Chandigarh: PEC’s AI course an instant hit

The recently introduced BTech honours course of computer science engineering (artificial intelligence), started for the 2023-2024 session, has emerged as the most sought-after course in Punjab Engineering College (PEC). As per the first round of seat allocation through the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA), the AI course has the lowest closing rank, at 9,240, for students from outside the Union territory.

Seat allocation at the institute is done on the basis of students’ ranks in Joint Entrance Examination, Main, conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA). The closing rank denotes the cutoff rank of a candidate for them to be able to apply to the course. For students from the UT, the computer science engineering course is more favoured, with a closing rank of 15,366, as compared to 17,499 for the AI course.

Bachelors course in computer science and engineering, with a closing rank of 10,519, is the second most popular for students from outside UT.

PEC director Baldev Setia said, “Artificial intelligence is the next big thing and it is only natural that students want to study it. Even now, so much in our lives is seeing the influence of AI.”

Similarly, the new electronics engineering (VLSI design and technology) course is more popular, with a closing rank of 19,746, as compared to traditional electrical engineering, that has a closing rank of 24,581.

Setia added that the design course deals with semiconductors. “Although India is doing a lot of research in semiconductors, we are lacking in manufacturing. This has started to increase now and those who study this course will benefit from it,” he said.

As of the first round, metallurgical and materials engineering is the least sought-after course with a closing rank of 47,423 for students from other states and 74,056 for home state.

Out of the total of six rounds, the second round for seat allocation is scheduled for July 6. A total of 850 seats are in the fray.