Punjab Engineering College ( Deemed to be University) Chandigarh, with Punjab Engineering College Old Students Association (PECOSA) conducted an interactive Brainstorming session "Envisioning PEC" under the Chairmanship of Prof. Baldev Setia, Director PEC on 5th November 2022. The session was continuation of Envisioning PEC, organised in August 2022 with the faculty members of PEC with an aim to conduct analytical analysis focused on improving NIRF ranking of the Institute.
Professor Roop Mahajan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech along with Dr. Teekam Chander Bali, President PECOSA, Ashok Prashar, Vice President, Harpreet Singh Oberoi, General Secretary graced the occasion with their presence and guided and assured to work together to improve the ranking of PEC. The session was attended by PECOSA members, deans, faculty members of the Institute to plan a roadmap for a bright future for Punjab Engineering College and to become one of the best technical institutes in the country.
The session started with Prof. (Dr.) Baldev Setia, Director PEC flagging the issues and emphasising on certain reforms, steps and initiatives that are already being taken by PEC to excel in the existing NIRF ranking framework. He mentioned that the institute has a shortage of faculty and realising that faculty shortage is the single most important factor PEC is working at full speed towards appointing 58 vacant faculty positions in various departments. Stating the importance of research in the current ranking system he informed the present members of PEC’s initiative of enrolling PhD candidates twice from this session and also providing financial incentives to the faculty members and building a Central Research Facility for the students and faculty members to conduct more research and publish quality papers. He also mentioned that PEC has witnessed great enrollment in the newly started B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering (Data Science) in the current session. The institute with an aim to improve its ranking has formed a six member committee to see the key performance areas of the Institute in specific reference to the NIRF and other accreditation parameters. He further mentioned that strengthening of alumni linkages and expansion of infrastructure are some other goals the institute is focused to work upon.
Prof. Rajesh Bhatia, PEC apprised the present members of the NIRF Ranking Process with a brief presentation.
Professor Roop Mahajan, an Alumni of PEC highlighted that with analytical skills, the desire to excel and a strategic roadmap, PEC can move up the NIRF rankings. He motivated the present members to work in unity to reinstate the glory of the institute to its historic levels.
Dr. T. C. Bali, President PECOSA extended full support from PECOSA and assured to form an advisory committee for the bright future of PEC. He proposed to provide a common platform for interactions and guidance from the prestigious PEC alumni to the students and stated that such interactions will help students to network and explore better internships and job offers.
Shri Ashok Prashar, Vice President PECOSA focused on rebranding PEC as an Institute and the need to have improved high tech and smart lab facilities. He also suggested making the course curriculum more practical and opening new courses matching international trends.
As a part of the brainstorming session, presentations by Alumni members were made . Promotion of quality research publication and citations, regular evaluation of the Institute, collaborative approach in research, brainstorming sessions in departments and the need to work in unity for the bright future of PEC were some of the suggestions presented by the members. The session continued with an interactive session in which the present alumni members came forward with constructive suggestions for the betterment of the institute.
The event ended with Prof. Baldev Setia, Director PEC, acknowledging and appreciating the inputs from the present members and encouraging all to ponder over the points discussed in the session. He motivated the members present to come up with more such suggestions and make the campus productive and positive. The session remained a huge success as the improvement strategies for various current challenges faced by the institution were laid down and more brainstorming sessions are to be organised in future.