In a recent panel at IIT Madras, directors of five IITs warned of the growing “herd mentality” amongst students and parents fixated on Computer Science Engineering (CSE). They stressed that India urgently needs talent across other critical sectors to fuel growth and innovation.

The trend is driven by lucrative starting salaries in software roles, noted Shreepad Karmalkar of IITBhubaneswar: “This herd mentality needs to be gotten rid of.” He pointed out that students often make choices based on perceived financial outcomes, rather than national or societal needs.

But that focus leaves key industries—such as semiconductors, batteries, materials, chemicals and sustainability—understaffed and underinnovated.

CALL FOR A BROADER ENGINEERING VISION

V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, said, “The country needs toppers in civil services. Only then can technology reach the common man and solve problems.” He stressed that India’s technological progress requires well-rounded leadership in governance, not just in coding.

KNSatyanarayana (IITTirupati) said a “big vacuum” exists in sunrise sectors like batteries and semiconductors, making chemical and materials engineers truly “the need of the hour.”

BSMurty of IITHyderabad urged students to put national interest above personal gain, while VenkappayyaRDesai (IITDharwad) encouraged creative efforts aimed at societal improvement.

REIMAGINING ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Panel members stressed that 21stcentury engineering education must evolve. They advocated:

• Greater interdisciplinary learning, combining core engineering with computer science, AI and sustainability.

• Stronger academicindustry partnerships to ensure realworld relevance.

• Wider inclusivity to bring in students from varied socioeconomic backgrounds.

WHY DIVERSITY OF SKILLS MATTERS

Focusing solely on CSE risks neglecting crucial sectors where India must build global capacity—particularly semiconductors, batteries, chemicals and materials science. This could hamper the country’s competitiveness in key future technologies.

The panel’s unanimous message was clear: while computer science has its place, India’s future depends on nurturing engineers across all disciplines. Students and parents should choose based on passion and national needs—not just salaries.

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