Pune has always been a pioneer of learning and knowledge. Whether education of girls through the determination of Savitribai Phule or an education society set up by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, this city has been at the fulcrum of promoting intellect all over India. And it is this rich history of education that has gained Pune the title of "Oxford of the East".
The city of Oxford is known around the world as the home of one of the best and globally coveted educational institutes, the University of Oxford. This university is also known for it's extensive research work that has contributed towards a plethora of new innovations. Therefore, for Pune to be compared and equated with this city is a feat of it's own.
But who was it that first called Pune as the 'Oxford of the East'?
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru bestowed this moniker on Pune in the 1950s.
When India's first Prime-Minister visited Pune in the late 1950s, in awe of the modern educational infrastructure and research institutions he called it "Oxford of the East". And the fact that the former PM Nehru, an alumni of Cambridge, saw the potential of Pune as an educational hub speaks for itself.
The object of education was to produce a desire to serve the community as a whole and to apply the knowledge gained, not only for personal but for public welfare.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Since getting this title, Pune's flight to be the educational hub of India and beyond has not slowed down. To the contrary it has escalated further. The credit for this also goes to the universities set up in the city, that provide a dynamic form of learning at par with top global standards.
From engineering, management, informatics to research and medicine, all these technical courses garner a crowd of students from all over the nation and beyond, who flock to Pune to learn from the best universities.
Here is the list of universities in Pune that provide the best technical courses:-
Army Institute of Technology-
Army Institute of Technology boasts one of the best placement records among the technical universities of the city. As per India Today national university ranking of 2023 this institute ranks around 55 overall, while for B.Tech it goes as high as 26th nationwide.
Armed Forces Medical College-
Managed by the Indian Armed Forces, this medical college gives it's students one of the best medical education in the country. Apart from that the AFMC is also recognized by WHO as a referral center to identify and classify pathogens, diseases and disorders.
Symbiosis International University-
For MBA and Business Communications, SIU provides an ever evolving arena of business courses. With one of the best MBA placement track records in the city, this institute has produced alumni that have made quite a ripple with their work.
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology and Biotechnology-
One of the leading colleges in bioinformatics, RGITBT provides the students with extensive knowledge in the expanding field of bio technology . They also give their students ample training and support for placement.
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research-
IISER is a notable institution, that is known around the country for giving some of the best scientists to India. The Pune counterpart of IISER has also aided in encouraging many scientific innovations and research in the city.
The leaders of Pune, even before it was a city of a free country, gave the utmost significance to education. They saw knowledge as the means of welfare and equality. And it is through that, Pune can today boast of such high standards of living and cultivating a society built on intellect.
