President Murmu to be chief guest at PEC’s convocation on October 9

As many as 669 BTech, 168 MTech and 34 PhD degrees will be awarded during PEC’s convocation, which is being held after a two-year Covid-induced hiatus

President Droupadi Murmu, who will be on her two-day maiden visit to Chandigarh from October 8, will also be the chief guest at the annual convocation of the Punjab Engineering College (PEC) on October 9.

During her two-day maiden visit to Chandigarh, President Droupadi Murmu will also attend PEC’s annual convocation on October 9. (ANI)

As many as 669 BTech, 168 MTech and 34 PhD degrees will be awarded during the convocation, which is being held after a two-year Covid-induced hiatus. However, students’ parents will not be allowed to attend the ceremony.

PEC officials said a pandal will be set up in the football ground, with a seating capacity of around 1,000 people: “Under these circumstances, allowing parents is not possible.”

PEC director Baldev Setia said, “The institute is privileged that the President is coming to the convocation. This will also be the closing ceremony for PEC’s centenary year celebrations.”

This year, the graduating students will ditch the western graduation robes in favour of traditional Indian attire – a first at any city college.

Traditional Indian attire will be the official dress code for all students, faculty and dignitaries. For male students, the approved dress code is cotton off-white or white kurtas and churidar pyjamas.

The female students, meanwhile, will don cotton off-white or white kurta-churidar or saris.

The dress code also includes sashes for both male and female students, and turban matching the sash colour for Sikh students. While PhD scholars will put on red sashes with contrasting logos, the MTech and BTech graduates will be seen in green and orange sashes.

The new dress code for the dignitaries includes maroon-coloured Nehru jacket and beige sashes, with embroidered centenary logo on one side and the PEC logo on the other.

The faculty will don similar Nehru jackets and sashes; the male members will combine the same with cream-coloured kurta pyjamas and maroon turbans for Sikhs, while the female faculty will wear cream kurta-salwar or sari.