For PEC, it’s been a wonderful 100-yr journey

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 8

Sixteen students of Punjab Engineering College (PEC) received a package of Rs46 lakh (CTC) per annum, despite the Covid-induced recession (since July 2021), said the Director, Dr Baldev Setia, on the eve of PEC’s centenary day.

“Sixty companies visited the campus and over 450 students got offers. As many as 314 students were chosen for paid internships and 132 were selected under pre-placement offers in different companies (a rise of 32 per cent). Sixteen students got job offers from Microsoft and the CTC is attractive,” said Setia. He recalled the efforts of past principals and directors. In 2019-20, the institute recorded a 28 per cent increase in job offers during the pandemic. Internship programmes saw a 13 per cent rise on a YoY basis in internship offers in 2020-21, which stands at 314.

“I must congratulate all stakeholders. There’s always scope for improvement. Besides improving our infrastructure, we are making a lot of changes. The dip in NIRF rankings is a major cause for concern. A central research facility will be established in the 100th year for which Rs100 crore has been earmarked. The institute has started a faculty appraisal programme through an external peer review committee,” he said.

He said a regular post of Registrar had been advertised. “As far as infrastructure is concerned, hostels for students have been refurbished and plans are afoot to build new guest houses and residential facilities for the faculty. Renovation of the auditorium, which has heritage value, is also on the cards.

The centenary year will see 654 students do BTech, 160 students MTech and 27 students PhD.

Meanwhile, a 10-foot balloon hoisting and a cake-cutting ceremony will be held to mark 100 years of the establishment of PEC. Dharam Pal, UT Adviser, Rajendra Gupta, Chairman of the Board of Governors, and SS Gill, Technical Education Secretary, will be the guests of honour. On November 16, President Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to visit the campus. “The President has confirmed his visit to PEC,” said a source.

What you need to know about PEC

• 1921: Founded by Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan as Mughalpura Technical College
• 1932: Affiliated to Panjab University
• 1945: Prof Satish Dhawan graduates with BE Hons in Mechanical Engineering
• 1947: Shifted from Lahore to Roorkee as the East Punjab College of Engineering
• 1950: Renamed Punjab Engineering College
• 1953: College shifted to the present campus in Chandigarh
• 1953: First Punjab Assembly session held in PEC auditorium in Chandigarh
• 1964: Becomes the first engineering college to give India its first 17 graduate aeronautical engineers
• 1966: Comes under Chandigarh Administration
• 1982: Kalpana Chawla graduates as an aerospace engineer
• 2003: Granted deemed university status
• 2021: PEC completes 100 years of foundation

Kovind visit on Nov 16

A 10-foot balloon hoisting and a cake-cutting ceremony will be held to mark 100 years of PEC. Dharam Pal, UT Adviser, Rajendra Gupta, Chairman of the Board of Governors, and SS Gill, Technical Education Secretary, will be the guests of honour. On November 16, President Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to visit the campus.

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