As the grand old College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram (CET) turns 80 on Wednesday, one could go down memory lane to reminisce its contributions in producing numerous scientists, technocrats and academicians who have made Kerala proud across the globe.
The college has come a long way from one that had an intake of 21 students for BSc. Engineering courses in Civil, Mechanical and Electrical branches to a behemoth in the field of higher education having over 3,700 students with eight undergraduate and 27 postgraduate programmes on offer. Currently, CET is ranked the 71st best engineering college and and 5th best architecture college in the country under the National Institutional Ranking Framework.
The huge alumni base, which has spread its wings across the globe, attributes their success to the exposure gained during their college days. Padma Shri recipient and architect G. Shankar, an alumnus of the 1976-82 B. Arch batch, says his college days had a formative influence on his career and personality.
“Even while I used to be at loggerheads with my faculty because I had initially felt their lessons lacked the Indianness in architecture, we had several visionary teachers. I also had been among those who ushered in politics on the campus to counter the practice of ragging and the elitist culture that existed then. The mental turmoil I had faced then and the subsequent joy our efforts brought us made me who I am,” he said.
For the student community, being a CETian goes beyond mere academics. “Besides the academic excellence that the college maintains, much focus is provided towards honing one’s cultural talents. Notwithstanding several limitations in funding, we organise four technical and cultural festivals every year, the most by a higher education institution in Kerala,” says Nithin K., the general secretary of the college union.
The students have also played a role in community development especially when they electrified 65 houses in Bonacaud in Vithura grama panchayat a year ago. Besides, the successful ‘Azaadi’ movement that was spearheaded by the union recently, led to the government extending curfew time for girls to enter their hostels. The campaign had a ripple effect across the State.
Primed for the future
The college has now set its sight on the future by becoming a part of the country’s space odyssey. It has embarked on a project to design, develop and fabricate a nano-satellite that could be deployed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a payload in the near future. The ambitious project currently awaits the approval of the ISRO. The satellite is envisaged to be developed entirely by the students of various engineering streams. The CET Centre for Interdisciplinary Research has been designated the nodal agency for the project.
Principal Jiji C.V. said the college also intended a host an International Conference on Small Satellites in association with ISRO and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
He added that college aimed for a thrust on research-oriented activities, especially at the postgraduate and research levels. During the course of its year-long 80th anniversary celebrations, the college would organise a summit to bring together the large number of entrepreneurs among its alumni base. An e-mobility exhibition had also been planned to showcase electric vehicles on the campus.
CET also proposed to establish a three-storeyed innovation centre that would function as a multi-disciplinary facility for students.