Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology
Encyclopedia
Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...

, also referred to as NIT, Nagpur, is a premier engineering college in central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. The college was established in June 1960 and named in honor of engineer, planner and statesman, Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...

 Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.

VNIT, formerly known as the Visvesvaraya Regional College of Engineering (VRCE), was established by the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra. The Parliament of India
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...

 conferred the National Institute of Technology status on the college in 2002, and granted it Institute of National Importance
Institute of National Importance
An Institute of National Importance, in India is defined as one which serves as a pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel within the specified region of the country/state. Institutes on the list are usually supported by the Government of India...

 status in 2007.

History

The college was established as the Regional College of Engineering, Nagpur in 1960, under an education program of the Government of India. The State College of Engineering, established in 1956 by the Maharashtra Government in the city, was merged with the college.

The first academic session at RCE started in June 1960, with classes temporarily being held at the Government Polytechnic, Nagpur
Government Polytechnic, Nagpur
-Government Polytechnic, Nagpur:An autonomous institute of government of MaharashtraThe Government Polytechnic, Nagpur which was earlier known as Govt. Engineering School was founded on the 14th July, 1914. At its commencement the school had 16 students on roll and was located in the Victoria...

. Subsequently, the Maharashtra Government granted 212 acres (85.8 ha) to the college for building its campus.

In 1962, the Board of Governors of the college resolved to name the college for Sir Visvesvaraya.

In 2002, the college was conferred the National Institute of Technology status, and renamed as VNIT. In 2007, it was conferred its status as an Institute of National Importance. VNIT faculty and staff will mentor the newly established National Institute of Technology, Mizoram during the academic year 2010-2011.

Campus

The institute is located in the western part of the city near Ambazari Lake, about 8 km from Nagpur Railway Station
Nagpur Railway Station
Nagpur Railway Station is a railway station in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.The Nagpur railways constitute a very significant part of the transport and communication system in the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra. Many people from the rest of the country and abroad, visit the city of Nagpur to spend a...

 and 15 km from Nagpur Airport. The three main entrances to the 214 acre campus are the Main Gate on South Ambazari Road, the Bajaj Nagar Gate and the Yashwantnagar Gate.

The campus has abundant greenery. Most students live on the campus, which has over 10 men's hostels and 3 women's hostels. On-campus housing for faculty is also available as an option. The campus is fully networked using fiber optic cables.

The institute's library houses over 150,000 books, in addition to thousands of journals and periodicals. A digital library subscribes and provides students, researchers and staff access to hundreds of additional electronic journals and technology related websites.

The campus health-care center caters to primary and urgent care requirements of students and staff. The campus has facilities for auditoriums, a computer center, sporting facilities, a State Bank of India
State Bank of India
The State Bank of India is the largest Indian banking and financial services company with its headquarters in Mumbai, India. It is state-owned. The bank traces its ancestry to British India, through the Imperial Bank of India, to the founding in 1806 of the Bank of Calcutta, making it the oldest...

 branch, cafes, coffee shops, a co-op store and a post office.

Chandrama is an on-campus cafe open all night and popular among VNIT's resident students. Open since 1978, it is the most popular hangout spot for the nocturnal creatures at VNIT, and is particularly crowded during exam season. India Coffee House operates another popular on-campus cafe. Workshop Tapri is the informal name for a popular tea and coffee shop near the Mechanical Workshop on the campus. However it has been replaced by students with a nearby tapri called Deepak and doctor tapri Near the abhayankar nagar gate.

Administration

As an institute with university status, VNIT operates with complete autonomy in financial, academic and administrative matters. The institute's Board of Governors manages the institute. The board has representatives from the Government of India, Government of Maharashtra, All India Council for Technical Education
All India Council for Technical Education
The All India Council for Technical Education is the statutory body and a national-level council for technical education, under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development...

, University Grants Commission
University Grants Commission (India)
The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory organisation set up by Union government in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition for universities in India, and provides funds for government-recognised...

, the institute's faculty and illustrious Indian scientists or technologists.

The Student Council, composed of elected student representatives, plays an active role in various student affairs such as Academics, Training & Placement, Technical Affairs, Sports and Cultural Activities.

Academics

The institute has 14 academic departments, with over 30 specialized laboratories and research centers.
  • Applied Chemistry
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Applied Mechanics
  • Applied Physics
  • Architecture and Planning
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Science and Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronics Engineering
  • Humanities
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
  • Mining Engineering


Undergraduate programs are offered in Architecture and the 8 Engineering disciplines. The Engineering programs are usually of 4-year duration, while Architecture has a 5-year program. VNIT accepts an incoming freshman class size of up to 738 students.

Graduate and research programs, leading to Master's and Ph.D. degrees, are offered by the Architecture and all the Engineering departments, except Mining Engineering. A range of special fields of study are available in graduate and research programs in each discipline. The institute is very soon going to offer Aeronautical Engineering and upto 350 students are admitted to the Master's program each year.

The institute uses relative grading on a 10-point scale.

Admissions

Admissions to the undergraduate course is through the All India Engineering Entrance Exam.

80% of students to the post-graduate programs are admitted based on performance in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an examination administered and conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institutes of Technologies on behalf of the National Coordination Board – GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development ,...

. These students receive stipends and tuition assistance from the institute and the Indian Government. Another 20% of students are admitted based on industry or other research organization sponsorship, with full tuition typically paid by the sponsoring institution.

Student life

VNIT offers students opportunities to pursue a range of interests. The National Cadet Corps
National Cadet Corps (India)
The National Cadet Corps is the Indian military cadet corps with its Headquarters at New Delhi. It is open to school and college students on voluntary basis....

 and National Service Scheme
National Service Scheme
National Service Scheme ' is an Indian government-sponsored program under the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. It was started in 1969.-History:...

 are national organizations with active student participation.

VNIT hosts an active chapter of SPIC MACAY
SPIC MACAY
The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth, often known by its initials , is not just a non-profit organization which promotes Indian classical music, Indian classical dance, and other aspects of Indian culture, it is a movement with chapters in over 300 towns...

, which promotes classical Indian music, dance and culture. Hamsdhwani is a student Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...

 group. A number of amateur rock bands and music groups are formed at VNIT and perform at local events. Past popular bands have included Drakshya, Glasnost, Morphine, Rust, Saints of Metal and Vighn.

Other popular student clubs include:
  • IEEE Students' Chapter holds workshops, guest lectures and seminars year-round
  • Quiz Pro Co., a quiz enthusiasts club
  • Thalassemia Awareness Society
  • Club Capture, a photography club
  • ACM Student Chapter
  • Robo Bank, a robotics club that provides financing, technical support and component inventory for building robots
  • Prayaas


The student clubs host a number of annual fests or events, inviting participants from similar clubs across the region or the nation, including:
  • Axis
    Axis (Science Festival)
    AXIS is a national-level technical festival held at the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology in Nagpur, India. One of the largest technical festivals in India, the festival is organized annually at the end of September...

    , a science and technology fest
  • Aarohi
    Aarohi
    Aarohi is the annual youth festival of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, India.It is organised every year during winter in February. Students from undergraduate institutes in the city take part in many of the events organised....

    , a music and cultural festival
    Culfest
    A culfest or cultfest is an annual event organized by colleges in India.-General format:Most college culfests last from two to five days...

  • Consortium
    Consortium (VNIT)
    CONSORTIUM, an initiative by the students and E-CELL of VNIT Nagpur, is the business and management festival of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, India. It is an annual extravaganza which takes place in mid January every year. Initiated in 2010, Consortium is one of the very...

    , an entrepreneurship
    Entrepreneurship
    Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...

     and business management event
  • QuizFest, an annual quizzing event


A gymnasium and various sports facilities are available on the campus. VNIT Sports Fest (VSF) is an annual, multi-event sports competition for students. College teams also participate in regional championships in a number of sports.

Alumni

VNIT has an active alumni network, with chapters across India, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

.

Notable alumni

Alumni occupy a number of senior executive positions in India and abroad. Some notable alumni of the institute include:
  • Prof. Samir Barua
    Samir Barua
    Professor Samir Kumar Barua is the 10th director of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and succeeds Bakul Dholakia as head of India's premiere management research institution....

    , Director, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
  • Pradeep Kar
    Pradeep Kar
    Pradeep Kar is an Indian businessman is chairman and managing director of a company which he founded in 1989. Microland is one of India’s leading providers of outsourced infrastructure management and technical support services, employing more than 1,600 staff. Pradeep Kar is the 2006 President of...

    , Chairman and Founder of Microland
    Microland
    Microland is an IT infrastructure services provider, offering services across Infrastructure Management, Infrastructure Modernization, Process Maturity Services, Assurance and Compliance, Technical Support, Cloud Computing, Virtualization, Collaboration and Mobility....

  • Hemant Karkare
    Hemant Karkare
    Hemant Karkare was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad. He was killed during the 2008 Mumbai attacks after being shot three times in the chest...

    , Late chief of Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad
  • Dinesh Keskar
    Dinesh Keskar
    Dr. Dinesh Keskar is President of Boeing India and VP of Boeing International Trading. In his role, he is responsible for marketing all types of aircraft, owned by Boeing, to customers worldwide. Additionally, he was in charge of commercial airplanes sales activities in India.-Education:Dr...

    , President, Boeing India
  • Satyendra Pakhale
    Satyendra Pakhale
    Satyendra Pakhale , Industrial designer. Popularly known as “Satyen Pakhale”.-Early life:Pakhalé studied Mechanical engineering at VNIT, Nagpur...

    , notable Indian Industrial Designer
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