciplines. Some of the major field areas include Fluids, Manufacturing, Materials, MEMS, Ocean Engineering, Controls, Design and Bio Mechanical Engineering. Major Universities in India and Abroad have research laboratories where one can find exciting opportunities. The Scope of research is virtually never ending.

Dr.S.PeriyasamyAssistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

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Basically Production engineering is a part of Mechanical Engineering, but it concentrates more on manufacturing and production sectors. Due to this reason, both these courses share a common syllabus (70-80% similar). So the fields where Mechanical Engineers finds its scope, Production Engineers are in need to.

The core job opportunities in this field is limitless. Manufacturing, Automotive industries and many more offer immense job opportunities to Production Engineers.

The future research potential is unlimited. The fields where a production engineer can shine are vast. Research can be done in the Automotive sector, Metalworking sector etc. In the end, the ultimate choice rests with the students. As far as research is concerned, the main determining factor is the student’s mind set and one must be careful to choose the field entirely out of his/her interest. Future research may be in developing new designs, reducing cost involved in manufacturing, ensuring quality that could benefit the people in general.

Dr. SritharanProfessor and Head, Production Engineering

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Instrumentation, Engineering involves the development and use of precise measuring equipment. Instrumentation involves both measurement and control functions. Most manufacturing processes rely on instrumentation for monitoring chemical, physical, and environmental properties, as well as the performance of production lines. Instruments to monitor chemical properties include the refractometer, infrared analyzers, chromatographs, and pH sensors. Instruments are also used to measure physical properties of a substance, such as its turbidity, or amount of particulate matter in a solution.

Instrumentation Engineers can find employment in Refineries, Power Generation Plant or for that matter in any process industry. In government sector they can find employment in ONGC, HPCL, BHEL, NTPC, NALCO, DRDO, ISRO, IGCAR, HAL to name a few.

The Scope of Research is never ending. Some of them are design of state observers for various end products and distillation columns, Aircraft Control, design and control of Missiles, Integration of Micro Electrical Mechanical System (MEMS) design, Industrial Automation of any process.

N. ArulmozhiAssistant Professor, EIE

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It is an application oriented subject. The research done with elements of nature is applied to other fields and the research outcome of other fields are also applied for the benefits of humans. The research of lab scale is not always commercially successful. The job of an Industrial Biotechnologist is to analyze the problem and carry out further research and make the project successful.

The Job opportunities might seem limited at the undergraduate level. But once a person does a specialisation during their PG, the opportunities seems to be limitless. So I would urge every student to do their PG in a field which excites them the most. When a IBT student does a PG, it's a different ball game altogether.

The scope for research in Industrial Bio-Technology is immense. Some of the areas are Pharmaceutical , Agriculture ,Environmental Conservation. There are lots of funds available for research in biotechnology field but owing to failures in commercialisation people are not interested in research.

Ms. K. SelvaPriyaAssistant Professor, IBT

INDUSTRIAL BIO-TECHNOLOGYELECTRONICS AND INSTRUMENTATIONENGINEERING

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Scope of the DepartmentJob Opportunities Scope of Research

FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTERDecember 201410

Spark n’ BeyondEntrepreneurship as a career path

park n Beyond is a creative designing company started in 2008. Mr. Gomathi Shankar (IBT), Mr. Anand (IBT), Mr. Eashwar (CSE) were a part of the five member team who gave birth to the idea of Spark n Beyond. Six years down the lane the team has won many laurels. It reached the penultimate round of the The Economic Times 'Power of Ideas' Business Plan Challenge 2010 amidst around 17,500 entries from across India. Spark n' Beyond was also listed as as one of the ten most promising, highly efficient and quickly emerging start-ups of the nation on Aug 4, 2012 by Techniche- The techno management festival of IIT- Guwahati.

Student Journalist Council (SJC), finds immense pleasure in interacting with Anand J, Co founder and current CEO at Spark n Beyond. 1. When did you consider Entrepreneurship as a career choice and whom do you consider as your inspiration?

It was an afternoon in Sastra University, I and my

S father, my friends, my twitter circle, Sachin Tendulkar, Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Manu Joseph, the tea master at Valli Bakes, the Xerox anna, everyone has impacted my life in one way or the other. When Gomathi Shankar called me for joining the team, I looked at him as an inspiration. When you are asked to join a team by a person you respect, how can you deny the offer? Things fell in place. Everything I do is a reflection of someone or the other I have met or read in my life. It would be a sin to single out people I drew/draw inspiration from. Yeah, to set things straight, I certainly wouldn’t have accepted the offer from Valli bakes tea anna if he had asked me to join Valli bakery. Preparation of that tea is as bad as the mass production of a lethal bio-weapon. So, in a way, my inspiration list is rationally categorized.

2. What according to you are the worst and best parts of being an entrepreneur?

The best part of being an entrepreneur is the

friend were speaking about the responses from HRs in companies. Both were placement coordinators, he-IT and myself-IBT. We were there for Kuruksastra event representing our college. It was when we nonchalantly discussed on what if we start our own company, something that is unique and that which matches our talents. It was very informal discussion but that made a huge impact in me. Call it the design of universe or destiny, I received call from Gomathi Shankar, my GCT senior asking me to join the team in starting Spark n’ Beyond a few days after. And thus started the journey.

I get inspired from every person I meet. My

Photo Courtesy: www.sparknbeyond.com

The best part of being an entrepreneur is the respect you earn from the

people around you. You get immersed in that pool of respect.

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FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTER December 2014

respect you earn from the people around you.You get immersed in that pool of respect.Like a Gulab jamun soaked in jeera. It isthe urge to keep that respect intact thatdrives your entrepreneurship journey. It makesyou follow ethics, it propels you to grow. Youwant the respect circle to expand in depthand circumference. This makes you to startprojecting your happy side to this world. After awhile you start searching for new happy sides toproject it to the world. It becomes an addiction.An addiction that makes you explore yourhappiness. You start gaining more respect. The jeera keeps increasing. The Gulab jamun keepsabsorbing. Life turns tastier.

The worst part to me in entrepreneurship isthe stare I get from my circle of relatives. Ilive in a family that equates a work in Californiato the Nirvana attained by Mahavira. That’sthe end point of a human life. To them, humansevolved from monkeys to smile, lose the tail,walk on two legs and then get employed in UKor US. I always have the regret that my momdoes not feel enough pride in saying that herson is running a company to my relatives. Thegood thing is from ‘not taking pride’, she hasnow moved to ‘not taking enough pride’. So,perhaps that’s a start.

3. What was your aim when you enteredengineering?

Did I have one? I honestly don’t remember. Andtrust me; it’s perfectly ok to not have an aimwhile entering college.

4. Why not engineering based startup?

Because I was certain an engineering startuprequired more than just an overnight study andscores over 80% in semesters. I love myengineering subjects. Simply brushing aside thestream with words like ‘engineering is waste oftime’ is nothing but plain cowardice to face the

subject the right way. An engineering startupneeds passion to work in it. For a startup tobe successful, it needs to be positioned at the mutual intersection of skills, talent and knowledge. I felt Spark n’ Beyond fell at that intersection and I was not having that confidence in starting a company that allied with the engineering that I learnt. But, genes and DNA still excite me as much as it excited me in my first year of college. In fact, the science-fiction novel that I am writing now (ohyeah!) is based on the frugal knowledge that Ilearnt in my 4 years of college. Nothing you learngoes waste. Never will. It’s up to you to put it to use.

initial investment of Rs.20,000 each and then used the revenues generated for running the company. And now there are innumerable opportunities to pool in money. The world is ready to invest on young entrepreneurs with a compelling idea. The question is whether we are looking out for options or giving up the idea saying fictional reasons.

8. There are many students who wish to start their own company but are discouraged by their family and society. Your suggestion to them?

Society doesn’t discourage people. It’s the pessimistic assumption that we keep making to comfort ourselves. Assume that the society is striving to make you succeed and you will see how many helping hands are getting extended towards you. The society is not obliged to show its good side. It’s your responsibility to locate it. Family do discourage but the reason for that is not wanting you to fail, but that they are afraid to see you fail. Look out for the members in your family who genuinely trust your capabilities and believe you will succeed. Seek their support. They will mitigate the fears of others. And when you succeed, you can see the shift happening. Take my word, that’s the most satisfying thing you will ever experience.

9. Anything you would like to say to your juniors at Government College of Technology?

You enter the college as clay. Let the college mould you. No other college teaches you responsibility, flexibility, endurance, tolerance and allows you to dwell in the freedom as GCT does. Take pride in it. The skills you acquire here

are unique to the college. Make the best use of it. A GCT graduate will appreciate culture because his hostel has friends from almost all the 234 constituencies. Leadership and teamwork are sub-conscious byproducts of this college. You can survive in any place, eating whatever food that is available after surviving 4 years of hostel and mess life. No. Not a joke. This makes you to adjust in any ecosystem you get into. By collating whatever money available to buy a coconut bun in MS bakes or eat full meals in HariBhavan, you learn what a financial man-agement is. Being inside the college we don’t realize. It is when we step out, when we put all these to use, we know how valuable the college is. What you learn out of books is a paltry 20% of GCT. Try to learn as much of the remaining 80% during your 4 year stay in the college. Start believing that you are destined for greatness. Because, you are!

5. How tough was it to achieve the current position of 'Spark n Beyond'? And what is your current state of mind after this success?

Success, like air, water and the dosai in GCT mess, is tasteless by nature. It’s the struggle that confers taste upon it and makes it delicious. We are not a billion dollar company, but I would say we are successful today because this was where we wanted to be, at this point, when we started the company. So it’s like achieving the interim target. To reach this position, very much like every other startup, we did have our own set of struggles. We always had this mantra ‘Jai HarryPotter ’. Just like the way when Harry Potter receives help, vir tually from nowhere, when he was helpless, we at Spark n’ Beyond too kept

experiencing the same thing. Somehow, when we almost lose our hope, there will be a help, from out of the blue. Like magic. We had a good team that bolstered us whenever a person in the team was low. And that will lift all our spirits up. These things prevented us from taking the falls too seriously. The blind hope, the team and the trust we had, always provided us the cushion when we fell. And rising up was hence relatively easy.

6. Is it mandatory to do management studies before starting a company? What skills would you recommend the young entrepreneurs to acquire?

Not everyone needs to be an MBA. But I would say, in the present scenario, it is mandatory for at least one or two in the team to complete the management studies. It’s always easier to convince a client when you throw a few management jargons here and there. On the contrary, when the client throws a few jargons and you don’t get it, then your capability comes under scrutiny. This is for the start-up phase. When you run three years of a company, you would have learnt a lot more than what those management books can teach you. Experience is the best book from which you learn.

7. There is prevalent thought among students that one must have sufficient finances on their own before starting a company, what is your thought on this?

Depends on the sector in which you start a company. If it’s an IT start-up with a services model, all you have to invest is on the running expenses. On the other hand, if you need to start a company in automobile sector, you need to invest on machineries. We started with an

Simply brushing aside the stream with words like ‘engineering is waste of time’

is nothing but plain cowardice to face the subject the right way.

“ “

Society doesn’t discourage people. It’s the pessimistic assumption

that we keep making to comfort ourselves.“ “

For a startup to be successful, it needs to be positioned at the mutual

intersection of skills, talent and knowledge.“ “

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FRESHMEN NEWSLETTTERDecember 201412

Every man when retracing the journey he travelled, explores the poet, appreciates the human and buries the devil in him. The failures faced and the lessons learnt are never the black dots in the gazette of life. Come; let’s swim in the memories of a trivial Indian engineering graduate.

The four years of engineering is not just the repository of science and mathematics. The equations I arrived, the solutions I achieved, the exams I flaunted are just the compliments for the time and knowledge; I spent in the concrete boundary. The empty wallet ,destiny less travel and the angry ”Get Out(s)” were the opportunities thrown by life to rediscover my role in this mighty planet. Life always questions us, all the answers might not fetch us a fruit but no question can be skipped, "Who Am I ?". The logical question disturbed me, round the clock. The replies at various stages of my under graduation life designed the journey.

With all the social push, selfish dreams and adrenaline’s rush, my energetic first step in the high walled forest informed my conscience that I will raise as a super professional guy with polished shoes, trimmed hair, fancy job and fancier salary in near future. “Yes! I should make it”, the professional me passed the resolution. The intensity of this enthusiastic statement was deceasing as my interest, shifted towards the extracurricular dimension. In college, the auditoriums are more celebrated than the laboratories. To place myself in the list of celebrated students in the institution, I let my heart and limbs to broadcast my skill. ”Yes! I should make it big”, the artist in me screamed. Time had other plans and the artist’s scream lost its intensity as my life threw another question, “What's Next?” Hence the research started. GRE, GATE, CAT, IES etc. The options scrolled before. After rounds of introspection and feasibility study, the much hyped decision was made. Before letting me immerse in the decision I made, there rang a bell “Placements”. “Grab a job and then follow your passion. Play a safe game, lad”, the well-wisher(s) community advised. Attracted towards the safe game culture, I let my updated resume and decorated attitude to speak and impress the employer, thus taking the pledge to sell my time, knowledge and passion for the dreams of the respective organisation.

“The switching aspirations”, is not a disease to worry about. It indicates the teen’s broad mind to analyse the options and decide the optimum. The aspirations vary when the goals shift. The goals shift when influences change. The influences change when attitude evolves. The attitude evolves as ignorance fades .Over the years in the arena of marks and conventional path, the ignorance faded not by the education, the institution fed but by the life, the college taught. After spending four long years under the shelter of a prestigious college, the society imposed loads of questions. The appointment order, I fetched, answered most of their questions. But I had the sole responsibility to answer, when my conscience asked, “Are you Happy?”

My reply was, "I may not have grown as a connoisseur of arts, an incredible intellectual or an inspiring personality. Still, I have a journey to say my world. I experimented, I flopped, I explored & I evolved. I know my future, I have a dream, I still pursue my passion and I am happy.”

“ It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it’s the journey that matters, in the end ”

-Ernest Hemingway

The Musing of an Ex GCTian

Illustration by Surendar.K

-Ernest Hemingway