Mr. Appalanaidu Sabbana has been working as the Head of Mechanical Engineering Department at Avanthi's Research and Technological Academy, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh. He has done BE and M.Tech from JNTUK as part of his education. Also, he holds 7 years of work experience in the teaching sector.

Avanthi's Research and Technological Academy

What are the factors that make the ME department programs the best for students?

In addition to offering quality education, we provide exposure to both AutoCAD as well as Java language to our students from the first year of the course itself. And we have also integrated programs related to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into the curriculum, so that students can be prepared for the unpredictable and competitive world in the best way possible. Last but not the least, we are planning to soon introduce a Python course for them. Hence, I would say the learning opportunities and technological advancements make the courses of our department the best and worth pursuing for students.

Which best practices has your department adopted to deliver quality education to students?

We teach about Engineering Graphics to students in the first year and then they are educated about Machine Drawing in the second year of the course. And, based on R20 regulations and keeping in mind the passion of students who are interested in the designing sector, drafting and modeling followed by CAD courses are also added in the curriculum to make it more relevant.

In addition to this, production technology and machine tools are also added and guest lectures too are organized by us from time to time to keep students informed about the current trends of the outside world and help them develop essential skills before stepping into the corporate world. 

How do you build a strong connection between ME courses and industry demands?

For the purpose of bridging the gaps between academia and industry and building a strong connection between what we are delivering to students and what organizations expect from them, our college regularly organizes industrial visits for 3rd and 4th year students and they get to see the working of companies like HPCL and NSTL. And during these visits, they also get to interact with experts, know their experiences, struggles and expectations from them.

What challenges have you faced while including the Mechanic Engineering program in the curriculum of your college?

As we all know that the Computer Science and Engineering sector is booming these days and hence training students in the latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and teaching them concepts of Python and Java has become a necessity as well as a challenge for our department. In addition to this, keeping them motivated towards their studies and life goals is also a hurdle.

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On what kinds of projects students of your department are currently working on?

Our students are working on a diverse range of projects including projects related to Robotics, Designing and Production. And foundation of these projects has been laid down as per R20 regulation. Apart from this, few are involved in fabrication and software development projects. 

What career options would be available to students after pursuing ME course from your institute?

In today's time, the field of Mechanical Engineering is down but the automobile industry is growing day by day. Hence, even if students don't find much in the country, they will surely have good job options in other countries where Mechanical Engineers are in high demand. And accept or deny it, the Mechanical Engineering sector is closely interlinked with other domains, for example, if we talk about the Machines, Equipments or Electronic Goods, everywhere programming and mechanical engineering concepts have been integrated. 

Hence, students after successfully finishing the ME courses from our college, students can join, Aerospace sector, Automobile sector, Construction & Building Services, Manufacturing Industries, Energy Utilities, Engineering Consultancies, Government Agencies, Armed Forces, Biomedical industries or Marine industry and can work as a Mechanical Engineer, Automobile Engineer, Aeronautical Engineer, Nuclear Engineer, Marine and Naval Engineers or Maintenance Engineers.

Being the Head of the ME Department, what are your key responsibilities towards students?

As a Department Head, I am responsible for monitoring and supervising the departmental activities, ensuring that curriculum remains up-to-date and classes are conducted on time. In addition to this, collecting feedback from students about the efficiency of our teaching methodologies and rectifying things as, when and where needed. 

Encouraging students to participate in sports activities and stay dedicated towards their studies, guiding them about career and available scope and providing them right opportunities to learn new skills and showcase the existing one also comes under the scope of my work. Last but not the least, monitoring recruitment drives and helping our staff in every possible way is also part of my job.