Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, formerly known as the University College of Engineering, Burla, is a state university located in Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha, India. Established in 1956, it is the oldest engineering college in Odisha. UCE Burla, its former name, was officially changed to its current name on 10 June 2009, as a result of a resolution by the Government of Odisha to accord it with the status of a unitary university. The university was declared eligible to receive central assistance under Section 12B of the UGC Act in 2012. History Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology was initially founded as University College of Engineering(UCE), Burla, under the direction of the Government of Odisha, as the first engineering college of the state, in 1956. The primary purpose of the college was to supplement white collar workers, in the form of electrical, civil, and mechanical engineers, to the nearby Hirakud Dam project. The foundation for the college was laid by the first Prime Minister of the country, Jawaharlal Nehru. The first batch contained 20 students, consisting of 3 branches, namely Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The University later passed on to the administrative control of the Sambalpur University, and then under the control of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology. In 2008, the students of UCE actively campaigned for due recognition as an independent university, culminating in the university being founded in 2009. Programmes offered Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) Master of Technology(M.Tech) Master of Science(M.Sc.) Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) Master in Computer Application(MCA) Doctor of Philosophy(Ph.D.) Notable alumni Campus The university, located close to the Hirakud Dam, occupies about 350 acres in Burla. Facilities in laboratories of various departments and central facilities such as Computer Centre, Library, Internet Centre and Central Workshop, separate hostels for boys and girls, conference hall, recreational amenities and other utility services are available for the students in the campus. Government of Odisha also decided to extend the campus to another 80 acre and also approved a mass amount of ₹2000 crore for the development of VSSUT. Halls of Residence The university provides on-campus residential facilities to its students, research scholars, faculty members and many of its staff. The students live in hostels (referred to as halls of residence) throughout their stay in the campus. Hostel rooms are wired for internet, for which students pay a compulsory charge. There are