Kushtia Polytechnic Institute

Kushtia Polytechnic Institute
কুষ্টিয়া পলিটেকনিক ইন্সটিটিউট
Established	1964
Type	Public, Coeducational
Academic staff	66
Students	2300
Location	Kushtia, Bangladesh
Campus	Urban, 20 acres (0.13 km²)
Nickname	KPI
Website	www.kushtiapolytechnic.com

Kushtia Polytechnic Institute (Bengali: কুষ্টিয়া পলিটেকনিক ইন্সটিটিউট) or KPI is a Government Technical Institute in Kushtia, Bangladesh. It is the largest Polytechnic Institute in Bangladesh.

Location

Kushtia Polytechnic Institute is located at Kushtia in the middle of the Kushtia city, in Bangladesh. It is near the Government College Kushtia.

History

In 1964, Ford Foundation established Kushtia Polytechnic Institute along with four other similar institutes at Dhaka, Rangpur, Bogra, Pabna and Barisal. At the beginning, KPI offered 3 years long courses, based on the syllabus of Oklahoma State University. The certificate issued by the then Technical Education Board was Associated in Engineering having provision to undergo Bachelor of Science courses in United States. Its formation and academic course history goes back to the birth of Ahsanullah Engineering College, which is now known as BUET. The campus of KPI was designed by Muzharul Islam and Stanley Tigerman.

Academic programs

It offers Diploma-in-Engineering Programmes in many different technological areas, each required to study for a 4 years long curriculum. Students can participate in:

1. Civil Technology.
2. Mechanical Technology.
3. Electrical Technology.
4. Power Technology.
5. Electronics Technology.
6. Computer Technology.

Comparison and opportunity

After completing the SSC level (10th grade, also known as 'O' level, or 'Dakhil' level) a student can pursue his or her educational career, to obtain a "Diploma-in-Engineering" degree which falls within the "Technical Education System" from Polytechnic Institutes, or they can obtain a HSC (12th grade, also known as 'A' level, or 'Intermediate' level, or 'Alim' level) certificate degree, which falls within the "General Education System" from various other academic colleges (HSC being the mainstream study line in South-Asian countries). HSC courses focus mainly on the Sciences, Arts, Commerce, Business, Law, Medicine, etc., whereas Diploma-in-Engineering courses in Polytechnic Institutes focus mainly on Technology (Applied & Practical Sciences) areas.

The "Diploma-in-Engineering" degree is rated higher than the HSC certificate, and both are lesser than a formal Baccalaureate or BSc (Bachelor in Science) degree. They are the entry level diplomas for enrolling into any B.Sc in engineering degrees. Students which complete the Diploma-in-Engineering (4 year-long curriculum) courses acquire an educational level equivalent to grade XIV (14th grade);^[1] students who complete the HSC level (2 year-long curriculum), acquire an educational level equivalent to grade XII (12th grade). Most of the diploma-in-engineering curricula were extended from a 3 year study period to a 4 year-long study period. In the "Madrasah Education System", 14th grade is also known as 'Fazil' level.

A diploma degree should not to be confused with a European or American "Diploma", which usually consists of a year-long educational curriculum in order to obtain a (Diploma) "certificate", not a Degree. In those geographical areas, various Science and Technical subjects are offered to obtain an "Associate" degree which includes a minimum of 2 years' curriculum, and is also transferable toward obtaining a Bachelor degree. It comes closest to a South-Asian "Diploma-in-Engineering" degree, where such "Associate" degrees are still 2 years longer than a South-Asian degree. Even though a few other types of "Associate" degrees (1 yr or 2 yr) are offered in some Occupational areas, those are (usually) nontransferable,^[2] so such "Associate" degrees are considered of a lesser level than a South-Asian "Diploma-in-Engineering" degree.

After completing a Diploma-in-Engineering or a HSC students can further pursue their educational careers to obtain a formal Bachelor degree in one of the following two categories: "Pass" (3 years) or "Honours" (4 years) from various Public or Private Universities. Diploma Engineers can also enrol in Technology Universities to obtain the BSc (Tech.Edn) or BSc.Eng (Engineering) degrees, which include a 2.5–3 years shorter curriculum, because students have already completed various required subjects in the level during their previous courses. After completing this BSc level, students reach grade XVI (16th grade). Diploma students can also enrol in any other Public or Private Universities. Likewise, when HSC-degree holders complete a formal Bachelor (Hons), BSc.Eng (Engineering), BSc.Agr (Agriculture), BSc.Text (Textile), BSc.Leat (Leather) or LLB (Hons) they reach the Grade XVI (16th grade) level, which has at least a 4 year-long curriculum. Many HSC-degree holders decide to obtain a formal BSc or Bachelor degree "Pass" only, which is actually a 3 year-long course (15th grade).

One of the professional societies of engineers, the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), conducts a specially designed engineering course, upon completion of which trainees can appear at Associate Membership Examinations Part A and Part B. After succeeding in these examinations trainees become an Associate Member of the Institution of Engineers (AMIE). The certificate awarded to those who pass this examination is recognized by public and private sector organizations in the country as equivalent to a formal degree in Engineering. With an AMIE degree it is possible to obtain the same jobs as engineers holding Bachelor's degrees. Other engineering associations and societies are the Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB), the Association of Consulting Engineers, the Association of Self-Employed Engineers, the Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Geotechnical Engineers. These are optional subscriptions for Diploma-in-Engineering degree holders, including other Public and Private Universities.

Library

The university has a library with up to date texts and reference books, as well as current trade, industrial and educational journals. There is also a rental library for textbooks and an audio-visual library.

Engineering Laboratories

Student facilities

There are two male and one female dormitories. About three hundred residential students stay there.

The institute also has a Medical Center with a full-time Medical Office and other supporting staff. a stadium of 3 acres land having facility for football, cricket, volleyball, badminton & other indoor games. a mosque, post office (“Kushtia polytechnic Post-Office” )

Directorates

The Institute operates under the executive control of the Ministry of Education(MOE) acting through the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE).^[3] The academic programmes, curriculams are maintained under the regulation of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB).^[4] BTEB function under Directorate of Inspection and Audit (DIA), which in turn function under Chief Accounts Office (CAO), and it function under MOE.

See also

• Dhaka Polytechnic Institute
• Chittagong Polytechnic Institute
• Sylhet Polytechnic Institute
• Barisal Polytechnic Institute
• Education in Bangladesh
• Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Gazipur. (Formerly known as BIT).
• Mymensingh Polytechnic Institute

References