For engineering aspirants, Pune is the preferred destination

Updated on: Thursday, July 07, 2011

The most popular destination for engineering aspirants is Pune, a survey by a group of present and former students of the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) says. The survey, conducted among nearly 10,000 students in June, found that 37% of the total engineering aspirants in Maharashtra have given first preference to Pune. This preference was due to the excellent academic atmosphere and infrastructure in the city, said engineering college officials in the city. “According to the survey, the number of students seeking admission at engineering colleges in Pune is higher than those opting for Mumbai,” said Pratik Munot, a member of the group.

Though Pune has a lower population compared to Mumbai and its suburbs, it ranks higher in terms of number of applications. Only 22% of the total engineering aspirants have given first preference to Mumbai. The students group has developed a web portal that guides students in securing admission in engineering colleges. “The portal also helps students clear their doubts about which engineering stream he or she should choose,” said Munot.

The survey was carried out online. The site has more than 7,000 members, and 3,000 other students who used the site for guidance for admission in engineering. During their guidance session their preferences were checked. “The data was analysed by a group of COEP students and former students. Students from other engineering colleges also helped in the analysis,” said Suruchi Wagh, a former student of COEP, who is one of the founders of the website. There has been an increase in the number of colleges in different parts of the state. But Pune is the top priority, she said.

Munot said that a major chunk of students opting for admission in Mumbai belonged to Mumbai only. Wagh said that the preference has been evident for a couple of years. Last year 35% applicants had given preference to Pune, compared to 28% who wished to join engineering colleges in Mumbai. This trend is a result of Pune’s image as an educational hub. “The academic culture in Pune is set. Most of the engineering colleges here have got good recognition at national and international levels. This attracts more students to Pune,” said Rajesh Jalnekar, dean (academics) at a private engineering college.

Anil Sahasrabuddhe, director of COEP, said that opportunities were more for students passing out from engineering colleges in Pune. “Affiliation with the University of Pune has more value, so students prefer Pune. Climate-wise also the city is good and settling down here is easy for students,” he said.

“Since Pune is popular as an educational hub, we get a lot of facilities required for students, including hostels and mess. Most colleges here have good infrastructure, which is one of the reasons for us to choose Pune for engineering course,” said Aziz Mansur, a Mumbaiite and a student of computer engineering.

Another student, Harsh Savani, said that the placements available in Pune were attractive. “Many leading companies come for campus interviews in Pune. Most of the leading companies from all sectors have their units in and around Pune,” said Savani, who hails from Gujarat. “Many students choose Pune as it is well connected to all parts of the country. This city is easy to adjust to,” he added.

For engineering aspirants, Pune is the preferred destination

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