Higher and Technical Education Minister of Maharashtra Chandrakant Patil on Thursday said that the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has set in motion plans to establish an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Maharashtra and has earmarked one of its centres for the College of Engineering Pune (COEP).
Patil emphasized the need for COEP to prioritize research and leave a lasting impression on decision-makers to secure this coveted IIT centre. He expressed concerns about the perceived sluggishness and stagnation in COEP's progress and research endeavours, urging the institution to swiftly adapt to the dynamic educational landscape. "Private educational institutions are vigorously investing in cutting-edge facilities, making it imperative for COEP to rise to the occasion," he added.
He was speaking at the event where ‘COEP Abhiman Awards’ were distributed on Engineer's Day by the Alumni Association of the COEP Technological University. The event was attended by notable figures, including Vice-Chancellor of COEP Technological University, Professor SD Agashe; Chairman of the Board of Governance, Pramod Chaudhary; Honorary Secretary, Dr Sujit Pardeshi; and President of the College of Engineering Pune Alumni Association, Bharat Gite. This marks the 31st year of the award ceremony.
COEP Abhiman Award
The ‘COEP Abhiman Award’ recipients this year included distinguished individuals like IPS Vivek Phansalkar, the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai; Arun Kudale, technocrat entrepreneur, educationist and social worker; Chetan Dharia, founder and MD of Anant Defence Systems Pvt Ltd; Ravi Bhatkal, MD, India Element Solutions Inc and Cookson India Pvt. Ltd; Vijay Patel, scientist, Aeronautical Development Agency Bengaluru, and Ashish Achlerkar, founder and CEO of Near U Services, US. Additionally, high-achieving BTech and MTech students were also honoured.
Ashish Achalerkar, founder and CEO of Near U Services in the US, donated Rs. 10 crores during the event. A souvenir from the College of Engineering Pune Alumni Association was also unveiled.
Patil emphasized the shift from the British-created education system in India to the Modi government's National Education Policy. "This new policy places a strong emphasis on research, patents, and royalties, alongside technical skills. It promotes value-based education in regional languages and has enabled India to develop vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, supplying them to over 60 countries," he added.
In response to the award, Mumbai Police Commissioner IPS Vivek Phansalkar expressed pride in COEP's achievements and stressed the importance of preserving the college's original name, COEP, regardless of any changes in its autonomy at the government level.
