A ₹56-crore Centre of Excellence equipped with modern facilities has been established at the Government Polytechnic College in Aranthangi in Pudukottai district to expose rural students to emerging technologies and enable them gain hands-on experience and develop their skills based on industrial requirements. 

The new centre has come up under the joint initiative of the Government of Tamil Nadu and Tata Technologies with the twin objective of enhancing students technical knowledge and their employability skills.  The Centre of Excellence is equipped with advanced facilities such as 3D Printing, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Industrial Automation and Battery Electric Vehicle technologies. 

The building housing the Centre of Excellence has been constructed at a cost of ₹6 crore and the remaining ₹50 crore had been spent for the installation of latest equipment and facilities which were ready for inauguration. Alongside establishment of the Centre, the 45-year-old Government Polytechnic College had introduced from this year three new diploma courses: Digital Manufacturing Technology, Automation and Robotics, and Internet of Things. 

“The new courses have been started based on industry requirements to provide an excellent opportunity for students who are from the rural areas to gain access to advanced technical education; gain practical experience and develop their industry-relevant skills”, said S. Kumar, Principal, (holding full additional charge), Government Polytechnic College, Aranthangi. 

Functioning on a sprawling 20-acre campus, the polytechnic offers diploma courses in Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Modern Office Practice. The introduction of three new courses will take the tally to eight, said Mr. Kumar and added that admission for the new ones are under way. 

The polytechnic had introduced industrial training for students for six months and one-year duration from last year to enable them gain exposure to working in an industry, Mr. Kumar said. The institution had 22 air-conditioned smart classrooms with support from the State government and old students of the polytechnic, he added.