IIT would boost brand Chandigarh too

CHANDIGARH: The upgrade of PEC University of Technology - whenever it happens - would give a boost not only to students of the institute, but also the concept of the Tricity as an educational hub, feel academicians and experts. With quality institutions under its ambit, the city and its neighbouring areas are already home to high-ranked educational, science and research institutes.
PEC is also part of the Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) and its upgrade as a centrally-funded institute would also boost this hub as well. The cluster includes institutions like Panjab University (PU), Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Institute of Microbial, Indian Institute of Science Education & Research, Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory and more.
PU vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover, who has played a key role in the formation of CRIKC, said all these institutions were also part of the State Higher Educational Council (SHEC) formed by the UT administrator. On the boost that an upgrade for PEC would give to the cluster, Grover said, "PEC is funded by the UT administration and it (PEC upgrade) ought to be taken as their agenda." While Grover chairs the SHEC, PEC director Manoj Arora is its vice-chairman.
Academics and students are hoping to benefit from the brand IIT, which would benefit the city's image as well. PEC's deputy director Sanjeev Sofat said with better infrastructure, PEC will be able to undertake better research and infrastructure will also improve. "The annual budget itself will grow manifold and inter-institute research activities will also be enhanced," he said, adding that it would certainly give a boost to the idea of Tricity as an educational hub.
A 2015 graduate from PEC, Pranjal Rawat, said the upgrade would lure more students towards it. "More and better companies would come to us, while the tag of an IIT might help students for going to better colleges for pursuing a post-graduate degree," he added.
PEC was earlier listed amongst colleges with potential by the SK Joshi committee set up in 2003 by the National Democratic Alliance-ruled government. However, after the change of government in 2004, the committee identified seven different colleges as those engineering institutions that have the potential of becoming IITs.