Print- ISSN: 232 1932 / Online ISSN 238 3636 Volume1 Issue No.1 Jan Jun 21 JJM-5-21 RELEVANCE OF TQM FOR AN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Veeranna.D.Kenchakkanavar 1, Anand.K.Joshi 2 1 Asso.Professor, Shaikh College of Engineering and Technology, Belgaum-591156, Karnataka, India, vdkmtech@gmail.com, 2 Vice Chancellor, CMR University, Bangalore, Karnataka, India Abstract: The past few decades have witnessed a transition in the educational system all over the world with far reaching consequences on the very set of paradigms of teaching and learning. Such a transition has had manifestations on the very goals of education, the education imparted and the delivery system. The education system has begun to realize the importance of quality, and more specifically total quality management. In this paper discussion is extended from basics and necessity of TQM in education system, the scope for engineering education and a case study to support the claim. Keywords: Quality, change, Introduction We are living in the era of revolutionary change. The world is not only relying increasingly on technology for economic growth and job development. But the nations are on the verge of transition by refocusing a significant amount of their technology investment from national security to international economic competitiveness. At the same time we view technology as important in helping solve many difficult societal problems; from creating environmentally sustainable development and improving communications to devising more effective and cost efficient health care systems. Communication developments alone are leading to profound redefinitions of such concepts as community, library, corporate and even university. Within this technological context, engineers play an ever more significant role. They develop new manufacturing processes and products; create and manage energy, transportation and communication 191 systems; prevent new and redress old environmental problems; create pioneering health care devices. While engineering education has served the nation well, there is need of a big change to meet new challenges. Today engineering colleges must not only provide their graduates with intellectual development and superb technical capabilities but following industry lead, colleges must educate their students to work as part of teams, communicate well and understand the economic, social, environmental and International context of their professional activities. These changes are vital to the nation s industrial strength and to the ability of engineers to serve as technology and policy decision makers. Total Quality Management in Engineering Education The concept of Total Quality Management (TQM) was developed by an American, W. Edwards Deming, after World War II for improving the production quality of goods and services. The concept was not taken seriously by
Print- ISSN: 232 1932 / Online ISSN 238 3636 Volume1 Issue No.1 Jan Jun 21 Americans until the Japanese, who adopted it in 195 to resurrect their postwar business and industry, used it to dominate world markets by 198. By then most U.S. manufacturers had finally accepted that the nineteenth century assembly line factory model was outdated for the modern global economic markets. Quality management originally Table 1.Percentage of students opted for Exam year Strength engineering students opted engineering in % students opted other courses in % APR 23 7188 6.93 39.7 APR 2 5168 63.29 36.71 APR 25 6116 9.1 5.99 APR 26 9528 67 36.3 APR 27 5728 56.6 3.36 MAR 28 57998 62.2 37.98 MAR 29 67192 58.51 1.9 21 MARCH 211 MARCH 212 APRIL 213 APRIL 68352 59.87.13 72365 58.67 1.33 95635 61.76 38.2 98653 6.5 39.6 (Courtesy: Karnataka Secondary Education Board, Bangalore) developed for business enterprises needs to be adapted to suit educational institutions (R. James Mariana than, 25). It may however, be concluded that multifaceted Total Quality Management in education believes in the foundation of an educational institution on a system approach - implying a management system, technical system and social system-all based on principles of quality, to be implemented throughout. It aims at satisfying the needs of the various stakeholders through the design of a system based on certain principles and practices. It includes within 192 its ambit the quality of inputs in the form of students, faculty, support staff and infrastructure, the quality processes in the form of the learning and teaching activity, and the quality of outputs in the form of the enlightened students that move out of the system. Nowadays, the institutions perform well but they cannot get better results as they do not follow quality strategy. Quality of the student is impossible without the quality of the institution. So they must focus on quality of the process. But excellence in engineering institution is not an easy task. This can be achieved through implementation of TQM concept in educational institution (Pal Pandi.A, 27). The implementation of TQM challenges the traditional teaching practices. It involves change not only in teaching methodology but also in administration and culture; before going for TQM, it is mandatory to examine culture, ethics, management style and organization structure of the institution; to find out pitfalls of the existing culture and try to remove it. Many institutions are conducting development programme to enhance quality awareness and change the attitudes of their employees. These efforts are towards understanding, adopting and promoting TQM. Scope for Engineering Education: Karnataka State Perspective From the Table 1 it is visible that, during the academic year 23-2, the 6.93 percentage of students opted engineering and 39.7 percent students opted the other courses like medical, dental, agricultural, veterinary, nursing, Bachelor of Science and diplomas. The same trend followed all the years and about more than 5% of the students who have passed the science course opted the engineering. This shows the students affinity towards engineering and the scope for the engineering course in Karnataka.
Print- ISSN: 232 1932 / Online ISSN 238 3636 Volume1 Issue No.1 Jan Jun 21 Case Study India has one of the largest systems of post secondary science, engineering and technical education in the world. The discovery of Indian talent by employers around the world has laid to a global competition for Indian talent. As a consequence, human resource is emerging as one of the most serious constraints to economic growth of India as well. The higher education system of India is struggling to meet the new expectation. Here an attempt has been made to know the quality of the technical institutes in the Karnataka state by sample survey method. The questionnaire is prepared and responses were collected from the 37 engineering colleges in the state. Based on the responses the analysis is made to know the significance of the parameters which will influence the quality. The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) comprises four zones namely the Bangalore, Mysore, Belgaum and Gulbarga zones. The questions were framed on the principal interaction, quality of input, faculty interaction with external world, environment for team work, delegation of power, rewards for commitment, scope for research and development activities, participation in decision making, facilities for the faculties, transparency in the promotion schemes, continuing education etc.the Faculty member s responses are analyzed by comparing the Academic, Physical and Psychological challenges of total thirty seven (37) engineering colleges, from each college five (5) Faculty members-totally one hundred and eighty five (185) faculty members were selected. out of them ten(1) colleges are situated in the rural area with fifty (5) faculty members and twenty seven(27) colleges were situated in the urban area with one hundred thirty five (135) faculty 193 members. By using probabilistic p-test the following table generated and the inferences were drawn out of it in the following paragraphs. The faculty members are asked to respond to eighteen (18) questions. In that seven (7) questions were related to the academic challenges, two (2) questions were related to the physical challenges and remaining nine (9) questions were related to the psychological challenges. From Bangalore zone ninety (9), Mysore zone fifty (5), Belgaum zone twenty-five (25) and from Gulbarga zone twenty (2) faculty members have been selected for the study. The analysis is made by comparing four zones college faculty members in each question by Kruskal Wallis ANOVA (Keller,28)shown in the Table 2 Table 2. Comparison of four zones college faculty members in each item by kruskal wallis anova Q. No. Bangalo re Belga um Gulbar ga 1.2.16 2.16..15 3 3.68 3.72 3.35 3.67 3.68 5..12 5 6 1 3.76 5 7 2. 3.75 8 6 3.75 9.6.36. 1 3.7 2 11.6. 5 12.6. 5 13 3.6 3.7 1 3.66 3.72 15 1. 3.65 16 2 5 17 7 5 18 3.72.1 *p<.5 My sore Total p-value.2 2.19.128.2.2.376 8 3.7.12 6 3.66.366.1.387 3.67.2* 3.62.92 2 3.61.559.6.71 6 3.66.87 8 9.315 7.177 3. 1.363 3.7 3.67.92. 8.18*.981..1 3.7 6 1.1
Print- ISSN: 232 1932 / Online ISSN 238 3636 Volume1 Issue No.1 Jan Jun 21 Discussion The question number six (6) belongs to academic challenge and question number fifteen (15) belongs to psychological challenges shows the significance of the parameters which will govern the quality of the technical education. The question number six (6) is concerned with the budget for in- house R & D activities, faculty development and training programmes. Planning is the first step of organization building. Failing to plan is planning to fail. These words show the importance of planning. In any organization the research and development, faculty development and training programs for the faculties has its own uniqueness. The budget decides to plan to work out within limits the future need of the resources for the organizational activities. In the changing scenario of globalization the organizations have to compete with the internal as well as external world. So the research and development activities become basic necessity. The personnel who are recruited through the interviews sometimes may not be equipped with necessary knowledge of the work. Such persons need proper training in faculty development. The data in Bangalore zone shows 31% average, 11% below average and 2% poor. In Mysore zone % average, % below average and 2% poor condition. Belgaum zone shows 12% average and % below average condition. In Gulbarga zone it is 35% average and 5% below average. Role of TQM The above discussion makes it clear that all the colleges need to plan in advance in the areas of research and development, faculty development and training programs. To retain in the race the organizations should update continuously by incorporating advanced knowledge in its members. Having research and development center, faculty development and training center in each institution enhances the quality and sublimity of it. The question number fifteen (15) is concerned with the present studentacademic performance level in the institute. The quality of the college is most of the time measured by its percentage of students results along with other academic achievements. The passing percentage again depends on the quality of student at the time of admission to the college, teaching quality and the facilities given in the campus. The data analysis shows almost all the zones have maximum percent of good conditions along with 2 to 3% of average condition also. Now a days we see parents are more aware of success rate of the college and the facilities available in the campus. Based on the performance in previous three year results Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA-CET cell) is giving ranks to the colleges. This helps the admission seekers to choose the institutions for admission. The student-academic performance level can be increased by adopting the quality policies. Conclusion In summary the three basic requirements of our design for engineering education of this century are 1) practiceoriented while rooted in fundamentals ii) learning based iii) integrative and wholistic. Each of these will affect the content of our curricula, the method of delivery and how and where we will deliver our programmes. In the end, our programmes must transfer knowledge as a usable commodity as well as ensure that an ongoing process is maintained. Our educational programmes must be viewed as continuing beyond the classroom or even the degree. These are but the starting 19
Print- ISSN: 232 1932 / Online ISSN 238 3636 Volume1 Issue No.1 Jan Jun 21 point of life-long learning in the vast field of engineering. It is necessary to promote an open, honest and participatory Administration where mutual trust is earned. Administrators in the college should supply leadership at all levels of engineering education, both inside the university and outside, in the larger context of our professions. Decentralize authority and empower the departments, faculty and staffs, so that decisions can be made by those closest to the point of focus. Authority and responsibility must go hand in hand. Align the goals of the University, College, Department and Faculty with the mission of statement. Environment must be created where faculty and staff are encouraged to continue to develop as professionals. Employ the sound engineering methods in our administrative process by embracing Technology as it applies to our business; evaluating progress towards goals using meaningful measurement of outcomes; continually improving methods of operation establishing an understanding of the importance of timely and thoughtful actions. Such kind of the practice will embrace diversity and global perspectives in the field of technical education. References 1. R.James Marianathan,. Total quality management for higher education, The Indian Journal of Technical Education, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 53-55, 25. 2. Pal Pandi, A. and Surya Rao, U. Implementation of Total Quality Management in Engineering Institution, the Indian Journal of Technical Education, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 82-8, 27. 3. Keller, Statistics for Management and Economics seventh edition, Cenage Learning,28 195