Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education's Review and Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glimpse

Located at the serene foothills of the Western Ghats, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (KARE) is a private deemed-to-be university. Popularly known as Kalasalingam University, it is well-known for its diverse student population, research culture and high placement rates. Currently, it is home to more than 8,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Engineering, Architecture, Management, Arts, Science, Law, Education, and Allied Health Sciences. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has a stronghold in research and development, along with academia. It has developed an international research centre outfitted with advanced equipment to promote a research culture among students and faculty. It is a well-funded university with due support from DST, ICMR, DRDO, MSME, ATAL, and international organisations. Apart from this, the university provides ample exposure opportunities through activities, industrial training, and internships. 

However, don't judge a book by its cover! Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has its own set of concerns. The average student-to-faculty ratio is 30:1, which is not decent as per UGC guidelines. Also, students have reported that the class size reaches 50-60 students, which is not much beneficial in terms of personalised learning. Moreover, its huge batch size is also a drawback, as students feel lost amidst so much crowding. 

In this article, we will be uncovering the reality of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education to benefit students in making informed decisions. So, give it a read! 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education NIRF Ranking: Good to Great! 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has secured a commendable position in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023. It has been ranked among the top 50 institutions in India under the ‘Engineering’, ‘Universities’ and ‘Overall’ categories. Let’s explore the Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education NIRF ranking for the past three years in detail below. 

Engineering Ranking:

University Ranking:

Overall Ranking:

Our Take:

An upward trend in the Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education NIRF rankings is visible in all the categories. In 2023, the rankings rose by 3, 6, and 2 positions in the engineering, university and overall categories respectively from the previous year. Similarly, in 2022, the rankings went up by 17, 15 and 24 spots from 2021 in the respective categories. This upward trend is a reflection of the university’s commitment to providing its students with a high-quality education and opportunities. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Academia & Batch Size

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is renowned for its academic excellence and exposure opportunities. Under 12 schools of study, it offers 15+ undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes. Here is the list of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education courses at different levels. 

The university strives to maintain a perfect balance of research-based curriculum and experiential learning through theoretical and practical teaching methods. The pedagogy includes lectures, tutorials, audio-visual classes, quizzes, activities, lab sessions and hands-on-training. According to the students’ reviews’ on Quora, the curriculum of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is not only comprehensive but highly relevant to industry needs. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Batch Size 2022:

The university has a large batch size of about 8K students hailing from different regions. Let us dissect the course-wise batch size of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education as per NIRF 2023 data for better insight.  

Our Take:

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is a leading educational institution with a diverse course catalogue and robust curriculum. The diversity in course offerings enables students to choose as per their area of specialisation and interest. Furthermore, the curriculum is designed to give students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the global workforce. Overall, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education’s academia provides a transformative experience for the students. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Infrastructure

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education campus spreads across 400 acres of lush green land. The university is known for its top-class infrastructure and facilities explained in detail below. 

Classroom:

As per the SSR 2023 report, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has ICT-enabled classrooms and a facility to record live lectures for future reference. Moreover, the classrooms are spacious, well-lit and have good seating arrangements.  

Auditorium/ Seminar Halls: 

The university has an air-conditioned auditorium and many seminar halls for conducting lectures, activities and events. The KS Krishnan Auditorium is well-equipped with an audio-visual facility, podium, LCD projector, and power backup, with a seating facility for more than 1,000 people.  

Laboratories:

KARE has well-equipped laboratories for all the departments, which require practical demonstrations. Moreover, the university has specialised laboratories for speech and hearing-impaired students, which is a great initiative for physically challenged students. The labs are well-maintained as per the students' feedback. 

Library:

The Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has a two-storeyed central library, which is fully air-conditioned, spacious, and huge. The library is well-stocked and can accommodate more than 1,000 people at a time. Though it has a vast collection of books, journals, magazines and e-learning materials, students have expressed that it should increase its collection of books related to literature. 

Internet:

The university campus has high-speed internet facilities in all administrative, academic and residential blocks. As per the SSR 2023 report, KARE provides 2 GBPS internet connectivity through fibre optic cables and Wi-Fi. 

Hostel:

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education provides residential facilities to male and female students on the campus. Students can choose between AC/non-AC single to 14-occupant rooms with attached/unattached bathrooms. The fee structure for Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education hostels ranges from INR 60,500 to INR 1,14,500 per annum. While the hostels are well-maintained and have the necessary facilities, most students have to adjust to rooms with high occupancy.

Activities:

According to the students' inputs, KARE conducts a wide range of activities to keep the students engaged. Here are some of the activities mentioned as per the SSR report 2023. 

• Induction programme
• Yoga and meditation
• Soft skill activities
• Workshops
• Conferences
• Seminars
• Industrial training
• NSS

Furthermore, there are several student clubs, such as the Green Army Club, Fine Arts Club, Nature Club and Electoral Literacy Club which conduct regular activities at departmental and university levels.

Cafe/ Hang-out: 

The university has canteens/ cafeteria and mess facilities that provide tasty and hygienic food. Moreover, there are many restaurants and hangout places near the campus such as Food and Fun City, Nalabagam Canteen, Kalasalingam Memorial and Kaal Mandapam. 

Our Take:

Overall, the infrastructure of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is well-maintained and provides necessary facilities to the students. However, it can focus on increasing the number of hostels to accommodate students in a better way. The students don’t seem very satisfied with the hostels, where they are required to share a room with a large number of other students. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Internships and Placements 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Internships:

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education claims to provide internship opportunities and assistance to its students. However, it hasn’t released any specific report or information regarding the internships. As per our research, the university’s claims were found to be true as it invited many leading companies to recruit interns on the campus. However, due to the large batch size, the majority of students were guided to apply for off-campus internships. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Placements:

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education displayed an impressive placement rate of 80%-98% in the 2022 placement season. Let us analyse the course-wise statistics of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education placements for 2022 based on the data available in the NIRF 2023 report.   

Yearly Placement Trends:

On comparing Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education’s placement statistics for 2022, 2021 and 2020, we found that: 

• The placement percentage of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has constantly increased at a rate of 1% per year. 
• The median salary has increased by 15.5% in 2022 and by 19.7% in 2021. 

Despite having a large batch size, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has put efforts to reach higher placement rates while providing decent salary packages. Overall, students can expect full assistance from the university in internships and placements. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Diversity & Demographics

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has a highly diverse student body in terms of inter-state student population and female representation. Let us discover the demographic details of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education based on the NIRF 2023 report. 

Demographic Representation:

Gender Representation:

Quick Analysis:

Our Take:

The analysis of the overall demographics of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education reveals that the university is pretty diverse. The percentage of students hailing from outside Tamil Nadu is 64 % and the female representation accounts for 55%. However, the percentage of international students stands at 4% which is low. 
In short,  Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education provides a holistic atmosphere with a rich diversity of inter-state students. However, It can take some initiatives to increase the footfall of international students. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Faculty

According to the NAAC Self Study Report 2023, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education has a total of 551 permanent faculty members. Out of which 52% of faculty members are PhD holders and the rest are PG degree holders. A complete dissection of faculty demographics based on gender, designation and qualification is mentioned below for better analysis.

Faculty Demography:

Qualification Details of Teaching Staff

As per our research, the faculty members of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education are approachable and try their best to guide the students. However, non-Tamilian students face a language barrier and compromised teaching quality by some faculty members. 

Our Take:

More than 50% of faculty members are highly qualified and experienced, and the rest hold less experience. Several reviews regarding the language barrier faced by non-Tamilian students reflect a lack of language proficiency and cooperation in some faculty members.  

Moreover, the university has a large batch size and limited faculty members which creates an unbalanced faculty-student ratio. These concerns must be addressed by the university to foster a better mentor-mentee relationship. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Location

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is located at Krishnankoil, Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu. Surrounded by the beautiful Western Ghats, the campus provides an ideal setting for academic pursuits. Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is 11 km away from the nearest railway station located at Srivilliputhur. Madurai Airport is the nearest airport, which is 65 km away from the campus. Moreover, the university is well connected via road transportation. 

Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education: Expectation vs Reality CLD Verdict!

Till now, we have covered all the major aspects, from ranking to academia, faculty, infrastructure, facilities, faculty and demography, of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education. However, considering the fee structure, it is equally important to find an accurate return on investment (ROI). The fees for KARE range from INR 80,000 to 5,00,000, which seems affordable for middle class students. The university also provides scholarships to deserving students to help them financially. 

Overall, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is a decent university with a reasonable fee structure and a high placement rate. Students from average economic backgrounds can consider the university for its rich curriculum, ample exposure and placement assistance. However, students with high aspirations can look for better institutions with high-average packages and job opportunities in top MNCs. 

Our Final Checklist!