The Higher Education Review

Engineering education in India is one of the most prestigious and sought-after, promising immense scope for career growth across industries including civil, mechanical, computer science, aeronautical/aerospace, and more. Engineering has been one of the core specializations that students prefer. Within this segment, the RV College of Engineering (RVCE), founded in 1963, is one of the earliest self-financing colleges in the country.

Operated by the Rashtreeya Sikshana Samithi Trust, RVCE is a premier engineering institute recognized as India’s leading technical college. Nestled 13 km from the heart of Bengaluru city - known as the Silicon Valley of India - the institute features a sprawling campus spread over 16.85 acres of land, providing the ideal setting for a stimulating learning experience.

Range of Courses
At the time of its inception, RVCE offered courses only for civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering. However, keeping up with the evolving demands, the institute continued to grow its programs, and today offers 15 undergraduate degree programs, 16 master’s degree programs, and doctoral programs.

RVCE’s range of programs covers specializations including aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence & machine learning, biotechnology, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer science and engineering, electrical and electronics engineering, electronics and communication engineering, electronics and instrumentation engineering, industrial engineering and management, information science and engineering, master of computer applications, mechanical engineering, electronics and telecommunication engineering (telecommunication engineering), and basic sciences.

Among the various departments, the aerospace engineering department is one of the most popularly chosen departments among students.

The department, which was started in 2015, features state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure that make education more impactful. In addition to investing in quality faculty members who bring distinguished qualifications, the college has also heavily invested in infrastructure.

Equipped with two wind tunnels, one high-speed subsonic wind tunnel, and one supersonic wind tunnel, the college offers many more facilities such as a micro jet engine for propulsion, a dedicated and advanced avionics lab, aircraft instrumentation lab, a material testing facility, and a UTM with axial fatigue testing feature (a prized possession for any aerospace department).

“The institute has made no compromise on providing every facility for a thriving aerospace engineering department. These state-of-the-art equipment and facilities are quite expensive, but it is always our endeavor to ensure we have all the latest technologies and equipment which helps in keeping our students abreast of the latest industry developments.

This kind of infrastructure is critical for any good aerospace engineering institute, and it is something the institute takes very seriously. Moreover, we choose our educators just as selectively, to ensure that our students receive nothing less than the absolute best", shares Dr. Ravindra S Kulkarni, Head - Aerospace Engineering Department, RV College of Engineering.

Beyond providing excellent faculty and resources for learning, the college also supports student activities, which has led RVCE students to accomplish a significant feat recently with ISRO. The RVCE aerospace engineering students along with other members of a student group named Antariksh had proposed a bio payload designed to study how microbes multiply in space.

This one-of-a-kind project was not just proposed, but is also being developed by students to be launched in space by ISRO in June. Supporting such endeavors, not only is the college encouraging students to come up with such ideas, but is also funding the development process.

“Aerospace Engineering is an interdisciplinary field and expects

a combination of knowledge and skill in various domains for contributing to successful projects. The future is bright for aerospace engineering in particular, Bangalore since it is housing aeronautical and aerospace agencies and hub of activities. As space exploration expands and aviation evolves, the role of aerospace engineers remains critical in shaping the future of flight and space travel", says Dr. K.N. Subramanya, Principal of RV College of Engineering.

He further adds, "To achieve the above, RVCE has established a state-of-the-art Aerospace Department imparting knowledge and skills needed to meet future challenges by faculty in various domains, experiential learning, and real-world projects".

Beyond Education
In addition to providing advanced facilities and amenities, RVCE also stands out for its industry partnerships with Airbus and Boeing. These companies play a pivotal role for RVCE, providing input for curriculum designing and refinement for filling any gaps, ensuring students gain relevant and up-to-date education.

Moreover, the college is also working with these brands to offer dedicated electives for students to specialize in. The college is also working towards a program wherein students can secure internships and even jobs from these companies.

"As space exploration expands & aviation evolves, the role of aerospace engineers remains critical in shaping the future of flight & space travel"

But that is not where the college stops. As RVCE’s aerospace engineering department grows, the college is striving to nurture more partnerships in the industry, to further increase practical exposure opportunities for students. As Dr. Kulkarni envisions the future for the department, he emphasizes building more industry partnerships as one of the core verticals to handle.

The college will also focus on MRO opportunities, as well as on the development of a research center. Lastly, the college will also be focusing on creating a PG program for the aerospace department for students looking to continue education in this specialization.