ACE&AR Experience

I had a good experience with college. If one is serious about the studies, this college would provide a suitable academic environment. Although placements in biotech companies were an issue, but I think this issue is not college-specific, it is a countryw

I took both AIEEE exam and Haryana CET exam in 2003. Don't correctly remember the score and rank. Since biotechnology was a hype that time as the next big thing in India, I choose this course of Biotech Engg. Over others. I choose this college also for the same reason. Admission process took place at Kurukshetra University based upon the ranks achieved. Available seats were displayed in different disciplines of different colleges on the screen. When a candidate turn would come to opt for a seat, he/she had to take a seat from the available seats shown on the screen.

Course curriculum was systematic and we had a broad range of courses in the discipline of Biotechnology. Along with theory, practical sessions were very useful. The academic curriculum at this college was of high quality. The following were some of the courses I remember: Microbiology Cell biology Recombinant DNA technology Fermentation technology Genetics Intellectual property rights Biochemistry Chemistry Plant biotechnology

I did internship twice. The first internship, I did in Punjab Agricultural university after my second year. The next one I did in Tulip Biochemicals in Verna, Goa. Some internships were arranged by the college. For example, Dr. Reddy's lab used to take students for summer internship. But most of the internships were arranged by students' on their own. Most of the students were offered low or no stipend for the internship as far as I remember.

The placements were not very good as only a limited number of companies came to campus for placements in biotech companies. We had Dr. Reddy Labs visiting to campus for placements. Then some students were sent to Bioexcel market research firms based in Gurgaon for interviews out of which 3 got the job there. Most of the remaining batch sat for off-campus placement drives at various other colleges and got IT jobs. Dr. Reddy offered around 3.5 lakhs as the starting salary, as far as I remember.

The college did not have any official cultural festival. Occasionally, the college used to host Spicmacay events, the frequency used to be twice a year, as far as I remember. Yes, college used to conduct a technical festival. Biotech department used to conduct a technical event every year, e.g. biotechnology symposium was hosted where industry speakers from the biotechnology area were invited.

The fees for each semester used to be close to Rs. 40,000/- excluding hostel and food charges. Since I was a day scholar, I used college bus facilities for transportation which was around Rs. 6,000 per semester. Those who were living in the hostels were paying close to 20,000 rupees as hostel fees, yearly (as far as I remember) and close to Rs. 20,000 as the mess fees.

I did not take any loan through the college facilitated loan scheme. I, also, do not know whether the college provided such a scheme. Yes, scholarships used to be there. But I don't have much information about this.

Lab activities, especially in biotech labs were interesting and involving. Labs gave us a good practical learning experience. Sports activities were mainly dominated by cricket, and every year, the college used to have a sports week. About Gender Ratios, men were more than women, but the ratio was not highly skewed. Tolerance was not an issue as the students and teachers never did any discrimination, in my knowledge.

I was a day scholar and had only a little experience of the college hostel. The rooms were small and the food was okay to eat. Outside the college, there was no availability of rental rooms/house/flats as the college is located outside the city.

The college has started to build an alumni network through the efforts of some senior alumni, but it seems to be in in the initial stages or has not materialized well.

The faculty was very helpful and knowledgeable. Most of the faculty was held PhDs degree from good institutes in India. We had Prof. Goethe as the HOD of Biotech department. He was a PhD, I think, from Punjab university. Likewise, we had Prof. Sushma, who