The Department of Civil Engineering, Punjab Engineering College (Deemed to be University), Chandigarh, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Survey of India to strengthen academic and research collaboration in advanced geospatial domains. The MoU was formally inked on 24^th February, 2026, marking a significant step towards fostering industry–academia synergy in emerging technologies.

The MoU signing ceremony was graced by Sh. Gaurav Kumar Singh, Superintendent of Surveyor (Director, Current Duty), Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, Geo-Spatial Directorate, along with Sh. Nishant Verma and Sh. Harish Mittal, Deputy Superintendents of Surveyor, representing the Survey of India.

From PEC, the ceremony was attended by Director Prof. Rajesh Kumar Bhatia, Prof. Rajesh Kumar Kanda, (Head, Alumni, Corporate and International Relations), Prof. S.K. Singh, (Head, Civil Engineering Department), Prof. HarAmrit Singh Sandhu, Dr. Jimmy Karloopia, (Professor-In-Charge, Alumni, Corporate and International Relations), and Dr. Arshdeep Singh.

The MoU aims to promote academic and research collaboration in the areas of Geoinformatics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for automated feature extraction, Geodesy, Astronomy, and allied engineering disciplines. It will facilitate joint research and development activities, provide academic support to the Survey of India, and enable academically eligible SoI officers to pursue higher education, including postgraduate and doctoral programmes at PEC.

Speaking on the occasion, Director Prof. Rajesh Kumar Bhatia emphasized the importance of such strategic collaborations in equipping students with industry-relevant skills and exposure. He also highlighted the advanced research infrastructure and facilities available at the PEC campus. Prof. S.K. Singh underscored the mutual benefits of the partnership, while Prof. Rajesh Kumar Kanda highlighted the critical role of sustained industry collaboration in strengthening applied research and innovation. Sh. Gaurav Kumar Singh also expressed his optimism about the collaboration, noting that such academic partnerships are vital for advancing geospatial research and capacity building, and he looked forward to long-term engagement between Survey of India and PEC. Prof. HarAmrit Singh Sandhu highlighted the technical significance, that the collaboration would enable advanced research in high-precision geospatial data processing, automated feature extraction, and AI-driven geodesy applications, benefiting both academia and national mapping initiatives.

The collaboration is expected to pave the way for impactful research, capacity building, and knowledge exchange, reinforcing PEC’s commitment to research-led education and national development.