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Introduction & History:
Celebrating 17 glorious years of existence of CEC – the
premier IT & Allied Education institute of Assam and the
Northeast, the account below recounts a classic case of rags
to riches story in the making. In 1990, a young boy from the
Noonmati area of Guwahati went to New Delhi for pursuing
higher education in computer education. He, as a student, was
actively involved with the students’ movement led by All Assam
Students Union (AASU) during that time in various capacities.
He observed the snowballing problem of unemployment and its
ensuing consequences from close proximity during his stint
with the AASU. This led him to go to New Delhi with a mindset
to not only establish himself in a self-reliant way but also
to endeavour to provide career opportunities to the younger
lot.
That young boy is Dipankar Dutta and he came back to his
native land after finishing off his course successfully. On
May 2, 1994, he founded and started a small computer education
institute and named it as Computer Education Centre, later
would be known as CEC, in the Noonmati area with only two
computers. Now after completing 17 magnificent years of growth
and prosperity, it has over 100 centres in the Northeast with
a record number of 19 centres in Guwahati city alone. Even
parents and students alike swear by the name of CEC with
regards to complete computer education. CEC is now a society
under the S.R. Act XXI of 1860 and a member of Educational
Promotional Society of India (EPSI), New Delhi.
Objective:
CEC was established with an aim to create trained and
efficient manpower in the field of information technology,
software and hardware courses in computer, web-page designing,
fashion and textile designing, journalism and other management
courses; and it has successfully carried out different
courses. CEC was founded to strengthen the need of computer
education in Assam. The need of the hour was for a distinct
institution specializing in technical education that would be
far above the few institutions which were until then
responsible for imparting computer education in the city. It
was also felt that the purely empirically based professional
computer education provided earlier by some
sub-experienced/inexperienced professionals would not meet the
burgeoning needs for training modern computer professionals.
The institute was expected to cater to the needs of providing
training to the students who wish to pursue a career in
computers, fashion designing, textile/interior designing,
journalism and other management courses. To fulfill these
objectives, the institute was expected to operate as a
resource, providing employment generation in the field of
technical education. The institute was expected to run as a
centre of excellence for studies in professional courses.
Success:
CEC now has entered its 18th year of existence with a
brilliant record of more than 1,00,000 successful/passed-out
students, over 50,000 got jobs all over India and over 10,000
are self-employed. In fact, students of CEC are found in
almost every company in the N.E. region. This is significant
because even in the face of the mushrooming competition by
several multinational IT education institutes, CEC has been
able to survive and sustain itself highly successfully against
all odds as a local institute. In fact, other computer
education giants currently working in this field in Assam have
also faced stiff competition in the face of the thriving
popularity of CEC among the aspiring students.
One outstanding factor behind the success achieved within this
short span of 17 years is the individualized attention given
to the students, thus enhancing their ability to acquire and
synthesize knowledge in their chosen field of studies. The
ambience at CEC enables students to attain their personal and
professional goals and contribute constructively to their
workplaces and communities. This is the feeling voiced by many
former students of this institution.
Progress & Growth (Achievements and Development):
Since then, the small plant that was planted in 1994 has
blossomed into a huge tree into what the CEC Group of
Institutions of today. Now there are about 900 members of the
CEC-Parivar who are engaged in various disciplines. They are
assisted by other non-technical staff who together take
account of the intellectual, infrastructure and administrative
requirements of the institute and constitute its community.
The institute conducts 30 diploma and other courses plus 26
short-term courses. Among the major courses provided by the
centres of CEC are three-month courses in Integrated Computer
Application, Computer Assembling & Maintenance, six-month
courses in computer software and hardware engineering,
one-year course in computer software application and two-year
course in computer engineering & e-commerce.
One of the major dimensions of this institute has been its
regional role, and its teaching has attracted students from
the entire N.E. region. The institute has also undertaken
collaborative education by some franchisees. Currently, there
are over 100 CEC centres in the entire Northeast region. Now,
CEC is the only local largest network in education in this
region.
CEC was started as a computer institute and in 1998, CEC
started another wing as CEC-IMFD, the Institute of Management
and Fashion Designing. Under CEC-IMFD, several courses on
textile designing are offered and the syllabus includes
Fashion Designing, Textile Designing, Airlines Management,
Interior Designing, etc. CEC-IMFD offers 10% concession in any
course to the female candidates as per norms of Ministry of
HRD, Govt. of India. It may be mentioned that several highly
successful fashion designers currently working in this field
within and outside the state were students of this local
institute.
Dipankar Dutta, Founder President of CEC says in this regard
that, “Our institute has made all-out efforts to provide
high-quality education in a comparatively lesser cost. I think
this has helped students of the economically backward families
of the whole north-eastern region immensely.” The institute,
it may be mentioned, has schemes under which it has been
providing free-of-cost educational courses to many poor
students. Moreover, CEC also has a placement service through
which it has helped more than 1000 students till date, both
from within and outside CEC to get suitable jobs. This has
also added to the overall professionalism the institute can
boast of. Many such students, after passing out from CEC, have
been able to create a niche for themselves by working in
various companies and private sector firms within and outside
India.
Highly qualified and trained faculty members impart training
to many batches in CEC centres. With its headquarters at
Silpukhuri, other centres keep coordinating regularly to keep
the momentum going. In 2002, CEC launched a course of Diploma
in Journalism to cater to the needs of students who wanted to
prosper in print and television journalism. In fact with the
start of the Journalism courses, CEC started an in-house
publication, The CEC Times which was prepared and published by
the students of the Journalism Department of CEC. Overall
performance of the department, taking this short span of time
into account, has been quite impressive and noteworthy.
Initiatives/Undertakings:
Under a non-profit making policy, CEC launched a home tutorial
system providing employment to nearly 200 students. People
with computers in their homes or offices can learn several
courses taking the services of CEC at their own places. Those
who do not have access to a computer, special independent
classes are arranged at CEC.
At the premises of its head office at Silpukhuri, CEC has set
up an advanced software laboratory comprising of 34 computers
to impart training on all the advanced computer languages like
Java, LINUX, C, C++, Oracle 8i, HTML, Win NT 2000, Unix, ASP,
WAP, VB Script, etc. Its infrastructure is elaborate with
abundant computers and other amenities/facilities like
generator, uninterrupted power supply, inverter facilities,
fully air-conditioned theory and practical labs and adequate
staff.
On March 12, 2006, CEC launched the GOLD DIPLOMA by the hands
of Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharyya, Adviser and then Brand
Ambassador of CEC and Mrs. Arunima Dutta, Mrs. India-World ’04
runner-up at Guwahati Press Club. On this occasion, Dr.
Samujjal said, “This course will enable the students not only
with the knowledge of a particular course but will also equip
them with the information of how to start and run a business
and put their theoretical knowledge into practice. Business
doesn’t run in everyone’s blood, with the aid of Gold Diploma,
students will be given highly specialized training in
entrepreneurship and in this connection, our students will
educate with the most advanced and sophisticated methodology
of opening and running a business on their own.
Awards:
For its tremendous growth over the years and the yeomen
service it has rendered to the students of this region, the
Founder cum President of CEC, Mr. Dipankar Dutta has been
conferred different awards by several national entities. One
among them is the Rashtriya Ekta Award which was bestowed to
him by the Global Economic Council of New Delhi on the
occasion of the 55th Birth Anniversary of late Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi on August 24, 1999 in New Delhi. In the year
2000, he was honoured with another prestigious award, the
Bikash Ratan Award under the aegis of New Delhi-based
International Integration and Growth Society presented to him
by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Urban Development.
Intellectual Growth:
Since its inception, the institute conducted various seminars
and workshops, where a wide range of experts have
participated. CEC had also organized various shows from where
a large number of fashion designing students were benefitted
by participating in the mega events of national standard. In
2000, CEC organized Coca-Cola Mega Model Show; in 2001, North
East Designer’s Contest; in 2003, Mr. & Mrs. Guwahati 2003;
and in 2004, Mr. & Mrs. Guwahati 2004; in 2005, Assam Fashion
Week 2005 & Mr. & Mrs. Guwahati 2005 and a mega show in
Bangkok, Thailand titled ‘Parampara,’ Assam-Bangkok Fashion
Show in the month of February 2006. It was the first
international event to promote Eri and Muga silk from Assam at
the international level. CEC is also organizing a career fair
titled as Career@choice to help the aspiring students of
Northeast to choose a better career. For the benefit of the
students, CEC had published a book on Computer Fundamentals
and Office Management software and Internet.
While significant progress have been made in a number of
directions, which has earned accreditation from many quarters
of the society and has put CEC on the map of the institutions
devoted to strengthening technical education for the society
in the region. In recent years, its intellectual culture has
seemed to have gone to a steady descent. Incidentally, such
aggrandizement has occurred almost in tandem with the
institution’s rapid physical growth. The institution is
maintaining its stake as a centre of excellence and to push
for recognition as number one in the field of technical
education.
Academic Initiatives:
CEC had undertaken a substantial project for a
state-of-the-art IT & Management College in Guwahati. CEC had
already procured a plot of land in Patharquarry area near Six
Mile-Zoo-Narengi Expressway and completed a college with all
modern amenities for the students. This college is equipped
with all modern technology to cater to the needs of the
students of this region. Initiated as Hindustan College, an
authorized learning centre of Sikkim Manipal University, the
college has a playground, table tennis board, a mini-indoor
sports arena and a gym to encourage students to pursue sports
along with their studies. It also has its own campus in an
eco-friendly location and posses its own hostel campus, bus
service, new advanced projection system in the classrooms,
well-equipped library, advanced computer labs with Wi-Fi
networking, canteen, healthcare services, finger-print
attendance system and commercial and HR tie-up with national
and international companies like Clara International
(Malaysia), Stamford University (Bangkok), Starex
International School (New Delhi), SGI Group (New Delhi),
Microsoft, USA, Cosyne Inc. (USA), Down Town Enterprises Ltd.
(Guwahati), this college is one of its kind in the entire
North-east region.
The college offers various courses in IT and management,
allied health and vocational science which are recognized by
UGC, AICTE and DEC. For the first time in entire eastern
India, it got approval to offer master degree course in
clinical research whereby another wing of Hindustan College
named Hindustan Institute of Medical & Research Education (HIMRE)
came into existence.
Mr. Dipankar Dutta, Founder President of CEC states, “CEC is
not just an institution, it is a temple of education. Here at
CEC, one gets everything one desires, even if it is beyond
one’s imagination. Our institute has made all-out efforts to
provide high-quality education in comparatively lesser cost. I
think this has helped students of the economically backward
families of the whole N. E. region immensely.”
Recent Events:
Moreover, CEC was also involved in many ventures like
film-making, financial assistance, media festival, donation to
old-age homes, starting beauty clinics, running school
projects, sports initiative, visitation by foreign faculties,
computer literacy for the elderly, etc.
Film Production:
CEC ventured into film-making by being the
Executive Producer of the Assamese movie, Mann Jai. This movie
received the Rajat Kamal Award in 2010. In fact, the whole
Mann Jai team attended the 39th International Film Festival of
India (IFFI) held at Goa in 2008.
Drawing Competition:
CEC in collaboration with Starex International
School, New Delhi organized the 1st N.E. Open Drawing
Competition held at ITA Machkhowa in 2007.
Humanitarian Assistance:
CEC also offered assistance on humanitarian
grounds to noted Assamese Film Director, Sri Gunasindhu
Hazarika who was given lifetime financial assistance and
donated computers to old-age home, “Aamar Ghar” of Guwahati.
Hindustan College:
It would be worth mentioning here that
Hindustan College, Guwahati bagged the award for excellence as
the Best Emerging College at the 2nd National Convention of
Sikkim Manipal University held at Mysore on December 14, 2009.
Dipankar Dutta, chairman of the college received the award
from Anand Sudarshan, MD & CEO, Manipal Education. Anil Kumble,
former captain of Indian cricket team and the brand ambassador
of Manipal Group was also present on the occasion. Dr. Surjit
Singh Pabla, Vice-Chancellor, Sikkim Manipal University, A.M.
Thimmiya, Senior Vice-President, Manipal group and other
dignitaries too were present in the meeting. Held at the
National Institute of Engineering of the heritage city of
Mysore, this award of excellence was conferred to Hindustan
College for its better performance in a very short span of
time. Moreover, Hindustan College also obtained the
distinction of having the highest number of university-trained
faculty members.
To boost the students’ confidence and to introduce them to the
fast-paced global scenario, the college facilitates special
lectures and classes by faculty members from abroad. On
February 27, 2010, Dr. Donaldine E. Samson of USA and Mrs.
Sophia Mahakanak of Thailand visited Hindustan College to
deliver lectures. Their lectures were not only attended by the
students of Hindustan College but also by other management
students of Guwahati and the N.E. region. Moreover, a meeting
was also held at the Press Club, Guwahati in this regard where
the foreign faculties and CEC members were present. As such, a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Hindustan
College and Stamford International University of Thailand. As
per the MoU, the college will be the authorized study centre
for the Thai university for the first semester of the most
popular international MBA programme where the students will
study for only 12 months to get an internationally recognized
degree.
Sports Initiative:
Hindustan College, a substantial project of CEC
Education Group, has envisioned a special initiative to help
sportspersons of the region. Being affiliated to Guwahati
University and an authorized learning centre of Sikkim Manipal
University, the college is offering special concessions to the
sportsmen from the entire Northeastern region. Founder
President of CEC and Chairman of Hindustan College, Dipankar
Dutta and the CEC-Society members recently decided to offer a
20% waiver in total course fees to the students who have any
certificate of playing any sports.
Media Festival:
CEC again organized 24/7 Media Festival on May
2, 2010 with the collaboration of the Department of Mass
Communication & Journalism at Sudmersion Hall, Cotton College,
Guwahati.
Beauty Clinics:
CEC also started two beauty clinics, Clara and
Jawed Habib at G.S. Road in the year 2010.
School Projects:
Currently running in two schools of
Guwahati, Chenikuthi Vidya Mandir and Narengi Vidya Mandir
School.
Assam Fashion Week: Moreover, CEC started a trend in
organizing the Assam Fashion Week from 2005 and it is
continuing till 2010 and is expected to be an annual event
giving a platform for the upcoming designers of the region and
also showcasing the designer collections of the already
reputed fashion designers. In 2009, Designer’s Champions was
held and attended by various well-known faces in the fashion
industry and paved the way for the aspiring designers of the
N.E. region.
Brand Ambassador:
Well-known and popular heart-throb of the
Assamese film industry, Kopil Bora was inducted into the
CEC-Parivar as the new brand ambassador from the year 2009
onward. Since then, the image and popularity of CEC increased
immensely and led to the overall promotion and publicity of
this almost two-decade old computer education institute.
Computer Literacy Programme for the elderly:
Ashadeep, a mental health society organized a
20-day computer literacy programme for senior citizens at
Prashantiloy, a recreational and yoga centre for the elderly
at Barnali Path, Japorigog on March 17, 2011. A total number
of about 30 elderly men & women of 60 years and above
participated in the programme, which was inaugurated by
Founder cum President of CEC, Mr. Dipankar Dutta. This
programme was organized in association with Abhoy Mission,
Tripura whose main objective is to make the elderly computer
friendly so that they can access the Internet to upgrade
themselves and familiarize themselves with the latest
developments.
Trade Exchange Seminar:
Recently, the CEC Group participated in the
Trade Exchange Seminar held at the India Islamic Cultural
Centre, New Delhi where both the Founder President of CEC,
Dipankar Dutta and his better-half, Mrs. Arunima Dutta were
present. Here, Melinda F. Gates, Co-Chairperson of the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation also took part in this event.
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, we can say that CEC is an example of the
results of sheer dedication and devotion to achieve one’s
ambition to become self-sufficient. It has also aided hundreds
of students to prosper in their lives. In its 18th year, it
has vowed to pursue the same goal with more zeal and gusto
with an extremely practical and professional methodology. It’s
a classic case of the rags to the richest story as exemplified
by its success within this short timeframe. |
