Are you ready to explore the competitive world of Computer Science Engineering? It’s a field that’s constantly evolving with new trends, technologies, and strategies emerging every day. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with all the latest insights and info to help you stay ahead of the game. So, let’s dive in and discover what makes this field so cool and engaging!

The Hustle for a Government Seat

As of 2022, India is home to 2500+ institutes in the field of Engineering & Technology as recognised by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). In the Competitive World of Computer Science Engineering, more than 12 Lakh engineering aspirants take up B.Tech undergraduate courses in these institutions. A number close to 9 Lakhs registered for the JEE Mains 2022. Of the total registered, about 8 lakh students appeared for the same. 

But, the majority of these fail to secure a seat in an IIT. The competitive nature of the exam, reservations, quotas, and various other factors become hurdles for certain deserving candidates. The ones who fail to clear the government entrance exam start exploring private institutions to pursue the program. Institute placements and the campus infrastructure offered are what usually attract these students. However, in private or government, students often end up with a degree but fail to land a well-paying placement. 

College Dropouts vs Graduates

In today’s world, we often witness college dropouts as successful entrepreneurs when compared to graduates. For example, Kunal Shah (Founder, CRED) is an MBA dropout who started his career as a Junior Programmer and today hires various computer science graduates as well as dropouts. He believes that extraordinary work does not come from degrees; it is the skill that matters. Hence, one can conclude that while policymakers and those working in higher education advocate for the importance of a degree for employability, the truth is that this value is declining. The value of a university degree and its employability potential are contested by students, graduates, and employers.

Why College Graduates Are Struggling in Today’s Tech Market

  • Imagine a computer science graduate who struggled to find a job after college.
  • Despite having a degree, they lacked the practical skills and experience that employers were looking for.
  • In contrast, a college dropout who had worked on various coding projects on their own was able to secure a job at a top tech company.

This scenario illustrates how practical skills and experience can be more valuable than a traditional degree.

Why Hiring Managers Prefer Driven Dropouts Over Traditional Graduates

  • Picture a hiring manager at a startup who is looking for a new software developer.
  • They receive applications from both computer science graduates and dropouts.
  • After interviewing several candidates, they discover that the dropout has a strong portfolio of personal coding projects and has demonstrated a passion for learning and problem-solving.
  • The graduate, on the other hand, has only their degree to show for their qualifications.

In this case, the dropout’s practical skills and passion make them more attractive candidates.

Why Computer Science Students Are Falling Behind Self-Taught Coders

  • Consider a computer science student who is struggling to keep up with the fast-paced and ever-changing industry.
  • They feel overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge and skills they need to acquire and wonder if their degree will even be relevant by the time they graduate.
  • Meanwhile, a college dropout who has been self-teaching and experimenting with different coding projects is able to land a job at a cutting-edge tech company.

This scenario highlights the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in the field and the potential limitations of a traditional college education.

Computer science majors are today overqualified but underskilled; hence, failing to secure a deserving package. Traditional college degrees are becoming obsolete with time and companies find more value in hiring driven high performing, and resourceful candidates instead of chasing mere degrees. A college degree today is unable to validate a candidate’s expertise in a particular role. This makes it essential to introduce learning programs that tailor to the needs of the industry and ensure that students graduate with skills and field expertise along with degrees and certifications.

Kalvium – Liberate the Engineer in You! 

The Kalvium flagship work-integrated engineering program in Computer Science is the answer to student and parent expectations of high-paying placements, a thriving tech-leader future, and a practical and immersive learning experience, amongst others. A Computer Science curriculum should challenge the modes of conventional education. Classroom learning and cramming course books are not learning techniques suited for passionate computer science aspirants like yourself. Students need to be evaluated based on their industry knowledge. 

Here’s how Kalvium ensures that the latest is delivered: 

  1. Build an Out-of-Classroom Expertise

Kalvium delivers a leading-edge curriculum promoting extracurricular activities of High-on-Learning sessions with tech experts that teach real-world problem-solving skills. Students build a strong academic foundation as Top rankers from contests like Google Code Jam & Meta Hacker Cup impart hands-on engineering tricks and techniques. Hackathons are organized throughout the course of the study to ensure continuous on-field learning. Students internalise what is taught in classrooms by working in simulated as well as real work environments.

  1. Assured End of 1st Year Placements

Students go through an experiential learning program with mandatory end of 1st-year placements in addition to final-year placements at leading tech companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Cred, Flipkart, Yellow.ai, Genspark, SenseHawk, etc. MERN Stack Development-oriented learning along with building a base of methodologies such as Kanban, Agile, and Scrum through tools of Trello and Jira help students be employment ready at the end of 1st year. 

Note: All Kalvium students graduate with a 3-year real-world work experience resulting in a 3x better pay package during final year placements. 

  1. Assured Paid Internships

A work-integrated curriculum empowers financial independence amongst students by helping them kickstart their professional careers at the end of the first year with a minimum stipend assurance of INR 15,000 per month (up to INR 8 Lakhs from years 2 to 4). 

Read more about the Kalvium Curriculum to understand how it powers end of 1st-year internships!

  1. 1:1 Professional Mentorship

Academic guidance and mentorship are provided throughout 4 years of study by an expert teaching faculty and leading industry CTOs. Students work on real-world problems outside the classroom via practical learning that helps them be industry-ready faster. Young and dynamic mentors share their experiences such as start-up challenges and tech-world exposure.

  1. Industry-Relevant Skilling Courses

The Kalvium curriculum mandates industry-relevant skills as part of its academic foundational courses. Real-world problem-solving programming skills and Full Stack Development-oriented learning helps students be placement ready at the end of 1st year. The curriculum nurtures a growth mindset along with teamwork, self-management, and personality development that helps prepare students to deliver the best in the industry.

  1. Campus Infrastructure

Kalvium delivers world-class student and campus facilities incorporating a work-integrated curriculum along with extra-curricular activities of sports, entertainment, and lifestyle that ensure a work-life hustle that students thrive in. Students study at a campus surrounded by lush greenery and breathtaking views away from the city’s noise and pollution!

Read more about how Kalvium’s Work-Integrated Program differs from traditional engineering programs today!

What’s the Verdict?

Classroom learning and cramming course books are not activities meant for computer science aspirants. Kalvium delivers an experiential learning program that values and grades your industrial knowledge. Kickstart your career trajectory with Kalvium to maximize your capabilities. Come challenge yourself with a higher education program that addresses the problems of a conventional B.Tech degree and helps you become the Software Developer that solves the problems of today!

Note: This program is backed by India's top technology leaders including Sujeet Kumar (Co-founder at Udaan), Kunal Shah (Founder at CRED), Nithin Kamath (CEO at Zerodha), Rahul Chari (CTO at PhonePe), and many more.