Date:16/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/16/stories/2008021654350600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Maytas Infra-BITS Pilani to launch new course

Special Correspondent

— PHOTO: K. Ramesh Babu

Joint effort: BITS Pilani Vice-Chancellor Professor L. K. Maheswari (left) exchanging MoU with CEO of Mytas Infra P. K. Madhav in Hyderabad on Friday.

HYDERABAD: Maytas Infra Ltd, an infrastructure development company, signed an MoU with BITS-Pilani on Friday to offer an off-campus learning programme, M-BITS, for Maytas Infra’s employees.

CEO of Maytas Infra P.K. Madhav and Vice-Chancellor of BITS-Pilani L.K. Maheshwari signed the MoU. As part of the pact, diploma engineers working in Maytas with more than a year’s experience, after passing the screening test, would be enrolled into a three-year B.S. (Bachelor of Science) degree with six semesters.

Integrated programme

While the course would cost Rs. 2 lakh per employee, the company would bear most part of the expenditure leaving a small portion for the enrolled staff to contribute, said Mr. Madhav. The employees would have to stay on with the company all through the course period and Maytas was requesting them to stay on for at least one more year.

“It is an integrated course that provides an opportunity to young diploma-holders from rural areas who missed the opportunity of securing an engineering degree from a world-class institution,” said Srinivas K. Reddy, head of corporate strategy and leadership development of the company.

The programme entails a three-four week classroom training at Maytas learning centre, coming up by this year-end, and on-site work with tasks of completing projects and assignments in a virtual environment. Prof. Maheswari said those who pass out successfully could compete in examinations for postgraduate studies also.

BITS-Pilani was offering similar courses in different engineering subjects like process, power, transportation and manufacturing and also pharmaceutical chemistry in association different industry players.

Initial intake would be 200 employees from Maytas, which would be scaled up to 1,000 in four years. Maytas Infra was, however, not worried over attrition, as the company would be providing rounded managers to serve in the industry.