Panjab University’s (PU) esteemed University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) has embarked on the journey of integrating the tenets of the National Education Policy (NEP) for its undergraduate students. The initial stride involves offering a unique avenue for mechanical engineering scholars, wherein the avenue of a minor degree, aligning with NEP’s directives, will unfurl across six distinct domains.
Formulated through the concerted efforts of the board of studies and subsequently endorsed by the dean of the faculty of engineering, this initiative ushers in a novel phase.
In the ensuing trajectory, learners will find themselves endowed with the liberty to select any realm of their passion and successfully navigate through five courses that collectively accumulate 20 credits prior to their graduation.
It’s worth highlighting that during a consequential Senate meeting on June 3, the governing bodies resolved to inaugurate NEP for the undergraduate stratum, first encompassing the PU campus, owing to lingering ambiguities surrounding its applicability within affiliated colleges.
According to authoritative sources, this pioneering move is set to position UIET at the vanguard, a pioneer in presenting the possibility of a minor degree.
Elaborating on this progression, JK Goswamy, the Director of UIET, elucidated that the proposition is presently in the preliminary stages, currently tailored exclusively for the mechanical engineering sphere. Subsequent to this preliminary phase, an expansion of insights shall be divulged.
Yajvender Pal Verma, the Registrar of PU, who concurrently holds the mantle of an Associate Professor at UIET, conveyed that the proposal has been formally submitted to the competent authorities, anticipating its eventual crystallization. Furthermore, he posited that other departments within UIET are also poised to seamlessly integrate this paradigm, in consonance with NEP’s overarching vision.
As delineated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the notion of a minor discipline serves as a conduit for learners to acquire a comprehensive grasp transcending their core discipline. In this contextual narrative, the ensuing consequence will be the conferral of a bachelor’s degree within their principal domain, engineering in this instance, juxtaposed with a minor specialization that resonates with their inclinations.
The gamut of minor degrees encompasses an array of six domains: product design and development, data science and artificial intelligence, industrial and quality engineering, entrepreneurship and management, computer science and engineering, as well as advanced robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), and automation. These streams have been meticulously identified through an amalgamation of industry feedback, pupil perceptions, and the resonance of alumni insights. The concerted intent is to amplify the competencies and employability quotient of the imminent graduates.