Chennai: The Department of Green Energy Technology, Pondicherry University (PU), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), conducted an outreach programme to create awareness on the GATE 2026 and JAM 2026 examinations for rural students of Puducherry.

The event was held in hybrid mode to enable wider participation.

The programme guided undergraduate and postgraduate aspirants from engineering, sciences, humanities, and social sciences on exam structure, eligibility, syllabus, and career pathways available through GATE and JAM. Students were also briefed about opportunities to pursue higher studies such as M.Tech., M.A., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in IITs, NITs, IISc, and other leading universities.

Prof. B. M. Jaffar Ali, Dean (i/c), Madanjeet School of Green Energy Technologies, inaugurated the event. Prof. M. Jeganmohan of IIT Madras delivered the inaugural address, while Prof. K. Tharanikkarasu, Director, SEI & RR, Pondicherry University, delivered the presidential address and shared preparation tips to strengthen students' fundamentals.

Over 1,250 students participated across multiple venues. Of these, 120 attended offline at the Department of Bioinformatics, 200 at the School of Humanities, 200 online from the Department of Computer Science, 650 from Saradha Gangadharan College of Arts and Science, besides students from affiliated institutions including Acharya Group of Institutions, RAAK Group of Institutions, Sri Venkateswaraa College of Engineering & Technology, and PU campuses at Karaikal and Port Blair.

The sessions featured expert talks, faculty interactions, and a Q&A segment with IIT Madras resource persons, who shared insights on admissions and career opportunities after GATE and JAM.

The programme was convened by Dr. K. Karthik Selva Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Green Energy Technology, and supported by faculty coordinators and secretaries from Pondicherry University and affiliated campuses.