Page 38 - Insurance Times March 2016 Sample
P. 38
Interview
with
MR. H. C. S. BERRY
President, The Institution of Engineers
(India) with Dr. Rakesh Agarwal,
Editor, The Insurance Times
Q. The Institution of Engineers (India), has been motion of research, development and deployment
one of the premier institutions of national activities at all levels - undergraduate students, post
importance to promote and advance the graduate students and doctoral students.
science, practice and business of engineer- The Qualifying Function: Assessment and accredita-
tion of technical education, training and placement
ing. Now, with over 0.8 million members,
how IEI has diversified in terms of focus and of engineers in the country and abroad.
reach? The Professional Body Function: Improving the
membership strength-taking steps to attract senior
Ans: The Institution of Engineers (India) was established engineers, young engineers and women engineers
into its fold; looking after the interest of the profes-
in 1920 and was given the Royal Charter status in sion; promoting development of innovative ideas of
undergraduate and post graduate engineering stu-
1935 with objective of promotion and advancement
of Science, Practice and Business of Engineering in
all its branches in India.
India's priorities have changed since then. India dents; supporting development of new technology.
gained freedom and the economic reforms of 1990s The Visibility Function: Conducting studies and de-
have made India a global economic player. The needs veloping policy-framework documents for consider-
in terms of technical education, skills and opera- ation of governments on technical education, train-
tional logistics have changed. IEI as the leading ing, skills building and placement;
professional engineers' body has to honour the basic
principles enshrined in the Royal Charter and has The Institution-Industry Interactive Function: Con-
also to respond in the real time to the rising na- ducting outreach programmes of interest to the
tional expectations. industry to reflect strength of the institution to in-
The IEI has now prepared a Perspective Plan with dustry through two-way communication; reorient
focus on the following thrust areas: programmes to have more industry-orientation; pro-
The Learned Society Function: Dissemination of mote institution-industry interaction for collabora-
knowledge through an Information Data Bank; Con- tive R&D activities in emerging areas; recognizing
tinuing Education industry leaders.
“Courses, Seminars, Work- The IEI have identified the voids plaguing the promotion “
of R&D and evolved a policy of funding research
shops and other interac-
tive activities; and en- initiatives from engineering student community in the
hancement of techno-
logical base through pro- form of Grant-in-Aid scheme in the year 2001.
38 The Insurance Times, March 2016
