IT competition: Programming skills tested

50 teams participate in Code Spree 2011, hosts prevail.

LAHORE:

One hundred and fifty students from 25 information technology schools across Lahore were tested for their programming and information technology skills at the Code Spree 2011 at the Punjab University (PU) on Friday.

The event was organised by the PU College of Information Technology (PUCIT) with collaboration of four multinational IT companies, Confiz Solution, TKXEC, Technology Accelerated and North Bay Solutions, who also offered jobs to members of the winning team job.

Fifty teams, comprising three participants each, were given four hours to find solutions to seven complex programming problems using C++ and Java.

The hosts stood first and were presented with Rs25,000 prize money.

Programming solutions by the teams of Government College University, University of Engineering and Technology, COMSATS, Lahore University of Management Sciences, FAST, University of Lahore, University of Education and Beaconhouse National University were particularly appreciated by the judges.

The programmers were also tested for speed, efficiency, time management and knowledge and method of deriving solutions through PC2 software provided by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM).

Mehmood Ahsan, the PU Computer Society president, said that it was the first ever speed programming competition in Lahore. He said it aimed at assessing students’ knowledge of professional programming.

He said, “IT competitions have always played a major role in a software engineer’s academic and professional life. Participating in such events is in itself a reward as it brings the participants in touch with the experts. It helps them learn, make contacts and look for better and bigger opportunities.”

Ali Ahmad, a Government College University student, said that the organisers should have provided individual computer systems to each participant.

“A lot of time was wasted due to a single computer system for each team, especially when participants came up with varying solutions. Separate systems would have allowed individual solutions,” he said.

Mohammad Imran, a participant from the IBIT found the competition helpful and challenging. He said the event had answered many queries about programming and given students a chance to improve their skills.

“A competitive environment always aids learning. Interactions with students and experts are an added advantage,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2011.