Panjab University

Panjab University (PU) is a public state university located in Chandigarh, India. It was established in 1882 as the University of the Punjab in Lahore, which is now in Pakistan. After the partition of India in 1947, the university was split into two, and the Indian part was relocated to Chandigarh in 1956¹. The university is funded by both the state and the union governments, and is considered a state university².

PU offers a range of courses in engineering, management, science, arts, and other disciplines. It has 74 teaching and research departments and 15 centres and chairs on its main campus, which covers an area of 550 acres³. It also has 202 affiliated colleges spread over Punjab and one rural regional centre at Kauni, and three regional centres at Muktsar, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur⁴. It also has six constituent colleges located in Sikhwala, Balachaur, Nihalsingh Wala, Dharamkot, Mokham Khan Wala and Guru Harsahai⁵.

The admission to PU is based on entrance tests conducted by the university or other agencies, such as BITSAT, JEE Main, GATE, CAT/XAT/GMAT, etc. Some of the popular entrance tests are PU-CET (for undergraduate courses), PU-MET (for MBA programmes), PU-LLB (for law courses), PU-LEET (for lateral entry to engineering courses), etc. The university also offers online courses through its Centre for Online Learning.

PU is known for its academic excellence and innovation. It has a strong faculty base with many eminent professors and researchers. It also has well-equipped laboratories and workshops with state-of-the-art facilities. The students of PU are exposed to practical learning through projects, internships, industry visits, etc. PU also has a vibrant campus life with various cultural and sports activities. The alumni of PU have made significant contributions to various fields and sectors in India and abroad.

Some of the notable achievements and features of PU are:

- It has been accredited 'A++' Grade by NAAC in 2015 (in first cycle) and ISO 14001:2015 certified.
- It is one of the first six institutes in India to be granted Institute of Eminence status by the Government of India in 2018.
- It has been ranked among the top universities in India by various surveys and publications .
- It was the first technical institution to establish a Department of Space Engineering & Rocketry way back in 1964.
- It was the first to establish static rocket test firing facility.
- It was the first to offer P.G. programmes in association with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
- It initiated the concept of Science & Technology Entrepreneurs Park (BIT-STEP) well before it was adopted as a national model.
- It was the first institution to be granted autonomous status in 1972 under UGC Act.