Jalandhar: An engineer must be the custodian of the future of humanity
Jalandhar: The engineering profession is undergoing a tectonic shift. In an age defined by disruptive innovation and creative destruction, the role of the engineer is no longer confined to solving static technical problems. As I see it, engineers today must become visionaries—able to reimagine systems, pivot in volatile markets, and create entirely new value chains. We must operate in environments shaped by the platform economy, exponential growth and the emergence of unicorns that redefine industries overnight.
At DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jalandhar, where I serve as Principal, I advocate not just building technical mastery but also promoting engineering with a conscience. Our aim is to produce not only engineers but strategic thinkers—individuals equipped to thrive at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship and social relevance.
The baseline for success in today’s digital economy is not mere competence but agility—the capacity to learn, unlearn and adapt at speed. Engineers must now be proficient in lean startup methodologies, rapid pivoting and managing first-mover advantage in emerging domains. The future belongs to those who build with foresight and respond with resilience.
To prepare our students for this, we have established strong industry-academia collaborations. Our centres of excellence, developed in partnership with Microsoft, Texas Instruments, IBM, Huawei and CISCO, offer experiential learning in technologies such as cloud computing, AI, IoT and cybersecurity. This infrastructure, combined with project-based learning and real-time industry exposure, ensures our graduates are not merely job seekers but potential job creators.
I also believe that ethics must guide our engagement with technology. Technological disruption, if left unchecked by ethics, risks becoming destructive. An engineer must be more than a builder—they must be a custodian of humanity’s future. In a world shaped by digital transformation, innovation must be guided by moral clarity, not just market logic. Ethical intelligence is embedded at the core of our pedagogy. We foster a campus culture that promotes sustainability, equity and conscientious leadership. Our value-education programmes and civic engagement platforms prepare students to wield technology responsibly—to build what is right, not just what is profitable.
Preparing engineers for a borderless, globally entangled world is equally important. The National Education Policy 2020 rightly envisions education that is interdisciplinary, adaptive and internationally aligned.
