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Institutions | Training | Online Education | Papers / Articles
Proposed Syllabus of Geomatics Course Towards Civil Engineering Degree - Some Guiding Thoughts
Prof P Misra
Principal Advisor (Mapping)
Kampsax India Ltd, Gurgaon
(011) 24623106 (Residence)
1. Introduction & Scope
Senior faculty of IITs and other Engineering Universities and colleges have already started paying attention to this rather ignored and postponed topic. This is a happy augury. New subjects are being incorporated in the four year syllabus of the Civil Engineering Course. Geomatics (old surveying) is, therefore, in competition with some modern civil engineering subjects. The correct thought should, therefore, be to `mould’ the subject of Geomatics in such a thoughtful manner that the freshly passing civil engineer should not miss the `essentials’ of the subject. Consequently, he should be exposed to some ideas / practical concepts which will help him in furthering his professional objectives in whatever discipline (sub-branch of civil engineering) he is called upon to work.
What is mentioned further is for the consideration of the concerned faculty and professionals to evolve on effective, understandable, accessible and acceptable syllabus for Geomatics subject.
2. Geomatics Vs Geoinformatics
The traditional name of surveying and mapping although very much in vogue in practice even today is being gradually replaced by Geomatics / Geoinformatics. Most of the surveying professionals are rather not choosy on the nomenclature but the academic world and the international literature have already embraced these words.
It is, therefore, requested that Indian academia and the concerned decision managers will arrive at some consensus on one `word’ so that more and more professionals make use of the word. For the sake of this paper, a simple word of `Geomatics’ is being used – without prejudicing the selection of the finally chosen word.
Indeed, the chosen word should also have the formal support of All India Council of Technical Education. Further the chosen word will eventually be embraced by the organizations like Survey of India, National Remote Sensing Agency, other allied organizations and authors.
3. Passing Out Civil Engineer
Professionally what is Generally Expected of A Fresh Civil Engineer?
This is a cardinal question, the answer to which is going to lead to the direction of a solution. Consequently, some of the thoughts which are part of the answer are discussed further.
Nobody expects from a CE graduate that he will behave and act as an `all knowing’ specialist or professional in the field of Geomatics and who will handle surveying instruments to deliver the results. The stress, therefore, will be more on the understanding supported by the requisite practical knowledge of the Geomatics profession.
It follows that a CE graduate, at the minimum level, should be able to appreciate the `potential’ and the `limitations’ of the current technological practices. He should be able to do the desired comprehension of the technology on the basis of the exposure, desired syllabus. The syllabus should, therefore, help the student to know what can be done and what cannot be done by a particular technology within Geomatics.
In simple terms a CE graduate should have a practical / project oriented comprehension of the profession of Geomatics.
This is what should also be the expectation of the person who employs the fresh graduate --- nothing more nothing less. If a CE graduate has to be put on a production / project task, he has to be additionally trained by the employing organization.
4. Interaction with Geomatics Professionals / Experts
He should be able to hold intelligent dialogue with the specialists in this field, pertaining to the salient features, specifications and milestones of his own project. These specialists will, perhaps, be many depending on the type of the task. This is made clear in the Box 1.
CE graduate should also be able to appreciate the vocabulary and purport of the dialogue with the concerned persons
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