Latest news with #PCCOE
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Students' AI project aimed at preserving Marathi literature
PUNE: In a remarkable initiative blending artificial intelligence (AI) and regional heritage, four final-year computer engineering students from the Pimpri-Chinchwad College of Engineering (PCCOE) have developed 'Marathi Bhasha Vishwa', an innovative AI project aimed at preserving and promoting the Marathi language. The project features two unique systems namely 'Marathi Tiny Stories' and 'Sant Sahitya AI' that marry the power of small language models (SLMs) with the richness of Marathi literature. About the motivation behind the project, student Anish Joshi, said, 'We realised that while there is a lot of focus on AI for global languages, regional languages like Marathi are often ignored. With this project, we wanted to ensure our language finds a voice in the digital world too.' The 'Marathi Tiny Stories' system uses a fine-tuned BLOOM-560M model to generate short, culturally aligned stories in Marathi for children that are ideal for rural schools and digital classrooms with limited infrastructure. The stories are created using carefully designed prompts and include titles, dialogues, and morals in simple language appropriate for children aged three to five years. Aryan Sagavekar, who worked on the story dataset generation, noted, 'We designed each story to be emotionally resonant and educational. It was important to us that the stories reflect Marathi culture and also instil values in children.' The second system, 'Sant Sahitya AI' is designed for philosophical interpretation. Users can upload texts from saints like Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram and the system provides explanations and insights into the tone and literary style of the original works. Guruprasad Pathak, who worked on this module, explained, 'Sant literature is deep and often hard to interpret. With AI, we created a way for modern readers to understand the essence of this literature without losing its poetic soul.' The team ensured that the models were optimised for low-resource environments, employing techniques like prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and creative dataset design. The models can run on mobile devices or basic computers, making them accessible across urban and rural regions. Anish Joshirao, summarising the team's vision, shared, 'This is more than just a project. It is a tribute to our language. We hope it inspires others to build similar tools for regional languages across India.' The team attributed their success to the guidance of their mentor, professor Rachana Patil, head of the computer engineering (regional language) department and support from the PCCOE's department of computer engineering. According to the students, future work may include voice interfaces, story visualisations, and expanding the platform to other Indian languages. This student-led project stands out as a shining example of how technology can empower cultural preservation, proving that AI, when applied thoughtfully, can become a powerful force for linguistic inclusivity and heritage education. About this project, professor Patil said, 'This project is a beautiful confluence of technology and tradition. What impressed me the most was the students' sensitivity toward cultural heritage and their commitment to using AI not just as a tool, but as a bridge to connect generations. 'Marathi Bhasha Vishwa' goes beyond coding and algorithms; it reflects a deep understanding of language, ethics, and accessibility. The students were incredibly dedicated, from curating culturally authentic datasets to ensuring that the models run smoothly even on low-end devices. As a mentor, seeing them apply advanced AI techniques to preserve and democratise Marathi literature has been truly fulfilling. I believe this project sets a benchmark for how regional languages can find meaningful space in the AI ecosystem.'
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
1st batch of engg grads tutored in Marathi join the workforce
PUNE: Sufiya Sayyad, 22, is the first from her village Belwadi, in Pune district's Indapur taluka, to become a computer engineer; she is in fact the first learner from her village. Her father Mahamad Sayyad is a farm labourer who brings home between ₹300- ₹400 on good days, while her mother is a homemaker. Her classmate Vaibhav Indure, 23, is the son of a farmer, Ganesh Indure, from Shahajanpur village, in Beed district. While Sufiya's parents took a loan of ₹4 lakh to put her through engineering college, Vaibhav joined his college's earn-and-learn scheme, which he says 'not only helped him make productive use of free hours but also earn an hourly pay' to fund his tuition. Sufiya, Vaibhav and 64 others are the first batch of students, who having emerged from Marathi medium or semi-English medium state and zilla parishad schools, received their degrees from the Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering (PCCOE) yesterday – their social advancement an academic milestone from the college's Computer Engineering (Regional Language) Department that tutored students in Marathi, marking a major achievement in the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Forty of the 66 graduates have found tech jobs through campus placements, with salaries between ₹5 to 10 lakh per annum – 'way beyond our dreams,' said one -- dispelling all scepticism about the employability of regional language-trained engineers. PCCOE was among 14 institutions across India to receive approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in 2021 to offer undergraduate engineering programmes in vernacular languages. It is the only institution in Maharashtra that was granted permission to initiate such a programme, to make technical education more inclusive. How the programme started 'Before the programme formally began, we conducted a pilot project on diploma students, teaching them core engineering subjects in Marathi for two weeks. The initiative included assessments and feedback,' said Rachana Patil, head of the Computer Engineering (Regional Language) Department. 'Most students appreciated the effort and found it beneficial, although they requested that the core textbooks remain in English.' Armed with insights from this pilot, the institute launched the in Marathi programme in July 2021, admitting 66 students through the state's Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell – the cut off for the course was above 96 per cent that year, which has now gone up to 98 per cent. The first batch included 51 boys and 15 girls from 20 districts across Maharashtra (who had a rudimentary knowledge of English), reflecting the wide reach and demand for such an initiative. At least 50 students are first generation learners emerging from the state's tribal belts, such as Chandrapur, and tribal parts of Nashik, Buldhana and Akola. 'A dedicated team of nine faculty members was appointed to teach this batch, and a detailed curriculum delivery strategy was drawn up. Initially, the team aimed to translate the entire syllabus into Marathi, but due to technical limitations and terminological challenges, they adopted a blended approach,' said Patil. Early challenges The admissions were not without challenges either: as this was the first-ever regional language engineering course in the state, families feared their children might face discrimination and lack of opportunities in the job market. Counselling and assurance of industry interaction and internships integrated into the curriculum, quelled their doubts. 'Their faith has now been rewarded, evidenced by over 60 per cent placements in the first batch from well-known start-ups and established companies,' added Patil. Sujata Kolhe, associate dean (academics), said offering conceptual clarity was key for the faculty. 'We realised that a full translation was not feasible due to the lack of equivalent terminology in Marathi for many technical terms. So, we decided to teach in Marathi while retaining the textbooks and core materials in English,' said Kolhe. It fell upon the instructors to simplify complex subjects explaining them in the mother tongue, all the while encouraging students to refer to English textbooks for industry-standard knowledge. 'The dual-medium approach helped students gain a deeper understanding without being overwhelmed by language barriers,' she added. Examinations were also conducted in a blended format, where students were allowed to write in both languages together. 'The endeavour was to offer them flexibility without compromising on academic rigour,' Kolhe added. First stepping stone Internships from the third year onwards allowed students hands-on experience about interactions in the real world, with mentors focussing on personality development, interview preparation and soft skills, helping students from the special batch gain confidence to compete with their English-speaking peers. 'We ensured they felt no less than any other graduate,' shared an alumni volunteer. Prajakta Maratkar, from Chandrapur district, shared her journey saying, 'My father is a state government employee; we are used to speaking and thinking in Marathi which filled me with anxiety when I went to college. But, over time, the faculty's support and teaching methods helped me, and others like me, not just survive but also succeed.' Her classmate Gauri Nimje from Yavatmal district, echoed similar sentiments, 'I come from a family of small farmers; my primary goal was to get a good job to support my family financially. We were apprehensive initially about how we would be treated in the industry. But during internships and interviews, we realized that what mattered were was our skills, not the language we studied in.' Prathamesh Theurkar, from Pimpri Chinchwad, who bagged the highest salary package of ₹10 lakh per annum, said, 'Studying in Marathi actually helped me grasp difficult concepts more easily. Equally helpful was the blend of languages in the exams and during interviews, as it allowed us to express our understanding clearly.' Dr Govind Kulkarni, director of PCCOE, termed this endeavour 'a landmark event in the landscape of Indian technical education'. 'Today, as we witness our first batch of graduates with outstanding placement records and industry recognition, it reaffirms our belief that regional language can be a powerful medium for technical excellence,' he said. Ashish Gawali, founder and CEO of ATX Labs, based in upscale Baner, Pune, said he was apprehensive when one of the students, Guruprasad Pathak, joined the company for an internship. 'We were curious how his background would amalgamate with a fast-paced tech environment. However, within weeks it became clear that he had both the technical depth and the right attitude we look for in our team members. Guruprasad quickly stood out with clarity of concepts, eagerness to learn, and ability to apply knowledge in practical product development. We gave him a key responsibility on one of our flagship products, and he handled it with professionalism, insight, and maturity well beyond his years. Naturally, when it was time to expand our team, hiring him full-time was an easy decision,' said Gawali. Moment of pride On Saturday, some of the parents gathered at the campus to celebrate their children's successes. A beaming Ganesh Sunderrav Indure, Vaibhav's father, said: 'He is the first in our family who has pursued degree-level education. He had the spark and we let him pursue his interest. All subsequent decisions were taken by him independently.' Vaibhav, who was placed at Encora, an information technology (IT) company, said, 'Every hour I worked as part of the Earn and Learn scheme was a lifeline – it made me disciplined and every subject I studied brought me closer to my dream. My journey proves that with hard work and the right opportunities, anything is possible.' Mahammad Sayyad, Sufiya's father, recalled how his daughter would study under a single dim light 'not ever complaining'. 'I work on someone else's land and barely earn enough to make ends meet. She made every rupee of the loan we took count,' he said. 'There were days when even affording a bus pass felt like a luxury, but I never let my circumstances define my future. Every semester I topped was a silent answer to every doubt and struggle we faced. Completing my engineering degree is not just my achievement, it's a victory for every girl in my village who dares to dream,' said Sufiya.
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Engineering change with mother tongue
Sufiya Sayyad, 22, is the first from her village Belwadi, in Pune district's Indapur taluka, to become a computer engineer; she is in fact the first learner from her village. Her father Mahamad Sayyad is a farm labourer who brings home between ₹300- ₹400 on good days, while her mother is a homemaker. Her classmate Vaibhav Indure, 23, is the son of a farmer, Ganesh Indure, from Shahajanpur village, in Beed district. While Sufiya's parents took a loan of ₹4 lakh to put her through engineering college, Vaibhav joined his college's earn-and-learn scheme, which he says 'not only helped him make productive use of free hours but also earn an hourly pay' to fund his tuition. Sufiya, Vaibhav and 64 others are the first batch of students, who having emerged from Marathi medium or semi-English medium state and zilla parishad schools, received their degrees from the Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering (PCCOE) yesterday – their social advancement an academic milestone from the college's Computer Engineering (Regional Language) Department that tutored students in Marathi, marking a major achievement in the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Forty of the 66 graduates have found tech jobs through campus placements, with salaries between ₹5 to 10 lakh per annum – 'way beyond our dreams,' said one -- dispelling all scepticism about the employability of regional language-trained engineers. PCCOE was among 14 institutions across India to receive approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in 2021 to offer undergraduate engineering programmes in vernacular languages. It is the only institution in Maharashtra that was granted permission to initiate such a programme, to make technical education more inclusive. How the programme started 'Before the programme formally began, we conducted a pilot project on diploma students, teaching them core engineering subjects in Marathi for two weeks. The initiative included assessments and feedback,' said Rachana Patil, head of the Computer Engineering (Regional Language) Department. 'Most students appreciated the effort and found it beneficial, although they requested that the core textbooks remain in English.' Armed with insights from this pilot, the institute launched the in Marathi programme in July 2021, admitting 66 students through the state's Centralized Entrance Test (CET) Cell – the cut off for the course was above 96 per cent that year, which has now gone up to 98 per cent. The first batch included 51 boys and 15 girls from 20 districts across Maharashtra (who had a rudimentary knowledge of English), reflecting the wide reach and demand for such an initiative. At least 50 students are first generation learners emerging from the state's tribal belts, such as Chandrapur, and tribal parts of Nashik, Buldhana and Akola. 'A dedicated team of nine faculty members was appointed to teach this batch, and a detailed curriculum delivery strategy was drawn up. Initially, the team aimed to translate the entire syllabus into Marathi, but due to technical limitations and terminological challenges, they adopted a blended approach,' said Patil. Early challenges The admissions were not without challenges either: as this was the first-ever regional language engineering course in the state, families feared their children might face discrimination and lack of opportunities in the job market. Counselling and assurance of industry interaction and internships integrated into the curriculum, quelled their doubts. 'Their faith has now been rewarded, evidenced by over 60 per cent placements in the first batch from well-known start-ups and established companies,' added Patil. Sujata Kolhe, associate dean (academics), said offering conceptual clarity was key for the faculty. 'We realised that a full translation was not feasible due to the lack of equivalent terminology in Marathi for many technical terms. So, we decided to teach in Marathi while retaining the textbooks and core materials in English,' said Kolhe. It fell upon the instructors to simplify complex subjects explaining them in the mother tongue, all the while encouraging students to refer to English textbooks for industry-standard knowledge. 'The dual-medium approach helped students gain a deeper understanding without being overwhelmed by language barriers,' she added. Examinations were also conducted in a blended format, where students were allowed to write in both languages together. 'The endeavour was to offer them flexibility without compromising on academic rigour,' Kolhe added. First stepping stone Internships from the third year onwards allowed students hands-on experience about interactions in the real world, with mentors focussing on personality development, interview preparation and soft skills, helping students from the special batch gain confidence to compete with their English-speaking peers. 'We ensured they felt no less than any other graduate,' shared an alumni volunteer. Prajakta Maratkar, from Chandrapur district, shared her journey saying, 'My father is a state government employee; we are used to speaking and thinking in Marathi which filled me with anxiety when I went to college. But, over time, the faculty's support and teaching methods helped me, and others like me, not just survive but also succeed.' Her classmate Gauri Nimje from Yavatmal district, echoed similar sentiments, 'I come from a family of small farmers; my primary goal was to get a good job to support my family financially. We were apprehensive initially about how we would be treated in the industry. But during internships and interviews, we realized that what mattered were was our skills, not the language we studied in.' Prathamesh Theurkar, from Pimpri Chinchwad, who bagged the highest salary package of ₹10 lakh per annum, said, 'Studying in Marathi actually helped me grasp difficult concepts more easily. Equally helpful was the blend of languages in the exams and during interviews, as it allowed us to express our understanding clearly.' Dr Govind Kulkarni, director of PCCOE, termed this endeavour 'a landmark event in the landscape of Indian technical education'. 'Today, as we witness our first batch of graduates with outstanding placement records and industry recognition, it reaffirms our belief that regional language can be a powerful medium for technical excellence,' he said. Ashish Gawali, founder and CEO of ATX Labs, based in upscale Baner, Pune, said he was apprehensive when one of the students, Guruprasad Pathak, joined the company for an internship. 'We were curious how his background would amalgamate with a fast-paced tech environment. However, within weeks it became clear that he had both the technical depth and the right attitude we look for in our team members. Guruprasad quickly stood out with clarity of concepts, eagerness to learn, and ability to apply knowledge in practical product development. We gave him a key responsibility on one of our flagship products, and he handled it with professionalism, insight, and maturity well beyond his years. Naturally, when it was time to expand our team, hiring him full-time was an easy decision,' said Gawali. Moment of pride On Saturday, some of the parents gathered at the campus to celebrate their children's successes. A beaming Ganesh Sunderrav Indure, Vaibhav's father, said: 'He is the first in our family who has pursued degree-level education. He had the spark and we let him pursue his interest. All subsequent decisions were taken by him independently.' Vaibhav, who was placed at Encora, an information technology (IT) company, said, 'Every hour I worked as part of the Earn and Learn scheme was a lifeline – it made me disciplined and every subject I studied brought me closer to my dream. My journey proves that with hard work and the right opportunities, anything is possible.' Mahammad Sayyad, Sufiya's father, recalled how his daughter would study under a single dim light 'not ever complaining'. 'I work on someone else's land and barely earn enough to make ends meet. She made every rupee of the loan we took count,' he said. 'There were days when even affording a bus pass felt like a luxury, but I never let my circumstances define my future. Every semester I topped was a silent answer to every doubt and struggle we faced. Completing my engineering degree is not just my achievement, it's a victory for every girl in my village who dares to dream,' said Sufiya.
