16 Higher studies and condensed M Tech course

After graduating in Electrical Engineering from Kerala University  in 1968 with a good First Class and Distinction, I could have tried to join Kerala State Electricity  Board or Public Works Department  or any other public sector undertaking as Electrical Engineer and settled down. Compared to teaching, the   job of a practicing engineer was much more lucrative, respected and dignified in society. It is well known that an engineer does his job by hand but a teacher does his job with his tongue. But I preferred to join an engineering college as that this the best job for going for higher studies. I thought that I can still work as an engineer after completing my higher studies. However, only later I came to know that in India, an engineer teacher will always remain a teacher as the industry takes teaching as an inferior job. In many reputed universities abroad, in USA, Europe, UK etc, engineers and teachers exchange their roles by working in industry and academic institutions in tandem and enrich their knowledge and experience  to do better  service to the society. I do not support the caustic remark of  G.B. Shaw  who said “ One who can does, who cannot teaches”. I believe an engineering teacher can also do something, definitely.

My efforts for doing higher studies started from the very first year in teaching at TKMCE Kollam. Those days, many higher educational institutions like IITs used to conduct Summer Schools for enhancing the knowledge of engineering teachers. These   summer schools were organized by APTI (Association of the Principals of Technical Institutions) which was later renamed as ISTE (Indian Society for Technical Education). These schools were held for 8weeks during summer, mostly  in IITs and teachers admitted were  reimbursed travelling expenses and provided free food and accommodation in their student hostels. I also applied for such a summer school in I.I.T. Madras. This happened to be a sequential summer school running for three consecutive summers in sequence and the additional attraction was that those who do well in the examinations conducted during these schools will be admitted to second year of M Tech course directly. Even though   it was a tall order to get a grade not less than B+  for all the  30 odd subjects we were offered during summer schools, I took up the challenge as I could save one year of 2 year M Tech course. So, I completed the first summer school in April – May 1969 itself during the summer vacation from TKMCE. The second and third sessions were completed from REC Calicut during the summers of 1970 and 71.

In IIT Madras at that time and even now, there was only one department for Electrical and Electronics. They called Electricals as high current (HC) group and Electronics as low current (LC) groups.  During the summer schools, we had to study several courses in Electrical Engineering and Electronics Engg. Moreover, the courses offered were chosen in such a way that almost all staff members  could teach as they were given some extra remuneration for this. It was a difficult proposition to study during the extreme summer in Madras where the temperatures at times hover around  42-43 degrees in May. As most of the participants of the school were young teachers from different institutes, the stay and food in the student hostels were very good, it was enjoyable. Five of the participants were from REC Calicut Y Venkataramani and myself from Electrical, M/s  Babu T Jose and V J Kurien from Civil and V George  from  Mechanical   were the participants. Company of these friends and the special service from the Malayali staff in the hostel mess all made our stay in the IIT Campus very enjoyable. Sri. E K Bhass and A P Skaria  were  also present  from TKMCE .In the evenings, one of us used to go to Adayar to fetch  the Malayalam Newspapers and magazines  for  reading.

Higher  studies in IIT  Madras

Even though we had to struggle with the high temperature and the wide variety of subjects,  our efforts bore fruit as all five of us from REC Calicut were  offered admission to  second year of M Tech  as we all satisfied the conditions stipulated. But getting loss of pay leave for completing the M Tech course with one more year was another big hurdle at REC Calicut.  I was denied leave as I had not completed the probation in the lecturer post after promotion. As I had already completed my probation in the lower post of Associate lecturer, it was just a flimsy reason for denying leave to me.  However, others M/s Venkataramni,  Babu T Jose and V J Kurien   were granted leave and could join M Tech in 1971 itself. However, I kept quiet expecting grant of leave during 1972-73.

Myself and Sri. V George of Mechanical Department were granted loss of pay leave for one year to join second  year  M Tech course in Aug 1972. Leaving my wife and children at home with her parents I completed my M Tech course including thesis  work in almost ten months, combining 8 months leave and two months’ vacation.  After successfully completing M.Tech  with Control Systems as special subject, I re-joined REC  in June 1973. Even though I could get only a good first class, with a good thesis work, I could publish three research papers in an Indian journal (IETE), which proved to be useful when I applied for admission to the research programme at IIT Delhi  much later.