Binita Jaiswal By Express News Service CHENNAI: It is a well-known fact that not too many girls opt for a course in mechanical engineering! So, in order to attract more girls to study the stream, Anna University has launched an initiative to create sensitisation on the subject. The campaign has been launched in collaboration with Renault Nissan and will be fully funded by the company. According to university officials, as compared to other streams of engineering, mechanical engineering course attracts the least number of girl students. “Girls are hardly 2% to 3% of the total students who enrol for this course. We need to change the mindset and parents as it is a sector that is much in demand and offers good job opportunities,” said M K Surappa, vice chancellor of Anna University. The campaign has been chalked out to educate girls studying in class 11 and 12, in different government and government-aided schools about the opportunities that mechanical engineering offers. The sensitisation campaign will be carried out in five zones - Chennai, Nagercoil, Nagapattinam, Virudhanagar and Coimbatore. While the first programme was held in Chennai a few days ago, all five zones will be covered by end of November. At least 1,200 girl students from each zones will be taken to an engineering college and given insight about mechanical engineering. Faculty of the mechanical engineering department and officials of the automobile company will interact explain about the demand of mechanical engineers in automobile and industrial sectors. “India is expected to become the third-largest market for automobiles in the next few years and there will be a huge demand for skilled manpower. We need to encourage girls to take up mechanical engineering as it will not only increase diversity in the sector, but will also ensure good job opportunities,” said a faculty of the department.

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