Bengaluru: Sona College of Technology, widely recognised for its SonaSPEED motors that have powered ISRO’s Chandrayaan and other space missions since 2009, marked 2025 as a year of significant academic expansion, research advancement and industry engagement. The institution strengthened its infrastructure and curriculum to prepare students for emerging domains such as on-chip design and cybersecurity, while launching a series of initiatives aimed at improving learning outcomes and employability.

In 2025, the NAAC A++ accredited institution (CGPA 3.65) introduced four new BTech programmes—VLSI Design, Cyber Security, Safety Engineering and Fire Engineering—taking its total annual intake to over 1,600 seats. A major highlight was a ₹10-crore investment in advanced Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools under the ChipIN initiative, enabling students to work on next-generation semiconductor design at the 5-nanometre level, aligned with global technology standards.

The academic push was complemented by strong research momentum. Sona’s multidisciplinary teams deepened their collaboration with Canada’s University Health Network in the area of smart medical textiles, resulting in the development of several innovative prototypes during the year. The institution also achieved new milestones in intellectual property, with patents applied for, accepted and granted reaching 490, 465 and 47 respectively.

To further promote experiential learning, the college established an IDEA Lab focused on Innovation, Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship and Application-Oriented Learning. The lab aims to equip students with practical skills, foster creativity and strengthen real-world problem-solving capabilities.

Student outcomes in 2025 reflected sustained industry confidence in Sona’s graduates. Nearly 945 students from the Class of 2025 secured placements, with the top three IT recruiters alone hiring close to 50 per cent of the batch. The manufacturing sector accounted for nearly 25 per cent of placements, while recruitment by Japanese companies touched 32 offers.

The Salem-based institution was ranked among the top 200 engineering institutions in the NIRF 2025 rankings and secured the top national position in NPTEL’s Faculty Performance Rating for the seventh cycle, earning an ‘AAA’ rating. This recognition underscored the institution’s consistent focus on quality teaching, faculty development and learner-centric practices.

Sona College received several prestigious awards during the year, including honours for innovation, ESG leadership and the CII Industry–Academia Partnership Diamond Award 2025. Mechanical Engineering and Fashion Technology programmes also received renewed NBA accreditation.

Students and faculty recorded notable achievements across national platforms. Sona students excelled at the Capgemini Engineering Brand Quest 2025, winning both the Best Engaged Institution Award and the Student Champion Award, secured by BTech EEE student Vijay B after competing against over 2.5 lakh participants nationwide. Multiple teams earned accolades at Smart India Hackathons, MATLAB (MathWorks) competitions and other industry challenges. The Institution of Engineers (India) conferred the Engineering Education Excellence Award on the college.

Faculty members received state and national recognition for excellence in research, teaching and intellectual property creation. The Sona Incubations team supported 18 startups and disbursed ₹60 lakh to five early-stage ventures through the Startup India Fund.