Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology B.Tech Review By Riya Nayal

My experience at GBPUA&T altogether was more of learning than that of fun. As I have opted for a B.Tech course, I am fully satisfied with the choice I made four years back. I have had many first experiences both at hostel and at college. The competitive environment has boosted up my skills and knowledge regarding my subject. Besides the Tundra greenery in the campus, its optimum isolation from the hustling cities provided the best surroundings for my learning and growth at the most crucial stage of my life. College of Technology, Pantnagar which is one of the nine colleges of Pantnagar University is affiliated to AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and accredited by NBA (National Board of Accreditation).

It also works in association with World Bank project for Technical Education Quality Improvement Program (TEQIP) and is a Regional Academy Centre of CISCO. The admission process was fairly simple as is with other technical colleges. I applied online for the admission with my branch preferences and had to produce my JEE (mains) scorecard. After the first counseling I was allotted Civil Engineering according to my preference and then had to visit the premises for document verification and seat locking. The college management was very supportive of me as a fresher and they guided me throughout the process.

I was a part of B.Tech programme in Civil Engineering for which counseling usually starts in July and through the past year trends, it is pretty much clear that the cutoff for core branches of Engineering (Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering) is comparatively higher than other branches in this college. If you have a JEE (Mains) rank below one lakh, consider yourself in. I specifically chose Civil Engineering because I had an interest in learning this subject and also through some friends I have known that the faculty is quite up to the mark in this discipline and my college has never failed to live up to my expectations.

The learned faculty always guide their students in better ways and are punctual and little strict regarding classes. They mould their students into responsible professionals and are ever ready to clear any doubts. This course is a basic requirement for youth seeking careers in the field of Civil Engineering and Construction and hence, I went for it. It helps in the better understanding of the subject and familiarizes with the nitty gritty of this branch of engineering. Practical and field expertise is imparted through laboratories, workshops and field internships and hence makes a person professionally smart.

The Department of Civil Engineering have six professors and seven assistant professors at present, all having PhD degrees from IITs in their respective fields. My batch was of nearly fifty students and hence the student teacher ratio comes to four which is quite appreciable as they all have an experience of at least twenty years on an average. Civil Engineering is more of a practical subject and I was totally pleased by the grasp of professors on their subject as they also work with researches and governmental ties so they have an expertise on the applied part of Civil Engineering so they use to tell us about the on-site problems and their solutions.

Teaching methodology is systematic and was easy for me to grasp the details easily followed by some practical demonstrations for deep understanding. Technical trips to industries are organized from time to time to keep the overall development in check. A number of seminars are also conducted by the faculty from time to time with outside participation for some insight discussions on relevant topics. Professors also used visual presentations and graphics as the medium of instruction besides the traditional one and active participation of students made the atmosphere more educative and lively. Lectures delivered with tutorials discussion are the basis of curriculum and technical fests were an icing on the cake because we could gauge our understanding through practical and technical fests.

College of Technology, Pantnagar have a Training and Placement Cell working with dedication in accordance to World Bank project for Technical Education Quality Improvement Program (TEQIP). It provides student with many training programmes in varied niches and placement opportunities to their doors. Hero Motor Corps, Analytics Quotient, Adobe, Acquisition Group, Wipro Technologies are some of the good companies that visit this campus for placements.

The average percentage of students getting place ranges from 30-40 percent in every branch. Highest package went to 1.5 lakhs INR and the average was fifty thousand per month. Most of the students of my batch opted to prepare for government services and to pursue higher studies clearing GATE with good scores. Some went for GRE, some for CAT and yet others for CDSE.

The campus being residential in its kind comprises twenty three hostels called ‘Bhawans’ of which two are for married couples, one for working women and separate hostels for boys and girls. I can vouch on the fact that the hostels of GBPUA&T are better than any other government institution and are absolutely safe for their residents. Each room is shared by two individuals in their freshmen and by one thereafter in case of boys' hostels and by two individuals all the time in case of girls' hostel. The total fees of a semester is around forty thousand including hostel, mess and tuition fees and hence, quite affordable than most of the other technical government colleges.

Food Quality is fairly good and the hygiene was taken care of attentively by wardens and food incharges. Meal was served four times a day covering the basic North Indian essentials for vegetarians as well as their counterparts. Departmental heads ensure good quality and nutrition by regular inspections. Special attention is given to the safety and convenience of girls and appropriate measures have been taken by the administration to ensure it in all conditions. Entry time for girls is around 7 p.m. but it varies in accordance to the seasons. Two Guards were always on duty at the entrance of the hostels besides the assistant wardens residing in the vicinity to rule out any mishaps. But frankly, I have lots of beautiful memories of my hostel because it was so lively and worth every penny.

The university has an interesting semicircular and its lush green lands reaching as far as one’s sight bagging it a second place all over the world in terms of contiguous land area. The total land area is 12,661 acre spread all over the Pantnagar town. With an amazing ambience and good air quality, the campus enjoys the advantage of being in the terrain region and hence, proves to be a healthy place for the students. Students are often found taking long walks and observing the scenic sites inside the premises in early mornings and late evenings. College of Technology has two large sub campuses and hosts all the different branches. There are clean and hygienic restrooms at every floor for both genders. All the laboratories are well maintained and equipped with latest technologies. The college also has a small library of its own besides the central one.

There are two supermarkets, one central stadium with all the courts in order, one central auditorium with two others, a beautiful garden section, three national banks’ branches, central computing facility and a massive central library consisting of nearly four lakh documents of latest editions. Markets are well equipped to cover all the daily needs of the students and truly depict the town culture of Pantnagar. Students bond over small treats in the cafeterias which are spread all over the place. The Campus is impressive by the presence of a network of roads, street lighting, university hospital, an efficient water supply section and also encompasses six primary schools and three secondary schools. One of the intriguing attractions of this varsity is its own radio station having a frequency of 90.8FM and Pantnagar Domestic Airport as well as the Pantnagar Railway Station in its vicinity which connects it better to the outside world. Registered campus buses run all over the campus and also from airport and railway station for the ease of faculty and students.

I made countless memories that are few and far between. The curriculum is formulated in a manner so as to imbibe the virtue of perseverance and discipline in scholars and to make them profession ready after the completion of their degrees. Compulsory social service is a boon and we had to partake in the National Service Scheme of at least 240 hours. With academic classes running from early morning to mid noon followed by an hour break and a laboratory training of three hours, efforts are made to maintain the physical health of all through sports and extracurricular. There are many societies including the Science, Literary, Cultural, Logistics, Editorial, Executive bodies and other student-run social work programmes which enhance the overall personality of young scholars. An array of fests is organized by these societies throughout the two semesters imparting some managerial skills as well. A university funded Farmer’s fair is organized twice a year to celebrate their role in the society which is always a popular affair. Various sports varsity tournaments are organized periodically to keep up the zeal of good players.

Students excelling in sports or academics are provided with scholarships and university medals and awards are given to honor their efforts. Language learners are also given their due as some vocational courses are also included in the schedule for who are interested. Professors are supportive and understanding yet strict to maintain the decorum of the classes. Colleges also send their teams for participation in inter university competitions and fests. Seniors are always eager to guide their juniors and try to befriend them. They are also asked to fill anti ragging declarations by the administration. As it is a residential campus, students coming from different states of the country never find it difficult to make new friends and get mingled in the environment. One of the starkest specialty of GBPUA&T is its Foreign Student Exchange Programme in which youth from countries like France, Australia and the USA visit the premises in exchange of the varsity students going abroad to take their place forming bonds of healthy dialogues regarding cultures and ideas. If you want to get a balance of academics and a good global exposure with remarkable expertise in your subject with a tinge of fun, this very university is the right place for you.