CIAL Aviation Academy takes wings
By Vinod Nedumudy
.jpg) Kochi, Jan 17, 2010 : He shuns publicity and concentrates on his work like a studious scholar. Not many may know Dr C.G. Krishnadas Nair as the present Managing Director of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL). This is because he doesn’t hog the pages of newspapers like some of his predecessors. But as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Cochin International Aviation Services Limited (CIASL), he shows tremendous interest in the Aviation Academy under it. CIASL is a subsidiary of CIAL and that makes it easy for him to meet his academic goals vis-à-vis aviation.
Dr Nair, a product of IIT Madras and former Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has vast experience in the field and it is another feather in his cap that during his tenure the Aviation Academy has started functioning. He has a vision for future aviation academic initiatives at CIAL, the first Greenfield airport in India with public-private partnership, and he is happy to share it with Mathrubhumi Education.
Q: Where is the Aviation Academy situated?
A: It is here on the Cochin International Airport premises itself. A few yards away, the academy has its own premises.
Q: Since the launch of the Academy in July last year, how was the response to the courses started by the Academy from the student community?
A: We received tremendous response. All our courses received the full quota of students last year and the classes commenced in September. The two-year MBA course has two batches of 30 students. They have completed their first semester.
Q: What are the courses run under the MBA program?
A: The MBA specializations are in Aviation Business Management, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Financial Management and Marketing Management. They consist of four semesters. Graduates in any discipline with aggregate 50% marks are eligible to apply. The selection process consists of an admission test, group discussion and interview. The evaluation of the candidates is through assignments and term - end examination.
Q: What is the fee charged for the MBA programme?
A: It is much less than at the private institutions running the same high end course. We charge a course fee of less than Rs 3 lakh. The MBA course will provide an in-depth understanding of the management methods and practices especially of the aviation business systems and the latest trends in the field. A comprehensive understanding of the technical and regulatory side of this complex field is required to keep the aspirant on a sound footing when required to deal with national and international entities. This course is designed for students aspiring to reach the higher management level in various industries and in aviation enterprises in India and abroad.
Q: How is the tie-up with IGNOU in this regard?
A: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has been quite helpful by agreeing to award degrees and diplomas for our courses. It is a reputed university. Though its other courses are in the distance education mode, our courses are not. Students will have to join our academy to take the aviation degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Q: What are the diploma and certificate courses run by the CIAL Academy?
A: All our courses are full time regular courses and these include Advanced Diploma courses in Airport Operation Management and Air Cargo Management and Certificate Programmes in Airport Ramp Handling, Rescue and Fire Fighting and Security and Intelligence. For joining the one-year Advanced Diploma courses, the eligibility is a Diploma in Engineering or Graduation. For joining the six month certificate programmes one need to pass Higher Secondary or equivalent. Admission to both courses is through a test, interview and physical test. Next academic year will start in August-September and aspirants can apply in July. You can have the details and fee structure on the brochure issued at the time of admission.
Q: What is the scope of the courses launched by the CIAL Academy?
 A: The students once pass out are employable in different companies involved in the aviation sector nationally and internationally. There are a lot of firms that run aviation courses across the country, but many of these haven't got recognition. So those students who pass out of these institutes will be a helpless lot. CIAL tries to clear this chaos and help students realise their dreams in the aviation sector. You can expect new initiatives from us in this regard.
Q: So how you source faculty for the different programmes?
A: We have teachers appointed by us in different disciplines at the academy. Then we source brilliant hands from various departments of CIAL. They are the ones who excel in their areas and their experience and expertise can be of immense use to the students. Thirdly IGNOU provides its faculty for general subjects. Our faculty is a very strong one.
Q: What official position you hold on the CIAL Academy?
A: I am the Chairman of the Governing Council
Q: Do you propose more courses in the coming academic year?
A: Yes. We have plans to introduce a few more Advanced Diploma courses. The disciplines include Security Management; Rescue, Fire Fighting and Safety ; Retail Management ; Relationship Management and Air Traffic Control and Management. We also plan for MTech in Airport Construction Management. We are also planning academic collaborations with the International Institute coming up in aviation and space at Bangalore with the involvement of institutions like ISRO and HAL. There are plans to train students from here at the Dubai and Sharjah airports. We have ideas on the subject Avionics as well.
Q: The IIST run by ISRO has the BTech course in Avionics, do you plan something similar?
A: That Avionics is related to space technology. Our avionics means aviation plus electronics that is related to the aviation industry. Its course structure and requirements and subjects are different.
Q: Do you have the necessary infrastructure to train students in courses like aircraft manufacturing, maintenance, design, aeronautical engineering etc.?
A: Our current academy does not focus on that. We have some plans on that direction too.
Q: What happened to the initiatives for a tie up between CIAL and CUSAT for starting aviation courses?
A: Those moves didn’t take place during my tenure. I understand that Cusat did not evince much interest in proceeding with that.
Q: Former Cusat Vice-Chancellor Gangan Prathap had reportedly said that there was no need to create an aircraft maintenance or aeronautical engineer at an academy when a mechanical engineering graduate can be easily moulded into one at a firm.
A: What he said was true. A mechanical engineer can be turned into an aviation engineer at the facility of a firm like HAL. But that will take time which can be avoided with the training and specialization at a specialised institute.
Q: Are you running your courses with the assistance from the State Government?
A: No. We are running on a self-sustaining basis, better than a self-financing college. We neither seek profit nor run on loss. We are charging moderate fees and sustain ourselves.
Affirming the relevance and role of his institution in the present context, where the self-financing institutions are embroiled in a controversy over fees, the ‘captain’ of the aviation industry breaks into a guffaw.
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