GetMyUni's Verdict on HPTU (HIMTU)

Parvathy Krishnakumar

“Set amidst the beautiful mountains of Himachal Pradesh, HPTU (HIMTU) is popularly known for offering different courses at nominal fees. Yet, its inconsistent academics, placement rates, infrastructure and lack of vibrant campus life limits its chances of being ranked among the top universities.”

Established in 2010, Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU) is a state government university that offers various courses across different fields. Though it's not considered among the top universities in the country, it has a decent academic reputation and is popularly known for its cost-effective courses. It is a smaller university in terms of its infrastructure and student population than other state universities.

Mainly known for its Engineering streams, the university has a mix of experienced and fresh professors dedicated to assisting students in achieving their goals. The university's main campus is located in Hamirpur and has good infrastructure with the necessary facilities to cater to the academic needs of the students. 

Though the placement rates are not at par with the other Technical universities, it has maintained good placement records with reputed and smaller companies regularly participating in the placement drives. However, the salary packages offered by these companies are not that impressive. Also, the inconsistent teaching quality and lack of extracurricular activities may disappoint those students who wish to pursue their education in more prominent universities. 

Table of Contents

• Multiple Courses Yet Inconsistent Academics
• Mixed Bag of Professors
• Decent Infrastructure With Essential Facilities
• Well-Facilitated Hostels
• Less Dynamic & Vibrant Campus Life
• Mediocre Placement Record
• Overall Impression of HPTU (HIMTU)

Multiple Courses Yet Inconsistent Academics

As mentioned above, HPTU offers various undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma courses across different disciplines. The university is primarily known for its engineering programs, available in the traditional streams.

The university is considered the best government university in the state for its varied courses and branches available under the Engineering discipline. Some of the top branches in the field that are highly recommended are as follows:

• Computer Science & Engineering
• Electronics & Communication Engineering
• Information Technology
• Mechanical Engineering
• Textile Engineering.

Besides these programs, the university is known for its courses in other disciplines. The top non-engineering programs available at the university are listed below:

• B.Pharma (Ayurveda)
• Bachelor in Hotel Management (BHM)
• B.Sc in Hotel Management & Catering Technology (BHMCT)
• MBA in Tourism & Hospitality
• M.Pharma
• M.Sc in Environmental Sciences
• Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
• M.Sc in Physics
• PG Diploma in Yoga.

Apart from the traditional undergraduate and postgraduate courses, the university also offers diploma courses across different specialisations. However, there are few doctoral programs, so the university is not ideal for those who wish to pursue higher studies in any of the mentioned fields.

Affordable Tuition Fees

The university offers its courses at nominal fees, which makes it accessible to students from all walks of life. The course fees vary depending on the course type and year of study. Additionally, the total course fee for each program includes various fees apart from the tuition fee, such as library fees, internet fees, amalgamated fees, and annual fees. 

The total course fees for the major programs, such as B.Tech, M.Tech, BHMCT, MBA, and M.Sc Environmental Sciences, are INR 4,95,500, INR 1,37,800, INR 2,54,900, INR 77,800, and INR 1,37,800. The total course fee for the PG Diploma in Yoga is INR 26,250.

As a government university, HPTU offers various scholarships to eligible students based on their academic merit and category. Students can avail of these scholarships at the time of admission.

Attendance Policy

The university has strict rules regarding the attendance of students, according to which students are mandated to maintain a minimum attendance of 75% in all theoretical and practical classes. Students who fail to have the minimum attendance will not be allowed to appear for the end-semester examinations. In other words, students who do not have a minimum attendance of 75% will not be eligible to appear in the university examinations.

Mixed Bag of Professors

As mentioned, the university has a mix of seasoned and fresh professors, so the teaching quality is inconsistent and varies across different departments. The experienced professors are known for their elaborate career achievements, which include years of industrial experience and cutting-edge research papers. 

Meanwhile, the younger professors lack industry exposure and are mainly in the profession right after graduation. These professors are still improving their pedagogical skills and developing knowledge in their respective fields. 

Most professors are dedicated to imparting quality education with the necessary knowledge of the field's current scenarios. They employ various teaching methods to ensure all students understand complex concepts quickly. These professors provide clear explanations and devise various ways to make the classes more exciting and interactive. 

While some professors focus more on providing individual attention to all students, others focus more on completing the curriculum, leaving students with no option but to prepare by themselves. 

Overall, it is safe to say that the teaching quality is inconsistent across different disciplines and within the same departments. Hence, it is difficult for the students to rely on the professors to get proper knowledge in their streams. 

According to the students' reviews on online platforms, they rely more on their own methods of learning and preparing themselves rather than seeking information from the professors as they use outdated teaching strategies, and most cannot clarify their doubts. 

Decent Infrastructure With Essential Facilities

Set in a high range, the university has a beautiful campus, and its infrastructure is highly regarded by the students. Though smaller than many other government and private universities in the country, the university's infrastructure combines traditional and contemporary architecture with separate academic buildings for different departments. The university's overall infrastructure forms a decent foundation for the holistic development of its students.

It has spacious classrooms with decent lighting and is equipped with audio-visual aids such as projectors and whiteboards to facilitate an interactive learning atmosphere. However, the maintenance of the classrooms varies as the newly built buildings have better classrooms, and the older ones require refurbishment.

The university also has a well-equipped computer centre with access to high-speed internet and multiple computer systems which can be used by students. The computer centre also has printing facilities.

The university has multiple laboratories for various Pharmacy, Science, and Engineering programs equipped with modern facilities and instruments to ensure students have a proper practical learning experience. Even then, the inconsistency of the quality of different departments is reflected in their laboratories. Some departmental laboratories require maintenance and upgrades to cater to the industry's ever-evolving needs.

The main highlight of the university's infrastructure is its well-stocked central library, which houses an extensive collection of books, theses, journals, research papers and other resources that enable students to broaden their horizons.

Students also have access to digital and online databases, which can be utilised using internet connectivity. The library has spacious seating areas where students can read and study peacefully. However, students have mentioned the overcrowding during free hours, which can cause inconvenience in finding suitable reference material.

Regarding the sports complex, the university has a large playground with indoor and outdoor sports facilities, such as badminton, basketball and athletics. Based on the students' reviews, the sports facilities need maintenance, and there is a lack of facilities for different sports, which limits them from pursuing different sporting activities. 

The canteen at the university is only average as the food and beverages are limited, and there have been issues in the past regarding its hygiene. However, the canteen is in the middle of the campus, making it convenient for students from different departments. The meals at the canteen are affordable, and ample seating space exists for large crowds. Yet, the queues are said to be longer at the canteen counter during peak hours.

In short, the university has a decent infrastructure that caters to the basic needs of its students. However, students have suggested that some academic and extracurricular facilities require improvement and maintenance to reach the standards of the other universities in the country. 

Well-Facilitated Hostels

The university has separate housing facilities for boys and girls on its main campus. The hostels typically have shared rooms with 2 to 4 students occupying the same room. The older hostels are said to have larger rooms than the newer ones. However, single-occupancy rooms are available in the newer hostels.

Though the overall maintenance and cleanliness are generally decent, they vary based on different hostels. 

The rooms at all the hostels are well-furnished with basic amenities such as beds, tables and chairs. Students are allowed to add additional facilities as per their choice. Only the newer hostels have rooms with attached bathrooms, and the older hostels only have common bathrooms to be shared by roommates on the same floor. 

All hostels provide basic amenities like drinking water dispensers, laundry facilities, and internet connections. The new hostels have additional amenities, like recreational facilities and gyms. Some hostels are located close to the academic infrastructure, making it convenient for the students to utilise the facilities more frequently. 

Timely meals are served thrice daily through the hostel mess in clean dining areas. Though there is a lack of variety and quality in the meals served, general hygiene is maintained. The safety and security of the students are assured by the security guards around the campus and within the hostel premises.

The hostel allotment is done on a first-come-first-serve basis, and students must apply for hostel accommodation at the time of admission. The eligibility criteria are subject to change every year. 

The hostel fees are generally affordable, yet the costs vary depending on the room type and availability of different amenities. Generally, the semestrial hostel fees for shared rooms range between INR 1500 and INR 2500 and INR 3000 and INR 5000 for single rooms. Additional charges are yielded as security deposit, refundable on vacating the rooms, and mess charges.

In addition to the on-campus housing facilities, students can stay at private PGs available near the university. The PG rooms are available at different price ranges and luxuries. The monthly rents for PGs also vary based on the amenities and occupancy type.

Less Dynamic & Vibrant Campus Life

Comparatively, the university has fewer extracurricular activities and clubs for the students. However, it conducts annual cultural events and tech fests that offer students various platforms to showcase their talents and skills. Students can present innovative ideas, technical projects, and cultural activities through these fests and events.

The university also conducts annual youth festivals where students from different departments participate in various competitions individually and as teams. 

The fests are generally organised by the faculty members as there are a limited number of clubs and student societies. However, students have mentioned on online forums that the university focuses more on academics than extracurricular activities, which results in less vibrant campus life. The university also conducts various academic activities, such as guest lectures, workshops, etc., where industry leaders are invited to help students get more involved and interested in their respective fields. 

Despite limited sports facilities, the university has an active sports scene where students are encouraged to stay active and participate in competitions and tournaments. The sports clubs, led by faculty members, conduct inter-departmental competitions that instil a healthy competitive spirit in the students. 

The university offers a decent campus experience where students can get involved in various activities, provided their primary focus is on studies. Also, at the end of the day, the students and the community they create help them have a wholesome experience. Apart from the on-campus activities, students can also be involved in off-campus activities, such as trekking and exploring the picturesque mountains. 

Diversity on Campus

Most of the student body comprises students from the country's Northern part. In other words, students from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana constitute most of the student population. Therefore, it is less diverse regarding culture, language and regional aspects. Additionally, the gender ratio is imbalanced as the number of male students is more than that of female students.

Additionally, there is a lack of representation of minority communities within the university. That is, there are fewer students from marginalised communities, who are from tribal communities, religious minorities, etc.

According to students' reviews on online platforms, there have been incidents where professors or students have shown discrimination due to a lack of exposure or awareness. But, the university is actively involved in creating awareness and spreading acceptance among the students and staff members.

Dress Code

While the university has no defined uniform for student, specific departments have a strict dress code that must be maintained throughout their course period. For instance, Hotel Management students must wear formal clothes and always be presentable. Additionally, students must wear appropriate attire when they are on campus. There is relaxation in the dress code for events and fests.

Students must wear collared or formal shirts and avoid sleeveless shirts with plunging necklines. They must adhere to the dress code, especially as the university is rural. Students are restricted from wearing distressed/ ripped jeans and shorts. 

Mediocre Placement Record

Similar to the academic conditions, the placement of students is also inconsistent and generally lower than that of other government and private institutions. Though the general placement rate at the university is 60%, the salary packages offered are low.

Also, the location of the university hinders students from accessing many significant companies and, therefore, lowers their chances of obtaining high-paying jobs. Most companies that participate in the placement drives held at the university primarily focus on mass recruitment with low packages.

According to previous years' records, over 70% of the Computer Science and Engineering department graduates were recruited. The placements of other departments are less frequent than those of the Computer Science branch. Also, there has been a decline in the placement rate since the pandemic. Based on the records, the highest salary package offered to students was INR 7 LPA, and the average salary package was INR 3 LPA. 

Although the university conducts numerous workshops and training programs to prepare the students for the placement interviews, they fail to invite reputed companies for the drives held on campus.

Overall Impression of HPTU (HIMTU)

Also known as HIMTU, Himachal Pradesh Technical University offers an engaging learning experience with its multidisciplinary courses and breathtaking views. However, its inconsistency in the quality of professors, lower placement rates, and less vibrant campus experience limits it from being ranked among the top universities in the country. Apart from these factors, the university is still considered to be one of the best government universities in the state, with its nominal fee structure and accessibility for those residing in rural areas.

Overall, apart from the limitations in terms of infrastructure, placement opportunities, and emphasis on extracurricular activities, the university offers cost-effective education. Students are advised to connect with the past and present students of the university to learn more about their choice of course and career prospects.

Some of the pros and cons of the university are as follows.

*Source: himtu.ac.in