PA College of Engineering (PACE)

PA College of Engineering (PACE) is a private engineering college located in Nadupadav, Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. Approved by AICTE and affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), PACE is one of the established private engineering colleges in the Mangaluru engineering cluster. The college is managed by the P.A. Educational Trust and has been offering engineering education in coastal Karnataka since its establishment.

PACE admits Karnataka students through KCET and students from other states through COMEDK UGET. With an intake of 300 students, PACE offers BTech in five core engineering disciplines and is a recognised participant in both KCET and COMEDK counselling.

Courses Offered at PACE Mangaluru

Admission Process

KCET: Qualify KCET and choose PACE through KEA's Option Entry. PACE is listed under Dakshina Kannada district. Students from Mangaluru, Udupi and surrounding coastal areas who want to study locally consider PACE alongside SJEC, Canara Engineering College and other Mangaluru cluster colleges.

COMEDK: COMEDK qualifiers can apply to PACE through COMEDK's centralised process for Karnataka private colleges.

The Mangaluru Engineering Cluster

Mangaluru's engineering education cluster is defined by its proximity to NITK Surathkal — Karnataka's premier National Institute of Technology — which anchors the region's engineering academic quality. Private colleges in the cluster including PACE, SJEC, Canara Engineering College, NMAM IT and VCET benefit from the broader technical education culture, industry connections and alumni network that NITK anchors in the region.

Nadupadav, where PACE is located, is a residential area in Mangaluru city connected by local bus services to the main city. The location within city limits ensures students have access to Mangaluru's urban facilities, libraries and industry exposure without the isolation of remote campus locations.

Coastal Karnataka Industry — PACE's Employment Context

Mangaluru's port-based economy provides specific employment opportunities for PACE engineering graduates. MRPL (Mangaluru Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited), a subsidiary of ONGC, is one of the region's largest employers of Mechanical and Chemical engineers. New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) employs Civil and Mechanical engineers in port infrastructure operations. MESCOM (Mangaluru Electricity Supply Company) is a significant employer for EEE graduates in power distribution and maintenance roles.

The Gulf employment channel, historically dominant for Dakshina Kannada graduates in construction and engineering roles in UAE, Oman and Kuwait, remains relevant for PACE Civil and Mechanical Engineering graduates. Mangaluru's active NRI diaspora provides referral access to Gulf construction and industrial sector positions that graduates from other parts of Karnataka cannot easily access.

Infrastructure at PACE

• Computer labs for CSE and ISE departments
• Electronics and communication lab with RF and signal processing equipment
• Mechanical workshop with machining and fitting facilities
• Civil engineering materials and concrete testing lab
• Central library with VTU curriculum material
• Hostel facilities for outstation students
• Sports facilities and common amenities

Career Scope for PACE Graduates

PACE graduates participate in VTU Dakshina Kannada zone pooled placement drives alongside other Mangaluru cluster colleges. CSE and ISE graduates access IT sector employment in Mangaluru, Bangalore and through Gulf IT sector opportunities. The coastal Karnataka alumni network in the Gulf provides Civil and Mechanical Engineering graduates strong referral access to construction and industrial sector employment in the Middle East, an employment channel that continues to absorb large numbers of Dakshina Kannada engineering graduates each year.