Personalised learning through AI is the future: VIT Vice-President Sekar Viswanathan

Noting that the establishment has been adopting modern AI-based instruments and methods to boost the total learning expertise for college kids, he stated college additionally should be up to date with know-how to enlighten college students about varied developments.

In a dialog with Ramya Kannan, Chief of Bureau (Tamil Nadu), The Hindu, on ‘From School rooms to Cosmos’, Mr. Sekar elaborated on varied amenities, corresponding to a Instructing Learning Centre of Excellence and school improvement centres, the place college are inspired to attend information periods on agentic AI and AI in photo voltaic power. School coaching is key in offering high quality schooling, he stated.

Responding to a query on utilizing AI and Web of Issues (IoT) in varied disciplines, he stated non-engineering faculties additionally get the benefit of know-how. As an example, regulation faculty college students find out about cyber safety regulation and AI in regulation, and agricuture college students are uncovered to drone know-how and distant sensing in agriculture and sensible farming. “We make it possible for AI is utilized in each topic, and it is the widespread denominator in order that college students achieve area experience and in addition be taught to combine know-how in all fields,” he stated.

Highlighting programmes like curriculum for utilized learning and adaptive curriculum for excellence, Mr. Sekar stated college students are allowed to review different topics aside from their self-discipline. As an example, a mechanical scholar can be taught advertising and marketing or specialize in IoT. “We permit programme migration. Multidisciplinary schooling will improve their employability,” he stated.

Digital divide

On a query on digital divide and limitations to college students’ entry to know-how, he stated VIT has began on-line programs to succeed in out to college students in distant areas. The nation has additionally made important progress in offering technological entry to the scholar neighborhood, he added.

Whereas appreciating the State authorities’s scheme to offer free laptops to college students and the Centre’s coverage in decreasing the value of bandwidth, Mr. Sekar stated the authorities should guarantee community attain in distant, hilly areas.

Underlining the want for offering reasonably priced increased schooling to extra kids, he stated the authorities should improve funding for schooling, as non-public establishments have limitations in extending scholarships. Programmes corresponding to the Prime Minister’s Analysis Fellowship should attain all establishments. The federal government should undertake a liberal method, permitting establishments to open extra campuses and improve the consumption of scholars.

Hackathons and entrepreneurship

On a query about relevance of mentorship and hackathons in instructional establishments, Mr. Sekar cited examples at VIT, the place hackathons are performed as evaluation instruments and startups are funded. College students are inspired to unravel issues supplied by industries as a part of their course and this, in flip, develops entrepreneurship. What begins as easy downside fixing in a classroom results in startups through the know-how enterprise incubator at VIT, and ultimately, the betterment of society.

Elaborating on collaborative initiatives with the trade, he stated shut join with the industries assist college students with higher job prospects and put together them for actuality. In addition to modules taught by trade consultants, college students additionally be taught smooth expertise for higher employability. VIT additionally provided brief programmes for trade professionals.

Later, answering a query on the schooling sector’s response to pandemic resilience by N. Ram, Director, The Hindu Group, Mr. Sekar stated VIT switched to reside on-line schooling and in addition supplied machine and community entry to college students. College students had been additionally dropped at campus and had been in isolation whereas having access to schooling.