Competencies Expected by Construction Industry from Pass-outs of Diploma Programme in Civil Engineering A Case Study

S. K. Gupta* Dr.K. M. Rastogi** 1. Introduction By the year 2020, Indias population would be around 1.34 billion. India will need housing for over 265 million households and a supportive infrastructure. To achieve such gigantic task, the construction industry will play an important role in the process of economic development and growth of a developing country. It requires a scientific approach for appropriate management of men, materials, machines, money and above all motivation. The construction industry spans a wide range of activities: the construction of infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, dams, ports and airports; industrial construction, such as the building of factories, industrial complexes and power plants; real estate development, such as the construction of housing, offices, cinema houses, shopping complexes, etc. and construction services like design, project management and consulting. The construction sector is one of the largest employers in the country. As per ninth five-year plan, in 1999-2000, it employed 17.62 million workers, a rise of 6 million over 1993-94. The sector also recorded the highest growth rate in generation of jobs in the last two decades, doubling its share in total employment. The share of construction sector in gross domestic product (GDP), which was 5.4 per cent in 1970-71, came down to 4.4 per cent in 1990-91. Subsequently it picked up and stood at 5.1 per cent in 1999-2000. The construction industry alone will create more than 17 lakh employment opportunities during the 11th plan period, as projected by Rajeeva Ratna Shah, Member Secretary, Planning Commission. The planning commission estimates seven million job opportunities during the 11th Plan period and at least a good 20 to 25 percent of that will emanate from the construction sector alone. The country would require investments to the tune of $320 million over five to seven years to meet the demands of this sector, he felt. Shah also emphasized the criticality of forging publicprivate partnerships (PPPs) in the infrastructure sector as they hold the key for achieving our goals. Construction industry is undergoing a booming phase these days. With a large number of MNCs having invested and many more are in the process of investing in India, infrastructural requirement has suddenly gone up many fold and that is why, Indian society has witnessed unprecedented boost in Construction industry in last five years or so. The demand of engineers, especially of Civil Engineers has gone up tremendously in last couple of years. To keep pace with infrastuctural development, the optimum use of resources at hand should be made. The most precious resource is the man himself and therefore Human Resource training assumes a far greater importance in todays environment not only to maintain a high standard of quality and timely construction but also to advance further on technology pedestal to meet day to day challenges that may lie ahead. *Assistant Professor, Curriculum Development Centre, NITTTR Chandigarh

** Prof. & Head, Curriculum Development Centre, NITTTR Chandigarh So it is of great concern to all those involved in planning, organizing, directing, implementing, controlling, and managing diploma programme in civil engineering that this programme is effective and efficient for better employability of civil engineering students coming out of diploma level institutions. The concern is not only to maintain the quality of product of civil engineering programme but also to strive for bringing improvements in the programme so as to make them relevant to the world of work in the context of changing needs of technical manpower in terms of professional, individual and social needs as well as changes occurring in communication technology, organized body of knowledge and skills and the fields of pedagogy and andragogy. Hence it was considered worthwhile to obtain view point of some experienced professionals from the field of civil engineering on the essential competencies expected from diploma holders in civil engineering and develop the same in the students so that they get gainful employment (wage as well as self). Due to limitations of resources, the study contains view-point from major civil engineering related employers from north India only. 2. Objectives of the study: The major objectives of the study were: i) Identification of essential competencies expected from Civil Engineering Diploma Holders as perceived by construction industry ii) To recommend very essential/essential competencies need to be considered while designing curriculum of diploma programme of Civil Engineering. 3. Methodology used in the study: Survey research design was applied for conducting this study. A questionnaire was designed by the authors and got it validated from senior teachers and field engineers engaged in Civil Construction Works. Relevant information was collected through this structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was mailed to 50 professionals in the field of Civil Engineering. In total, 30 professionals responded. The data received through questionnaire was analyzed and percentage responses against each competency were worked out. This was followed by personal interviews with 10 professionals from the field of Civil Engineering to validate the written responses. 4. Research findings: As mentioned in section 3, the respondents were asked to provide their opinion on the essential competencies expected from Civil Engineering Diploma Holders on a five points scale indicating very essential (5), essential (4), desirable (3), rarely used (2) and not applicable (1). The competencies required by a diploma engineer have been divided in six major categories viz investigation; design & drawing; estimating & costing; supervision and management of construction; maintenance of various civil works and testing and R&D and each individual category has been

further divided into various enabling competencies. A summary of responses is presented below:
(i)

44percent responses indicated that competency in conducting a topographical survey is essential while 34 percent said that this competency is very essential

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0

44 34 13

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Conducts Topographical Surveys

(ii)

31percent responses revealed that competency in conducting soil investigations is desirable while 41percent said that it is very essential for a Civil Engineering Diploma Holder and 17percent said it is essential only

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0

41 31 17

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Conducts soil investigations

(iii)

44percent respondents are of the opinion that competency in undertaking survey for sources and availability of construction material, site selection and collection of data is very essential for Civil Engineering Students and further 34 percent said it is essential competency only.

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

44 34 20

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Undertakes survey for sources and availability of construction material, site selecion, collection of data

(iv)

71percent responses said that competency in reading and interpreting maps and drawing is very essential for Civil Engineering Diploma Holder and 24percent said it is essential only

80 70 60
%age of Responses

71

50 40 30 20 10 0
Very Essential Essential

24 5
Desirable

Reads and interprets maps and drawings

(v)

78percent responses indicated that undertaking detailed survey for Civil Engineering works is very essential competency and 10percent said it is essential only

78 80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0
Very Essential Essential Desirable

10

12

Undertakes detailed survey for civil engineering works

(vi)

Competency in design of simple structural elements of masonry and RCC is desirable as indicated by 37 percent responses while only 31 percent said it is essential and 20 percent said it is very essential

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 31 20

37

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Design of simple structural elements of masonary and RCC

(vii)

Similarly 34 percent responses revealed that design of simple structural elements of timber and steel is desirable while only 17 percent said it is very essential

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0
Very Essential Essential

34 17 17

Desirable

Design of simple structural elements of Timber and Steel

(viii)

47percent responses indicated that it is essential for students to have competency in preparing the drawings for simple buildings, public health engineering works and roads while 30 percent said that this competency is desirable only.

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 17

47 30

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Prepares drawings for simple buildings, public health engineering works and roads

(ix)

37percent responses revealed that competency in preparing drawing for simple irrigation structures is desirable only while 30percent said that this competency is rarely used. 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Very Essential Essential Desirable

%age of Responses

37

13

Prepares drawings for simple irrigation structures

(x)

In case of competency in preparing plans and sections for roads and channels for construction and maintenance, 30 percent respondents said that it is essential competency while other 30 percent are of the opinion that it is desirable only

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 26 30 30

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Prepares plans and sections for roads and channels for construction and maintenance

8 (xi)

Competency in using computer software for preparing designs and drawings is desirable as indicated by 34 percent responses while only 20percent said that it is very essential

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0
Very Essential Essential

34 20

Desirable

Uses computer software for preparing designs, drawings

(xii)

40 percent respondents indicated that competency in preparing estimates for construction of roads, buildings, public health services and irrigation structures is very essential while same no. of respondents said it is essential only.

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

%age of Responses

40

40

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Prepares estimates for construction of roads, buildings, public health services, irrigation structures

9 (xiii)

Ability in preparing valuation of property is essential as indicated by 40 percent respondents and 20percent said it is very essential

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0
Very Essential

40 20

13

Essential

Desirable

Prepares valuation of property

(xiv)

72 percent responses revealed that competency in calculating quantity of materials for various items of work and preparing analysis of rates for items not given in the schedule of rates is very essential for a diploma holder in Civil Engineering

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

72

23 5
Very Essential Essential Desirable

Calculates quantity of materials for various items of works & prepares analysis of rates for items not given in the schedule of rates

(xv)

Competency in using of computer software for preparing estimates and costing is desirable only as indicated by 40 percent respondents.

10

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 20

40

16

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Uses Computer soft ware for preparing estimates and costing

(xvi)

41percent responses revealed that competency in preparing materials, equipment and labour schedules is desirable while 31 percent agree that it is very essential and 27 percent said that this competency is essential.

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0
Very Essential Essential

41 31 27

Desirable

Prepares materials, equipment and labour schedules

11 (xvii)

Competency in preparing site layout and set out works and inspecting materials of construction is very essential competency as indicated by 54 percent respondents and 34 percent said it is essential only

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

54 34 12

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Prepares site layout & set out works and inspects material of construction

(xviii) Most important competency is supervising earth work, masonry, concrete, RCC, steel, timber, stone construction and repair works as indicated by 75 percent responses

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

75

20 5
Very Essential Essential Desirable

Supervises earth work, masonary, concrete,RCC, steel, timber and stone construction and repair works

12 (xix)

37 percent responses revealed that ability to prepare bar charts for progress reports is very essential. 27 percent responses said that it is essential while same percent indicated that it is desirable

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0

37 27 27

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Prepares bar charts for progress reports

(xx)

Ability to organize man, material and labour is very essential as indicated by 44 percent respondents while 41 percent said it is essential.

80 70 60
%age of Responses

50 40 30 20 10 0

44

41

10

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Organises man, material and labour

13 (xxi)

The competency in controlling quality of construction material and workmanship is very essential as indicated by 75 percent respondents while 20 percent said it is essential only.

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

75

20 5
Very Essential Essential Desirable

Controls quality of construction material and workmanship

(xxii)

44 percent respondents agree that ability to ensure proper storing and stacking of construction material is very essential while 51 percent said that it is essential

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

51 44

5
Very Essential Essential Desirable

Ensures proper storing and stacking of construction materials

14 (xxiii)

Ability to keep record of progress of works, preparing bills and distributing wages to workers in his section is very essential as indicated by 55 percent respondents while 40 percent said it is essential only

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

55 40

5
Very Essential Essential Desirable

Keeps record of progress of works, prepares bills and distributes wages to workers in his section

(xxiv)

58 percent responses indicated that the competency in preparing progress reports and communicating with his superiors and juniors is very essential while 30 percent said it is essential only

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

58

30 12

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Prepares progress reports and sends the same to his superiors and communicates with workers and handles the grievances

15 (xxv)

51 percent responses agreed that ability to keep the records of stores and ensuring the safety measures is very essential while 41 percent said that this competency is essential only

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

51 41

3
Very Essential Essential Desirable

Receives and issues materials and tools, keeps their records and submits the returns, check stores and ensures safety measures at the site of work

(xxvi)

The competency in preparing estimates for maintenance of records, buildings, public health services and irrigation structures is very essential as indicated by 37 percent respondents while 31 percent agreed that it is essential only

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

37

31 19

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Prepares estimates for maintenance of roads, buildings, public health services, irrigation structures

16 (xxvii)

40 percent responses revealed that ability to supervise maintenance of various Civil Works is very essential and 48 percent said that this competency is essential only

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

48 40

12

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Supervises maintenance of various civil works

(xxviii)

The ability to conduct lab and field tests on construction material and soil is very essential as indicated by 48 percent responses.

%age of Responses

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

48 26

20

Very Essential

Essential

Desirable

Conducts laboratory & fields tests on construction materils & soil

17

5. Recommendations : Although while designing diploma programme in Civil Engineering, utmost care is taken to develop all the competencies through curriculum demanded by construction industry but to reinforce the development of following competencies as per their importance, more practical exposure is required to be given to the students in addition to the classroom instructions as detailed below: (The sum of percentage responses given for each very essential and essential competency is given in bracket.) 1. Competency in reading and interpreting maps and drawings (95percent) and Skill of preparing drawings for simple Buildings, Public Health Engineering Works and Roads (58percent). To develop this competency, students should be given intensive training in reading and interpreting live drawings from the field in addition to preparing Civil Engineering Drawings. Knowledge and skill in calculating quantity of material for various items of works and preparing analysis of rates for items not given in schedule of rates (95percent). For this competency, the students should be given more practice on preparing tenders for the Civil Works in addition to classroom instructions in Quantity Surveying. Knowledge and associated skills to control quality of construction material and workmanship (95percent) and conducting laboratory and field tests on construction materials (68percent). To develop this competency, the emphasis should be given on testing the materials in the laboratories of Constructional Material, Concrete Technology, Strength of Materials and Highways Engineering. Knowledge of proper storing and stacking of construction materials; receiving and issuing materials and tools and keeping the records of stores (95percent). To develop this understanding, the students should be taken to the field to explain the importance of proper storing and stacking of construction materials and keeping the records of stores. Knowledge and associated skill for supervising Earthwork, Masonry, Concrete, RCC, Steel, Timber and Stone construction and Repair Works (95percent). For this competency, the students should be given more exposure to construction of these civil works in addition to relevant classroom instructions. Ability to keep record of progress of works, prepare bills and distribute wages to workers in his section (95percent). The students should be given more practice on preparing bills in addition to classroom instructions in the subject of Construction Management and Accounts. Knowledge and associated skills of ensuring safety measures at site of work (92percent). Although this aspect is covered in the subject of Construction Management, but still students should be shown the safety measures being taken on the construction site. Ability to undertake detailed survey for Civil Engineering Works (88percent) and topographical survey (78percent). There are two subjects in surveying in the civil

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

18

engineering diploma programme in addition to survey camp. Major emphasis should be given on practice in surveying 9. Ability to inspect materials of construction (88percent). To develop this competency, more emphasis should be given on the understanding of the characteristics and suitability of the construction material. Knowledge of preparing progress reports and communicating with superiors, peers and juniors (88percent). This aspect is covered in the subject of Construction Management in addition to project work and more emphasis should be given on technical report writing. Competency to supervise the maintenance of various Civil works (88percent) and prepare estimates and costing for maintenance of various Civil Works (68percent). For this, a course in repair and maintenance of Civil Works has been included in the Curriculum. Presently much emphasis is not being given on this subject. It requires special focus of the teachers. Competency in preparing site layout and set out works (88percent) This competency is covered in Building Construction subject. The student should be given practice in laying out the works in the field. Knowledge and associated skills for preparing estimates and costing of construction of roads, buildings, public health services and irrigation structures (85percent). This aspect is developed through subject of Quantity Surveying in addition to project work. Major emphasis should be given on practice and some work from the field should be shown to the students. Competency in organizing man, material and labour (85percent) and knowledge of preparing materials, equipment and labour schedules (58percent). This competency is developed through subject of Construction Management in addition to minor and major project works. Knowledge and skills to undertake survey for sources and availability of construction material, site selection, collection of data (78percent). To develop this competency, more emphasis should be given on the subjects of Construction Materials and Building Construction. Ability to prepare bar charts for progress reports (65percent). This aspect is covered in Construction Management and Accounts subject and practice should be given on solving the problems related to preparing bar charts. Ability to prepare valuation of property (61percent). To develop this competency, emphasis should be given on valuation part of Quantity Surveying and Valuation subject. Competency in conducting soil investigation (57percent). This aspect is covered in the subject of soil engineering and more emphasis should be given on soil testing in the field.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17. 18.

19

19.

Knowledge of designing simple structural elements of R.C.C. (51percent) and Timber and Steel ( 34percent). These aspects are covered in the subjects of RCC and Steel and emphasis should be given on understanding of structural behaviour of the RCC and Steel members. Skill of preparing plans and section for roads & channels for construction and maintenance (51percent). Subjects of Highway Engineering and Irrigation Engineering cover these skills and emphasis should be given on the construction and maintenance aspects of these subjects. Skill of using computer software for preparing estimates and costing (37percent) and preparing design and drawings (20percent). Two subjects on Computer Applications in Civil Engineering have been included to take care of these aspects. Skill of preparing drawings for simple irrigation structures (14percent). This aspect is covered in the subject of Irrigation Engineering and students should be given simple drawings of irrigation structures. The competencies having percentage responses more than 50 percent should be dealt comprehensively as far as the implementation of curriculum is concerned. It should be ensured through a properly devised mechanism of student assessment that these competencies are positively developed in the students of diploma programme in civil engineering so that these diploma engineers are able to take challenges of construction industry. REFERENCES: 1. Prof. R. Subramanian et al. (2000), Education and Training of Building Professionals at Diploma Level, Journal of Indian Buildings Congress. 2. Dr. LN Mittal, PK Singla, SK Gupta (1996), Factors contributing to the unemployment of diploma holders in Civil Engineering A Study, The Journal of Engineering Education. 3. AICTE Directory (1995), Institutions approved by All India Council of Technical Education, New Delhi. 4. Planning Commission (1992-97), Eighth Five-Year Plan (Vol. II) Govt. of India, New Delhi. 5. Dr. CB Lal and Shri AK Jha (2006), Human Resource Development in Construction Industry, Journal of Indian Building Congress.

20.

21.

22.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: We are very grateful to the following for responding to our questionnaires and making valuable suggestions for the successful conduct of the study.

20

M/S Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd.,115, Ansal Bhawan, 16, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi M/S Jai Parkash Associates Ltd., JA House, 63, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi M/S Engineers India Ltd., Engineeers India Bhavan, 1, Bhikaiji Cama Place, New Delhi-110066 National Building Construction Corporation Ltd., NBCC Bhawan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi110003 National Projects Construction Corporation Ltd., Plot No. 67-68, Sector 25, Faridabad, Haryana Engineer-in-Chief , Haryana PWD (B&R) Sector-19, Chandigarh-160019 Chief Engineer, PWD B&R Branch, Patiala, Punjab Chandigarh Housing Board, 8, Jan Marg, Sector 9, Chandigarh Chief Engineer, Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) Mohali Superintending Engineer, Water Supply & Sanitation Circle, Ferozpur, Punjab Superintending Engineer, Water Supply & Sanitation (RWS) Division, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab Superintending Engineer, Water Supply & Sanitation (RWS) Division, Gurdaspur, Punjab Dr. RK Khitoliya, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh Shri BS Singla, Superintendent Engineer, Haryana PWD (B&R), Sector-7, Chandigarh Shri Rajan Aggarwal, SDO (Civil), Department of Hospital Engineering, PGIMER, Chandigarh Dr. DD Sharma, Professor & Head, EDIC, NITTTR, Chandigarh Shri PK Singla, Assistant Professor, Curriculum Development Centre, NITTTR, Chandigarh Shri Ganesh Dalvi, Research Scholar, Curriculum Development Centre, NITTTR, Chandigarh