Working as an Assistant Professor in VSSUT, Burla of Odisha, Anand Kumar is often lauded among his students and peers for his impeccable teaching standards and hands-on practical knowledge on technical education. In an exclusive interaction with Sthitaprajnya Panigrahi, Correspondent, Higher education review magazine, Ananad Kumar talks about his journey and ideas about the current trends and techniques of education.

1. Tell us about your professional journey so far?

After doing intermediate, I completed my graduation in Electronics and Telecommunication from BPUT University in 2009. As I always had an inclination towards teaching I joined as a junior lecturer at Satya Institute of Technology and Management (SITAM), Andhra Pradesh for one year and then worked another year at MIT Bhubaneswar. Then I went for my master’s degree at NIT Durgapur in 2011-13. After the completion of my master’s degree, I have worked for 1 year at TITE Bhubaneswar. In 2014 I joined as asst professor in the dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering at VSSUT Burla and now I am continuing here.

2. How the standard of teaching has evolved in the past few years? What are the modern methodologies that you are currently incorporating in your teaching methodologies?

Nowadays the teaching method is moving towards outcome-based learning. As the world is heading towards technological advancements and digitization, more emphasis is given on subjects like programming and coding. Compared with the prior days, more lab works are included in the syllabus. Now the education is to acquire the experience and knowledge that nurture our existence with every progressive push. So, modern teaching methodology follows the experimental and instructional pedagogy to educate the students of the current generation.

3. How do you ensure the optimum engagement of students while taking a class? How are you ensuring the unperturbed flow of learning for your students amidst the lockdown?

To ensure maximum engagement of the students in my class I always go for a mutual interaction session with my students. I always try to connect with them through quiz tests, discussing students’ points of view, discussions in between groups. In the present scenario (COVID-19) the students may miss the classroom environment but the interaction is more personal. Now I can connect with them one to one interaction through the online class which is beneficial to everyone including the students who are to speak out in the classroom.

4. How do you encourage your students to acquire industry-relevant skills? What changes can be implemented in the curriculum to make the students industry-ready?

Necessity always tries to direct the law in favor of it by hook or by crook, because it is the mother of the invention. By looking at the present market demand I try to deliver outcome-based education where education doesn’t collaborate with character and conduct. It is merely an induction of knowledge without an all-around association with facts that make the personality of our inner being grow effulging the peaceful feeling along with systematic service to one’s existential uphill momentum.

5. How was the impact of your teachers in your life? Share some unforgettable moments with your teachers that you cherish even today.

 I have received immense contribution and support from my parents and teachers throughout my personal and professional life. I have got a lot of lessons to maintain a proper life from my religious teacher and living ideal ‘Sri Sri Thakur’. I usually learned from my teachers about how they used to keep the students engaged throughout the class and how they monitor the attention of students continuously.

I remember one instance when my math teacher was taking a logarithm class. Although the class was scheduled for one and a half hour, he told us about the Indian economy and the world economy for the first one hour. At that time I thought the whole time lapsed with these completely unnecessary stories and the lessons may not complete that day. But in the next half an hour he delivered the concept of logarithm and correlated all the stories with the logarithmic calculation by showing us the practical applications.

6. On the occasion of Teacher’s Day what message you would like to give out to the students who want to pursue their career as teachers?

Education in its true sense creates adjustment of intercellular substance through proper exercise, intelligence, and evolvement of character. I would like to advise the students to observe everything with its constitutional construction and its accordant attributes analytically as well as synthetically. Also, examine the opposing factors of a topic and counteract them to rebuild it out of decay and destruction. Know the subject thoroughly and apply the knowledge according to necessity.

(Covered by Sthitaprajnya Panigrahi)