Gandhi Engineering College (GEC), a name to reckon with in the field of technical education in India was established in the year 2006, with due approval from AICTE, New Delhi and affiliation with BPUT, Odisha. Strategically located on the greenest and most beautiful campus in Odisha, sprawling over 25 acres and providing an unmatched environment for students to discover themselves, explore life, and learn from their excellent faculty and from each other, GEC has been able to create the perfect learning environment for their students to excel. With an implausible deep technology startup ecosystem, exceptional campus infrastructure, generous alumni support and involvement, and a fast-expanding engagement, GEC has developed into an institute that everyone wishes to be a student, employee, alumnus, or partner of.

Mr. Manas Ranjan Panda is the ViCe Chairman of the institute and in an exclusive conversation with Women Entrepreneur, he talks more about the uniqueness of GEC and what makes it a special study destination for students.

Take Us Through The Foundation Journey Of GEC?
In the education horizon of Eastern India, the name, 'Dr. Satya Prakash Panda' symbolizes 'what dreams are made of'. His rise from a humble teacher to the chairman of more than two dozen of technical institutions and trusts in the state of Odisha is inspirational. Dr. Panda started his career as a Lecturer in the Department of LSW in a state-run government college before venturing into the field of education entrepreneurship in late 90's. Dr. Panda is an emblem of service to humanity, a true Gandhian and a beacon of light for social transformation.

His life journey is not only awe-inspiring but soul awakening for millions. Dr. Panda worked relentlessly to convert a remote township into a smart model education hub. Being an educationist, he felt the need for quality institutions in the state of Odisha, where students could get access to the best available pedagogy in the country with an affordable price. Under the Gandhi umbrella, Dr. Panda successfully established more than fifteen educational institutions and educating over 10,000 students with world class facilities. GEC remains one of his quintessential projects, wherein he continues to put his maximum effort and avid interest for continual development and growth of the Gandhi legacy.

Mr. Panda is the main architect behind the shaping up of GEC and has truly taken the legacy of Dr. Panda a step ahead. Because of the exuberant zeal and untiring effort of Mr. Manas Ranjan Panda, GEC has witnessed a meteoritic rise in a short period. Be it the architecturally beautiful buildings or the international ambience of the campus, it all bears the stamp of the person. He has been instrumental in inducing innovative administrative practices, modern teaching methodologies and international standard infrastructure; hitherto unknown in the state.

Can You Give Us A Brief Overview On GEC, The Courses That You Offer And Its Uniqueness?
We are one of the biggest technical institutions in Bhubaneswar, having a strong base of academic units including a) Four-Year B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering, Electronics & Computer Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, b) Two-Year M.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Power Electronics & Drives, Thermal Engineering, Structural Engineering, and c) Three-Year Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering. Apart from this, we also have Two-Year MBA, Three-Year BBA, Three-Year BCA, Three-Year BSc (ITM), and Three-Year BSc (CS) programs as well.

“Going forward, we will ensure of maintaining our safety features and a healthy environment for all the students which we already do.”

GEC has been an unvarying runner in providing placement support to our students. We are proud that our students are highly appraised by employers from both the private & public sectors. We consider it to be a primary responsibility to contributing information, counsel, direction & support to the jobseekers. We arrange special personality development classes for girl students and prepare them for campus placements by arranging training in aptitude, group discussions, and give training for Technical & HR interviews through professional trainers. We also conduct regular mock sessions for practice and promote career counseling by organizing guidance lectures by senior corporate personnel for our students.

Throw Some Light On The Faculty That Teaches At GEC And How Does The Faculty Ensure That Students Receive A Well-Balanced Education That Makes Them Theoretically Sound While Also Making Them Industry Ready?
More than 150 academic and research staff, many leaders in their fields with national reputations provide stimulating learning environment and excellent standards of teaching at GEC. Even though it is a self-financing institution, GEC is a well-structured and decentralized organization as well and we have bright brains to train the best. We are proud of our faculty because we possess some of the most talented and dedicated leaders who come from the best institutions around the world. They are not only academically and professionally amongst the best, but also have high principles of moral and ethical standards, which make them ideal role models. Also, GEC benchmarks with the latest teaching methodologies from around the world to train our faculty and we endlessly improve the knowledge and skills of the faculty members in various institutions under its umbrella.

Can You Talk More About The Various Awards Or Recognitions That GEC Has Won Over The Years And What Is The Roadmap Set For The Institution In The Days To Come?
Gandhi Engineering College has received "Best Emerging T School of Odisha" award from Dr Shiv Nadar, Chairman and Founder HCL Technology at Data Quest Digital India Leadership conclave. We were awarded with "Best Engineering College in East India for Industry Interface 2018" for outstanding and exemplary contribution towards Education, Skill development and Research. GEC was also honored with IIC (Institution's Innovation Council) certification from the Ministry of HRD. Apart from this, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has appreciated Gandhi Engineering College for its contribution towards the "Clean- E Bhubaneswar" movement.

Going forward, we will ensure maintaining our safety features and a healthy environment for all the students which we already do. GEC aspires to be a leader in the field of technical education and aims to groom students into responsible, employable and valuable citizens of the Nation. We strive to create an ambience for academic excellence through creative and innovative practices in teaching ­ learning so as to produce the leaders and innovators of tomorrow and we want to continue offering top-notch education to students from all walks of life.

Mr. Manas Ranjan Panda, Vice Chairman, Gandhi Engineering College (GEC)
He has been a cornerstone behind the success and growth of GEC and Mr. Panda aims to develop the institute into an epitome of top-notch education in India.