Koral ‘Purnoor’, Demokretic Front, Chandigarh  –  September 8  : 

           Workshop titled “Let us develop technologies for our Nation” was organised today by Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) of Panjab University, Chandigarh in seminar hall of Rajiv Gandhi College Bhawan. Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) of Panjab University, Chandigarh is a Department of Science & Technology (DST) sponsored project of Government of India (GoI).

           In the work shop today, managers of TEC (Er Ankush Gawri & Dr S Vaibhav) explained in detail 25 live problems of Industry on which innovation is required to be done by Academia. From the presentation made by the managers of TEC it was apparent that there is a dire need to develop low cost automation solutions for MSMEs of our region.

           Managers of TEC urged students as well as teachers to visit website of TEC at https://tecpu.in/industrial-issues/ and pick live industrial problems for innovation from here. On this website, managers of TEC have posted 156 problems of Industry on which innovation is required.

           Professor Rajneesh Arora delivered keynote speech on topic “Development of technologies for our Nation”. Professor Rajneesh Arora did B.Tech and PhD from IIT Delhi and has served as Vice Chancellor of Punjab Technical University. Professor Arora in his lecture emphasized that young engineers of our Nation have to develop such technologies that are relevant to our own Nation. Therefore he stressed that budding engineers of our Nation should closely interact with local industry and find out exact problems of our industry on which innovation is required. He further stressed that the technologies that we develop should be sustainable and do good for our local ecosystem as well as global ecosystem.

           Professor Arora shared that With a view to enhance the employability skills and impart deep knowledge in emerging areas which are usually not being covered in Undergraduate Degree credit framework, AICTE has come up with the concept of Minor Degree in emerging areas. Minor Degree will carry 18 to 20 credits in addition to the credits essential for obtaining the Under Graduate Degree in Major Discipline (i.e. 163 credits usually). Keeping in mind the need of manpower in emerging areas, AICTE with the help of industry-academia experts, has framed the curriculum for Minor Degree in Universal Human Values (UHV) to develop teachers, parents and policy makers of tomorrow who will have a humane worldview along with technical skills and strive to ensure value-based living for themselves as well as the society. Pertinent to highlight here that Professor Arora is member of Working Group constituted by AICTE for this Model Curriculum of Minor Degree in Universal Human Values (UHV).

           Professor Arora expressed desire that in near future Panjab University should also offer Minor Degree in UHV. Gathering was also addressed by Dean Research & Development of IIT Ropar Professor Navin Kumar.

           Professor Navin Kumar opined that in present times it is extremely important that the technologies we develop for our Nation do not accelerate the phenomenon of “Climate Change” and at the same time should generate wealth for our Nation. About 150 students and teachers of Panjab University attended this workshop. Vote of thanks was delivered by Professor Sanjay Kaushik of University Business School (UBS).