Badnore to take up IIT status for PEC with Centre

Aarti Kapur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 9

The move to upgrade the PEC University of Technology as an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has gained momentum once again with UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore showing keen interest in getting the IIT status approved from the Centre.

During a meeting today, in which the PEC Director, Dr Manoj Arora, gave a presentation about the campus recamp, a discussion was held about the IIT status for PEC with the UT Administrator.

Dr Arora said Badnore was impressed with the fact that PEC was fulfilling all criteria required for an IIT and he assured that the UT Administration would support the authorities in getting the IIT status for PEC. He said a presentation was also given on the achievements of the campus.

As per the records, the 12th Five-Year Plan also makes a mention of upgrading several institutions into central institutions. PEC and the Chandigarh College of Architecture are among the higher education institutes from UTs that have been named as those having the potential for an upgrade.

During the meeting, the officials informed the Administrator that PEC was fulfilling all criteria to be converted into a central-level institute as it was one of the oldest institutes in the region. The officials said once the PEC received the IIT status, grants and infrastructure would improve. 

The Director gave a detailed presentation of the revamp project, costing Rs 100 crore, to the Administrator. Sources said a decision was taken that the Administration would provide funds  to PEC in the next five years to execute the project. 

As per the proposal, 118 apartments will be set up on the campus on the proposed area of 8,829 sq metre at a cost of around Rs 16 crore. 

A girls’ hostel having 368 rooms will be constructed on 13,011 sq ft area at a cost of Rs 24 crore, a boys’ hostel having 648 rooms will come up on 20,910 sq ft at a cost of Rs 38 crore and an international hostel having 184 rooms has been proposed to be constructed on 7,434 sq ft area at a cost of Rs 14 crore.

Besides, two projects — extension of the dinning area and the dormitory — are in the pipeline. According to the proposal, the dinning area will be developed on 1,301 sq ft area at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. There will be six dormitories with six beds each and 18 rooms with 18 double beds. The dormitories will cost Rs 5 crore.