In 2001, a young and energetic man, S. Gurvinder Singh Bahra, founded a single engineering institute in Punjab’s Nawanshahr district, driven towards preparing capable engineering graduates for a job market that badly needed them. What started as one technical college has, over two decades, grown into a sprawling multidisciplinary institution built on the same founding instinct of spotting where a gap exists and building the capacity to close it. Today, that instinct has expanded across four pillars. Education, with 3 universities, 5 schools and over 30,000 students. Healthcare, through a 350+ bed multispecialty hospital delivering advanced patient care. Hospitality, via a growing portfolio of resorts and hotels offering premium guest experiences. And a Global footprint anchored by a dedicated Canada campus.
It’s this same instinct, identifying what the moment demands and building for it, that explains why Rayat Bahra University’s push into Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning feels like a natural continuation. Just as the group once read the job market and answered with an engineering college, it has now read the AI first economy and is answering with industry ready AI professionals. Rayat Bahra University’s AI and ML programs, backed by a Microsoft collaboration, international research MOUs, and industry aligned training, are the group’s latest answer to a familiar question – what does the country need next, and how do we build it.
Where AI Meets Applied Learning
Rayat Bahra University has established itself as one of Punjab’s leading private universities, offering a wide spectrum of programs spanning AI and ML, B.Tech, MCA, and BCA, alongside a
dedicated B.Tech in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Notably, this AI readiness isn’t confined to these specialized programs alone, the university has integrated AI across its entire academic offering, ensuring every discipline carries an AI-enabled edge. Its industry tie-ups extend further into emerging domains, with several collaborations now offering certifications in Generative AI.
The university’s AI and ML program was launched three years ago, and its trajectory since then mirrors the technology’s own rapid ascent. With AI now woven into virtually every industry, demand for specialized talent has surged, prompting companies to actively seek out graduates trained specifically in this space. Students, in turn, are gaining deeper exposure to applied research, building prediction systems and recommendation engines as part of their coursework rather than as theoretical exercises. The result is a program that has moved beyond classroom instruction to deliver tangible, industry-relevant skill building, benefiting students at every stage of their academic journey.
No Student Left Behind
Rayat Bahra University is home to talented and experienced individuals leading the university from the front, who are regularly motivated to take part in continuous learning initiatives following a two-way model of industry engagement. External trainers from partner companies are regularly brought in to upskill both faculty and students, while the university’s own staff also travel to corporate settings for immersive training. This is complemented by Faculty Development Programs (FDPs) and certification courses designed for educators and learners alike, alongside hands-on exposure to platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, and GitHub. Students channel this training into competitive arenas as well, regularly participating in AI focused hackathons like Smart India Hackathon, where they have consistently performed well.
This same emphasis on individual growth extends to academic support beyond the classroom. Students who fall behind or struggle with coursework receive dedicated remedial classes and mentoring, with faculty specifically identifying and working with weaker performers. The university has also introduced a peer learning model, pairing high performing students with those needing extra support, supplemented by additional sessions to reinforce understanding.
Where Industry Meets Opportunity
A standout addition to the university’s AI ecosystem is its collaboration with Microsoft, through which Rayat Bahra offers a dedicated B.Tech in Generative AI. While the program retains the
Vice Chairman – Rayat Bahra Group
standard B.Tech framework, its curriculum is distinctly layered with machine learning, deep learning, and Generative AI modules. The partnership extends well beyond the classroom too, opening doors to internships with established companies and startups alike, several of which go on to hire directly through this pipeline.
This industry connection feeds into a placement process that begins long before recruiters arrive on campus. The university maps each company’s specific hiring criteria in advance and tailors preparation accordingly, running dedicated training sessions aligned to what individual recruiters are looking for. Aptitude training and resume building workshops, where students learn to craft compelling portfolios, form a core part of this preparation. Even when a student doesn’t secure an offer, the university actively gathers feedback from recruiters to identify gaps and refine its approach, treating placement not as a one-time event but an ongoing, department-driven process geared toward continuous improvement.
Hiring timelines vary by company, with some recruiters onboarding students as early as third year through internships and pre-placement offers, while others hire exclusively during final year. This dual approach means opportunities are available at both stages rather than being confined to graduation alone. On the whole, the university reports a placement rate of around 85 percent, a figure that accounts for the small segment of students who choose not to pursue placements at all rather than reflecting any shortfall in opportunity.
The Road Ahead
Beyond preparing students for placements, Rayat Bahra University is equally invested in nurturing those who want to build something of their own. Entrepreneurship is woven directly into the B.Tech curriculum as a dedicated subject, giving students formal grounding in the discipline early on. The university has also opened an incubation centre to support students with startup ambitions, offering them a structured platform to take ideas from concept to execution.
Speaking on the university’s road ahead, Mr. Sahil Bahra, Vice Chairman Rayat Bahra Group, outlined a vision centered on deepening the institution’s ties with industry. “We’re focusing on deepening our collaborations with industry, and we plan to introduce more AI and ML related courses, along with additional certification programs for students,” he said. Research, too, remains a priority area for the university’s next phase. Mr. Bahra noted that plans are underway to establish a dedicated Centre of Excellence, alongside an industry-supported Innovation and Information Centre aimed at giving student startups a stronger foundation to grow from. “Our goal is to make sure students aren’t just learning AI, they’re building with it,” he concluded.
