Value For money college

I mainly chose this course because the college is Autonomous, which allows them to update the syllabus faster than standard university colleges; seeing subjects like Python and Data Science in the early semesters really influenced my decision. The curriculum is decent for getting placed in service-based companies like TCS or Wipro since they focus heavily on the basics and aptitude, though for high-end product roles or research, you have to put in extra effort yourself. I definitely think they need to reduce the theory load and focus more on practical coding because sometimes it feels like we are just writing assignments instead of building things. Also, the junior faculty rely too much on reading from slides, which really needs to change to make classes more engaging. As for exams, it feels like we are always writing them since we have two internals and one end-semester exam per term. They are moderately difficult and the checking is strict, so you can't slack off, but the tight schedule can get quite exhausting.

Internships at Gandhi Engineering College are mostly geared toward gaining practical experience rather than high pay. Most students opt for summer internships at places like CTTC Bhubaneswar, NALCO, or BSNL to fulfill their degree requirements. While these core internships are generally unpaid, they provide valuable hands-on training in areas like industrial automation or power systems. For IT students, companies like TCS and Wipro offer internship-cum-placement roles where stipends can range from ?10,000 to ?15,000 per month if you perform well. Common projects include building library management systems or basic web applications using Java and Python. These projects are great for the resume and often lead to full-time job offers during the final year placement drives.

Honestly, for General category students, it’s a bit on the higher side compared to government colleges but standard for private ones in Bhubaneswar. 1st Year: I paid around ?1,15,000. 2nd - 4th Year: It drops slightly to about ?1,10,000 per year. Fee Breakdown: The structure is a bit cluttered. The main Tuition Fee is about ?90,000. Admission Fee: ?10,000 (One time). Caution Money: ?5,000 (Refundable after 4 years, hopefully!). Registration/Exam Fees: ?2,500 per semester. Development & Lab Fees: Included in the yearly total, roughly ?15,000 combined. Uniform/Blazer: Charged separately in the first year, approx ?6,000. Fees for Batchmates (Other Categories): SC/ST Students: My friends in these categories pay almost nothing from their pockets. They have to pay the initial admission fees (around ?25k-30k), but they get almost the entire amount back through state scholarships. TFW (Tuition Fee Waiver): If you get in through the TFW quota, you only pay the development and exam fees, so their yearly cost is just around ?30,000 - ?40,000. Scholarships The college has a cell to help with these, mainly: Prerana Scholarship: This is the big one for SC/ST/OBC students from Odisha. e-Medhabrutti: This is purely merit-based for Odisha students (approx ?10k/year). e-Kalyan: A lot of my batchmates from Jharkhand use this.

The main event everyone waits for is the "GEC Fest," our annual cultural fest usually held in February or March. It’s the one time the strict rules relax a bit, and we have DJ nights and star performances. There’s also a technical fest around the same time with coding competitions and robotics, but honestly, the cultural one is way more hyped. The library is actually one of the best facilities here. They have a "Book Bank" system where they issue you all the necessary textbooks for the entire semester, so you don't have to spend a penny buying books. They also have a good collection of journals and a digital section, though most of us just use it for the free WiFi and reading room during exams. The classrooms are spacious and have projectors and whiteboards, but they aren't air-conditioned—only the labs and seminar halls have AC. The benches are comfortable enough for long lectures, but in summer, the non-AC classrooms can get really stuffy. Sports facilities are decent if you like cricket or volleyball; those courts are always busy in the evenings. There’s a gym in the hostel, but it’s small and the equipment is a bit old. As for clubs, the Cultural Club (music/dance) and the Coding Club are the most active. We don't have a massive student union or political groups, mostly just small social circles that form around these clubs or your hostel wing.

The hostel facility is quite good, primarily because every room comes with an attached washroom, which is much better than the common bathrooms in most colleges. You can choose between 2, 3, or 4-sharing rooms, and each student gets a bed, study table, chair, and wardrobe. The rooms are non-AC but well-ventilated, and there is 24/7 electricity and water. The mess provides three meals a day, including both veg and non-veg options. Lunch is generally decent—we get chicken or egg about 3-4 times a week—but dinner can be a bit repetitive or oily. Registration is simple and done during admission; the annual fee is roughly ?45,000 to ?75,000 depending on the room type, which is quite affordable. If you prefer staying outside, there are plenty of PGs in the Janla or Tamando area costing around ?3,000–?5,000 per month, but keep in mind that the local area is a bit isolated at night.

My decision really came down to ROI and getting the CSE branch specifically. I tried for top government colleges like OUTR and VSSUT, but my JEE rank wasn't high enough for Computer Science there. I actually got Electrical at C.V. Raman, but I was determined to study CS, and private universities like KIIT were way out of my budget. It eventually came down to GEC vs. GITA. I picked GEC because the fees were slightly lower and the hostels are much better since we get attached washrooms. The admission process was super smooth; I applied through OJEE counseling based on my JEE Main rank, and once the seat was allotted, I just went to campus for document verification. They also have management seats if your rank is lower, so getting in isn't too stressful.

The faculty-to-student ratio is decent, around 1:20, and the teachers are generally approachable, especially thanks to the Proctorial system where they mentor us personally. My favorite has to be Dr. Tarini Prasad Panigrahi; even though he is the HOD and strict, his knowledge is top-notch. Sunil Sir is also great because he simplifies coding, and Prof. Manoj Kumar Sahu is very helpful during labs. On the flip side, I wasn't a fan of some of the newer junior faculty members who mostly just read off the slides and get defensive if you ask questions outside the syllabus. Since the college is autonomous, we have two internal exams and one end-semester exam. They are moderately difficult, so you can't just study overnight and expect to clear them; strict checking means around 10-15% of students do get backlogs in tough subjects like Maths. However, the curriculum is actually quite relevant with subjects like Python and AI introduced early, which really helps for placements.

For B.Tech admission at GEC, I didn't have to face any Group Discussion (GD), personal interview, or written test. Unlike many other private colleges, the process here is purely based on your entrance exam rank. The selection happens through OJEE (Odisha Joint Entrance Examination) counseling based on your JEE Main or OJEE rank. As long as you have at least 45% in your 12th boards (Physics and Math compulsory) and a valid rank, you are eligible for a seat. Since there were no internal rounds, all my preparation was focused on JEE Main. Once I was allotted a seat through the OJEE portal, the final step was just visiting the campus for document verification and fee payment. It was a very simple and stress-free experience.

Nightlife is pretty quiet because the college is strict. The gates close at 6:00 PM for boys and 5:30 PM for girls, and you have to be in your hostel by 8:00 PM for attendance. Because of this, most hanging out happens at the Coffee Corner inside the campus or at the sports courts after classes. The Gym and Cafeteria usually close around dinner time (9:00 PM), while the Library stays open for evening study. For weekend fun, we head out to Khandagiri or Patia in the city, as the local area around Janla is mostly an industrial highway and isn't very safe or exciting to roam around at night. Overall, the social life is mostly about late-night chats in hostel rooms rather than going out.