Rajasthan uses a balanced approach in choosing locations for its national institutions
June 12th, 2009
Update on 27th April 2011: The Central University location has been changed to Bander Sindri near Ajmer and only 80 kms from Jaipur. The Innovation University (previsouly referred to as National University) aiming for world class is now pushed for Jaipur. [Times of India]
The panel set up by the CM of Rajsthan has picked the following places to recommend to the central government for the various national institutes and universities coming up in Rajasthan. (From a Times of India report and another Times of India report)
- IIT : Jodhpur
- IIM: Udaipur
- National University aiming for world-class: Ajmer
- Central university: Bikaner.
The committee also recommended:
- a "futuristic" heritage conservation and museology centre in Jaipur
- an institute of Food Technology in Hadoti region of Kota
Currently the following national institutions exisit or are being made in the following places in Rajasthan:
- NIT: Jaipur
- LNMIT (private but top-notch): Jaipur
- National law School: Jodhpur
- AIIMS-like institution (being made): Jodhpur
The institutions are nicely distributed between various cities of Rajsthan, although people of Jaipur and Kota are not happy. The population of these locations are:
- Jaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 3.1 million (has inetrnational air connectivity)
- Jodhpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 988K – (332 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
- Udaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 457K – (400 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
- Ajmer (World Gazetteer 2009): 604.7K – (131 kms from Jaipur)
- Bikaner (World Gazetteer 2009): 624.6K – (321 kms from Jaipur)
- Kota (World Gazetteer 2009): 823 K (242 kms from Jaipur)
In contrast in Orissa the distribution of national institutions are more Bhubaneswar centric. Following is the status:
- IIT: Bhubaneswar
- NISER: Bhubaneswar
- AIIMS-like (being made) : Bhubaneswar
- National Law University: Cuttack (part of Bhubaneswar metroplex)
- IIIT (state-funded) : Bhubaneswar
- National University aiming to be world class: Bhubaneswar
- Vedanta University (private): Puri
- NIT: Rourkela
- Central University: Koraput
- IIIT (centrally funded): state wants it in Berhampur; center has identified as Bhubaneswar
Unfortunately, one of the reason given behind the above selection is the lack of connectivity and the size of places. Following is some information on that.
- Bhubaneswar (World Gazetteer 2009): 1.67 million (has airport but no inetrnational connectivity)
- Rourkela (World Gazetteer 2009): 551 K (no air connections) – 334 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Berhampur (World Gazetteer 2009): 403 K (no air connections) – 160 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Koraput-Jeypore-Sunabeda: 200K+ (no air connections) – 499 kms from bhubaneswar
- Puri (World Gazetteer 2009): 185K – 60 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Sambalpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 258 K (no air connections) – 321 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Jharsuguda-Belpahar-Brajarajnagar: 200 K (no air connections) – 374 kms from Bhubaneswar; 50 kms from Sambalpur
For the future, following are some of the steps that Orissa government needs to urgently take regarding developing more larger urban areas and having the national institutions more evenly distributed:
- Make sure the centrally funded IIIT is established in Berhampur
- Establish functioing airports in Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Koraput at the earliest
- Push for international flights to Bhubaneswar
- Push for upgradation of UCE Burla (Sambalpur area) to an IIEST (Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology)
- Push for the establishment of a branch of IGNTU (Indira Gandhi National Tribal University) in Phulbani
- Push for the establishment of IIM outside of the Bhubaneswar area
- Push for the establishment of a centrally funded KBK Inst of Engineering and Technology (along the lines of SLIET and ABAGKIET) in Kalahandi or Balangir.
- Push for upgrading another medical college (Berhampur or Sambalpur) to AIIMS level.
- Push for establishing NID in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
- Push for establishing NIPER in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
- Push for a BITS Pilani campus in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
Entry Filed under: AIIMS, Bhubaneswar,Berhampur-Gopalpur-Hinjilicut area (3),Bhawanipatna-Kesinga-Lanjigarh (8),Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri- Khurda area (1),Central-n-National Universities,Eng. colleges - SLIET CIT etc,IGNTU,IIESTs,IIIT, Berhampur (proposed),IIIT, Bhubaneswar,IIM,IIT Bhubaneswar,IITs, IISc, IISERs, NISER, IIMs,KBKIET in Kalahandi/Balangir,Koraput-Jeypore-Sunabeda area (5),Learning from others,NISER, Bhubaneswar,NIT, Rourkela,NITs, IIITs,PMSSY, AIIMS,Rourkela-Rajgangpur area (2),Sambaplpur-Burla-Jharsuguda-Baragarh area (4),Upgrading UCE Burla to IIT level
9 Writeup
1. Prof.Biswajit Mishra | June 12th, 2009 at 7:56 am
I fully agree with Prof. Baral’s proposal of all the ‘pushes’. However, my concern is apart from others, is the CM reading this. These should reach the CM. Somehow the state has been Bhubaneswar-Cuttack centric. Perhaps Orissa has followed the wrong pattern of Bengal (read: Kolkata centic). In this context, the Rajasthan example should be an eye-opener. Jharsuguda deserves an airport, because it has become an industrial hub and Bhubaneswar should be upgraded to International status as soon as possible. The state authorities must understand that educationational development is directly linked with the socio-economic development of the entire state, not just Bhubaneswar metro.
2. pabitra kumar barad | June 12th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Thanks Mr. Baral for his contribution to educational infrastructaral development of orissa.I am concerned about the seriousness of govt. of orissa.After declaration of IIT bbsr they are not making any demand to GOI for setting up institutions like IIM, NIPER.NID etc.What is the current stutus of AIIMS BBSR?
3. gopal | June 12th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
When the locations for IIT, AIIMS, WCU, Law University and NISER were being debated the state government and the NRI intelligentia were obessed with the State capital and all other locations seemed to them asalien and backward. Now when the State capital has got them all, defying all norms of distributive justice they have woken up to the reality. This late realisation can’t undo the damage that has been done to the psyche of the people of different regions of the State.
4. Chitta Baral | June 12th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I know many NRIs who were suggesting alternative locations. You will find may postings in this site about that.
The point to learn and push for is we need multiple large metro areas of 1 million plus population.
5. Biswa | June 14th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Excellent observation, Prof. Chitta.
I partly blame it on our Netas(elected MPs & MLAs), for such a BBSR-centric development. Once elected, most of the MLAs/MPs go and sit in the capital. Most of them hardly bother to visit their constituencies.
A huge example was, when UCE Burla was fighting for the well-deserved IIT tag, the local elected members were too reluctant to support the cause. What to say about the CM!
In the name of urban-development, 90% of the fund stays in BBSR only. Dont we feel Berhampur, Sambalpur, Balasore, Cuttack, Angul are not urban? I was born in Cuttack. And I have not seen any improvement on any of the basic amenities of the city in last 20 years. And have spent some time of my education life in Sambalpur too… but, see nothing to have improved there in last 10 years. I also had spent part of my primary education in BBSR. And have been seeing a rapid growth of the city. Thanks to the state govt; for being so pro-development for Capital and neglect the rest of the state.
Prof. Chitta, can you find out how many of the MLA’s kins are studying in their own constituencies and not in BBSR(or outside Orissa for higher studies)? When their own kids study in the capital, they ‘ld always prefer to get the best institutes established in the city.
When we were kids, we were taught ‘first serve humanity, then country, then family and finally self’. I dont feel our dignified and powerful civil servants value any of such teachings.
No, I’m not saying to stop BBSR from developing… but continue it. At the same time, also distribute the development to other parts of the state. Else, BBSR ‘ld soon face the problem of migration and population-explosion.
Probably, Naxalism took birth… b’coz of the negligence of the state administration towards those people living in remote areas. The noise of ‘Koshal’ state is also b’coz of negligence shown towards Western part of the state.
Now that the state govt enjoys a clear majority with no alliance, it should give serious thought about development of Orissa, as a state.
Regards,
A-proud-Oriya.
6. Abhisek | June 15th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
The State Government has been biased towards Berhampur anf Rourkela. These are the two biggest cities outside Greater Bhubaneswar region but the state government has never bothereed about their development. While Berhampur region lags behind in Technical education (except for few recent Pvt engg colleges) the Rourkela region has no general university. Curiously, these two principal urban centers of the state are not connected by railways. The state government should push for a NIT at Berhampur and a General University at Rourkela in its third term in office.
7. alok | June 17th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Hi I really apprecaite Pof Baral.Well its no new to us.It always happens anything that need to be established its got be established in bbsr or cuttack or around these two cities.I feel as if they is no other place in orissa compared to bbsr and ctc.I would also like to mention that just naming rourkela as second largest metropoliton of orissa is not enough.We have to do put on lot of efforts to make it reality.At the moment we should push the AAI to start using the airport at Rourkela so that flight services can start asap.As of my knowledge Rourkela is one place in Orissa other than BBSR and CTC where flight service wont be a loss due to a large population as well as the per capita income which is highest in orissa.Starting the airport wont be a good idea at jharsuguda coz jsg is in growth stages and the population is not even half of rourkela if jsg and sambalpur are put together.Rather then that i would advise to wait and watch for the time being and develop the rourkela airport.I strongly recommend to develop the airport at Rourkela asap.
8. alok | June 17th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
We can always push for the IIM at Rourkela if central univ is not being setup at rourkela..And above all the airport is must…i wish Mr CM is reading this..
9. Biswanath | June 18th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
It seems lack of proper urban infrastructure is the reason behind Bhubaneswar-centric development in the higher education sector in Orissa. Gujarat government has demanded inclusion of 11 more cities of the state apart from the existing 6, to be included under NURM. I think Orissa Government should take a lesson from this and should demand the inclusion of Berhampur, Rourkela, Cuttack and Sambalpur under NURM. Once there is proper infrastructure in place, the case of the Tier II ci\ities of Orissa will be strong to have more centrally funded educational and research institutions.