Educational and Research Hub

Three reputed colleges, College of Engineering, Pune, Sir Parashurambhau College and Fergusson College, have been located in Pune since the late 1800s. The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, world-renowned for research and instruction in the Sanskrit and Prakrit languages --it currently houses more than 20,000 ancient manuscripts-- was established in 1917. The SNDT University for Women was established in 1916. Soon after Indian independence in 1947, the University of Pune, the National Defence Academy and National Chemical Laboratory were established. The number of institutions for higher education have multiplied in Pune since thenCollege of Engineering, Pune (COEP) is an engineering college in Pune, India. Established in 1854, it is the third oldest engineering college in Asia, and is a premier technical institution outside of the IITs.[POV] It is located in Pune (formerly Poona), Maharashtra. The students and alumni of COEP are colloquially referred to as COEPians.In 2004, the institute was granted complete autonomy by the state government, and declared a center for excellence in technical education.[citation needed] The institute now is an autonomous engineering school with permanent affiliation to the University of Pune.The college's study model referred to in the early 1950s as the 'Poona Model' is highly respected by the industry and public works. The institute contends that its autonomy now grants it greater flexibility in dynamically changing its syllabus to suit the changing needs of the industry.COEP has an enviable location, at the confluence of two rivers, the Mula and the Mutha. The beautiful campus with buildings that are over a century old and the old cafe on the banks of the rivers manage to conceal the tremendous urban sprawl around the college.Fergusson College (FC) is one of the well known colleges in India and is situated in the western city of Pune. Consistently ranked among the top 10 colleges of the country, FC has a huge legacy behind its name. Built in 1885, the college was named after its first patron, Sir James Fergusson, the then governor of Bombay province who donated a then princely sum of Rs 1,200. The college is now under the jurisdiction of University of Pune.The college is the second oldest college in Pune (after the College of Engineering, Pune) and is the first Science and Fine Arts college in Pune. Apart from its renowned Bsc courses, today Fergusson College is also regarded as one of the foremost institutions offering BA degrees in Economics, Mathematics and Psychology among other specialized subjects. Because of the college's beginning before the urban sprawl of Pune began, the College boasts of a beautiful tree-lined campus with smooth rolling hills in the background.The University of Pune (formerly the University of Poona), located in northwestern Pune, is one of India's premier universites. It was established on February 10, 1949. Spread over a sprawling 400 acre (1.6 km²) campus, the university is home to 46 academic departments.The University of Pune was established under the Poona University Act, passed by the Bombay legislature on February 10, 1948. In the same year, Dr. M.R. Jayakar assumed office as the first vice chancellor of the university. Shri B.G. Kher, Chief Minister and Education Minister of the government of Bombay, helped ensure the university received a large allocation of land for their campus. In early 1950, the university was allocated over 411 acres (1.7 km²).The National Defence Academy of India located in Khadakwasla, Pune, is a joint services academy where cadets of the three wings Army, Navy and Air Force are trained together before they go for their pre-commission training to their respective academies. It covers an area of roughly 8300 acres