Central University of Orissa @ Koraput location one step closer to getting finalized

Update1: Tathya.in has a report comparing the two sites that are in contention.

Following is from Dharitri.

2 comments June 15th, 2009

Rajasthan uses a balanced approach in choosing locations for its national institutions

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

9 comments June 12th, 2009

Budget approved for one professor, two associate professors and three assistant professors in each course of CUO Koraput

Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.

UGC sanctioned posts of one professor, two associate professors and three assistant professors for each course in these universities. These universities will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil and PhD courses. The admission process will begin from this academic year itself. They were already given a small budget to start their camp offices.

On Wednesday, UGC chairperson Sukhdeo Thorat had said these universities might try to get faculty from among Indians settled abroad as well as foreigners.

Meanwhile, search for the site of six universities — in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala — continues. In Haryana, the new university will be in Mahendragarh, while the one in Punjab will be in Bhatinda. The one on Karnataka will be in Dharwad and the one in Tamil in Tiruvarur. In the case of Orissa, the likely site will be in Koraput and for Jharkhand it is likely to be Khunti. Three existing universities — Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya in Chhattisgarh, Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya at Sagar (MP) and Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna University in Uttarakhand — were upgraded as central universities.

Add comment May 29th, 2009

Central University of Orissa, Koraput to start classes at COATS Koraput

Update: Hindu also reports on it. In regards to the location of the permanent campus, Hindu says the following:

While speaking very high about the proposed location for establishing the university which is situated between the railway station at Koraput and Danagadeola village over an area of 565 acres of government land she said that over the next five years the university could become one of the major attractions even for the tourists for its unique green campus resembling that of many world class university campuses in the other parts of the globe.

Following is an excerpt from a report in the Pioneer.

Vice-Chancellor of the Central University, Orissa, Dr Surabhi Banerjee informed that the classes in the university at Koraput would start from August this year. The university would function temporarily at the COATS (Council of Analytical Tribal Studies) and the courses would start from under-graduation to higher studies, she said.

…, the VC visited Deola village where the proposed university will be set up over 575 acres of land. … She thanked the district administration to locate such a suitable land and … After visit of the representatives from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the construction work would be carried out on their approval, she said.

There will be an entrance test for taking admission into the university and the entrance test would be conducted in around 15-16 centres all over India and for Orissa in Koraput, Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur. Subjects like English, Oriya, Social Sciences, Anthropology, Tribal Studies and Journalism and Mass Communication would be taught in the university, besides other higher and professional courses. Different kinds of schools will be opened on the campus like the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the head office of the university would function at Koraput and the transit office to recruit lecturers, readers, professors, management and other staff will function at Bhubaneswar, the VC informed.

The Central Government has approved the university for five years for the time being and the classes would start in the COATS which is being managed by Sabara Srikshetra Jagannath Mandir Management Committee and the existing Gyan Mandir, library and tribal museum are an added advantage for the students of the university, she said.

Among others, Registrar BK Mishra, Financial Advisor P Pati and Liaisoning Officer and Coordinator Ganesh Chandra Roul attended the Press conference.

2 comments May 25th, 2009

Thank you Digambara, Sandeep babu, Braja babu and the others: Looks like CUO Koraput will start in Koraput because of your efforts

Following are excerpts from a report in tathya.in.

Professor Banerjee met the Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here to apprise him the developments on the new varsity front. 

She is clearly defensive and said that the campus will be at Koraput and classes will start in August next.  …

During the meeting with Chief Minister, she made it clear that the Campus will be at Koraput. 

She said that there seems to be some misgivings about the Second Campus at Bhubaneswar. 

Prof. Baneerjee seems defensive and said that all out efforts are being made to start the Campus at Koraput.

Mr.Dasverma was outraged over the decision and demanded action against the people concerned.

Young NROs led by Digamabara Patra created huge stir in both the state and at national level. 

Professor Patra wrote it to the Prime Minister, Minister HRD and Chief Minister.

More than 100 students, teachers, educationists and members of the civil society demanded immediate action by sending e-mails. 

All of them demanded that if et al the second campus will be opened it should start at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi. 

The Chief Minister’s Office(CMO), was flooded with e-mails from all parts of the world and the mandarins were worried over the matter. 

Bijay Kumar Patnaik, Principal Secretary to CM took up the matter seriously. 

And Prof.Banerjee was summoned to clarify the factual position. 

Madhu Sudan Padhi, Secretary Higher Education department, who did not buy the idea of Second Campus of CUO here, before starting the original campus at Koraput.

Mr.Padhi asked her to make arrangements in Koraput. 

Prof. Banerjee is now under pressure to start classes at Koraput.

Following is from Samaja.

Add comment May 8th, 2009

Samaja and Tathya.in: Conspiracy to have a second campus of Central University of Orissa (Koraput) in Bhubaneswar?

The tathya.in article is at http://www.tathya.in/2009/story.asp?sno=2873. Following are some excerpts:

… now its officials were not in a mood to go to the tribal dominated district.

The reason: lack of facilities like airport and modern health care units.

Surabhi Banerjee had been appointed as the first vice-chancellor of the central university at Koraput.

But, Prof. Banerjee, is in no mood to move to Koraput.

Sources said, the VC had been persuading the state government officials to open temporary campus of the varsity in the state capital instead of going to Koraput.

The newly formed central university authorities claimed that the academic activities could begin from temporary campus here till the building was constructed at Koraput.

By the time, the building would be over; Prof Banerjee’s term could end.

The Samaja article is as follows:

Considering the lack of higher education opportunities in KBK and Koraput, the Central University should be started, even in the short term, from Koraput. I am sure some rented accommodation and quarters can be obtained in the nearby Damanjodi and Sunabeda townships. In the worst case, if something is done in Bhubaneswar, under absolutely no circumstances, it should go beyond one year. The Vice Chancellor should plan to move to Koraput as soon as possible, and under no circumstances, should stay outside of Koraput, beyond a year. Otherwise, perhaps she can move to another university and CUO Koraput is assigned a new VC who is not averse of staying in Koraput.

Finally, even if the goal is to have multiple campuses of the central university across the state, there is no need to have one in Bhubaneswar. The second and other campuses should be established in KBK and other areas of Orissa which lack universities. The Bhubaneswar area has many universities and a National University is about to be established there too. So there is absolutely no need to have a campus of the Central University of Orissa (Koraput) in Bhubaneswar.

6 comments April 26th, 2009

Committee constructed to develop the initial programs and syllabi for the Central University of Orissa: Samaja

Add comment April 7th, 2009

The 12 new central universities will start with only research programs

Following is excerpted from a report in Telegraph.

Twelve new central universities that India is launching will start by offering only research programmes — MPhil and PhD — unlike existing varsities that are controlled by the Centre.

The new universities will focus exclusively on research, at least initially, though they can later expand and offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses not involving research as well, top government officials have said.

… But the 12 new universities will initially offer only research programmes, human resource development (HRD) ministry sources said.

“We will leave it open to each university to decide what research programmes they want to start with. At least one university wants to start with only MPhil courses. That is fine,” a source said.

The 12 new universities are to come up in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Orissa, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Bihar.

At least three of the 12 are expected to start offering courses from the 2009 academic session itself, though more may begin.

The strategy to focus only on research initially at the new universities is based on three major considerations, sources said.

One, it will allow the universities to initially “find their feet” without the pressure of a large number of students, officials argue.

Add comment April 5th, 2009

Central University of Orissa classes to start in June from a temporary location; VC Prof. Banerjee will be tested on her ability get one of the 5 medical and engineering colleges to her university

Update: The news item in Samaja.

Tathya writes about this. Following are some excerpts.

Central University of Orissa (CUO) will begin classes from June. … While CUO will have its campus in Koraput, to begin with a temporary campus near Bhubaneswar is being looked out to start classes from next Educational Year.

That is why Professor Banerjee has requested the Government of Orissa in Higher Education department to provide a rented accommodation.

Mr.Padhi has agreed to provide all out support for the institution.

Professor Banerjee is interested to make it a different institution and is inclined to start at least 30-35 departments in the newly carved out Centre of Learning.

However to start with the CUO will have 5 subjects and later it will go on including further, said sources.

… Those CUs, which has not identified land for the institution in the designated place, those can start it from the Capital City of the state, said sources.

So Professor Banerjee is busy in organizing things for facilitating classes from next June. Faculty hiring is the foremost in her mind and as she is eager to make it a top class university, the VC wants to rope in best of the talents from the country.

She is also interested to open Medical College in the University, but it will take time. 

… Professor Baral of Arizona State University said only five of the 15 new central universities will have a medical college in the first phase (i.e.,during the 11th plan).

So the ability of the VC Professor Banerjee will be tested in whether she is able to get a medical and engineering college to the Central University of Orissa, feel the educationist.

Considering that the CUO is to be located in Koraput, in the most backward area, KBK, of India, Prof. Banerjee must do her best to make the right arguments at the earliest and get a medical and engineering college to this university, argued Professor Baral.

Page 522 of the document at http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/planrel/fiveyr/11th/11_v3/11th_vol3.pdf given below shows that only 5 of the new central universities will have medical and engineering colleges in the first phase, I.e., during the 11th plan.

Add comment March 25th, 2009

Prof. Surabhi Banerjee named as the VC of Central University of Orissa proposed to be in Koraput

Following is from a report in indiaeducationdiary.

Union HRD Ministry on Saturday named Surabhi Banerjee as Vice Chancellor of the proposed Orissa Central University. The Centre appointed Banerjee, who was the VC of Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata, along with  14 other VCs of the 15 new Central Universities in the country.

Noted academician Abdul Wahid has been appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of Central University of Jammu and Kashmir while DT Khathing has been appointed in that post at the Central University in Jharkhand.

A PTI report names the VC of all the new central universities. Following is an excerpt.

Noted academician Abdul Wahid has been appointed the first Vice Chancellor of Central University of Jammu and Kashmir while D T Khathing has been appointed in that post at the Central University in Jharkhand.

The other Vice Chancellors appointed are Jancy George- University of Kerala, A M Pathan – University of Karnataka, M M Salunkhe – University of Rajasthan, Jairup Singh – University of Punjab, Surabhi Banerjee – University of Orissa, B P Sanjay – University of Tamil Nadu, R C Sobti – University of Himachal Pradesh, Mool Chand Sharma – University of Haryana, R K Kale – University of Gujarat and Janak Pandey – University of Bihar.

While N S Gajbhiye has been appointed Vice Chancellor of Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya in Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), S K Singh will occupy that post in Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna University in Uttarakhand and Lakshman Chaturvedi in Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya in Chhattisgarh.

5 comments March 1st, 2009

Central Universities bill passed in the Parliament

The Central Universities bill establishing 12 new central universities from scratch and upgrading three universities was passed in the Rajya Sabha on 24th Feb 2009. It was earlier introduced in the Lok Sabha on 17th Feb 2009 and passed in the Lok Sabha on 19th Feb 2009. Together with that the earlier ordinance was withdrawn.

Add comment February 25th, 2009

Foundation Stone laid for IIT Bhubaneswar

Following is from the PIB report http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=47448.

Foundation Stone of the Indian Institute of Technology ( IIT ), Bhubaneswar, was laid in Orissa today. Shri Arjun Singh, Union Minister of Human Resource Development, was to lay the Foundation Stone, but due to unavoidable reasons he couldn’t go to Orissa and the ceremony was held in his absentia at KANSAPADA ( Khudupur-Taraboi Road ) near Jatni Block Office, Khordha.

This new IIT at Bhubaneswar is part of the 8 new IITs that have been established in the country by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Ministry. Orissa is also to get a new Central University under The Central Universities Ordinance, 2009 which was promulgated by the President of India on 15.01.2009.

Following is the full text of the speech of Shri Arjun Singh, delivered on his behalf :

“ IITs are our national pride and owe their existence to the scientific temper and disposition of our First Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Making India, the knowledge hub of the world was a cherished dream of our first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Way back in 1951, the Government of India, under the leadership of Panditji, planned to have four such institutes of excellence in the field of Engineering and Technology. The first amongst four such institutes (one for each zone) came up at Kharagpur in eastern region.

During the Eleventh Plan Period, the Government of India has decided to have eight new IITs, including IIT Bhubaneswar. IIT Bhubaneswar was one of the new IITs to become operational with 120 students in July, 2008. It is also heartening to note that the mother of the IIT system, IIT Kharagpur, is mentoring this new IIT. I would like to compliment Prof. Damodar Acharyaji, Director, IIT, Kharagpur who has made all possible efforts to mentor this IIT. The necessary facilities are being created in IIT Kharagpur Extension Campus at Bhubaneswar so that the students of IIT Bhubaneswar could have their education from Bhubaneswar itself from the forthcoming academic session starting from July 2009. IIT Bhubaneswar will offer science based engineering graduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes of international standard in various disciplines.

The State of Orissa is a resource-rich state and we expect that IIT, Bhubaneswar will act as a catalyst for the rapid industrialization of the State. Indian Institutes of Technology are known the world over for imparting quality and relevant education to students. I am confident that this new IIT also carry forward the great tradition of IITs.

I am happy to note that the Government of Orissa has allotted 935 acres of land for this IIT. The State Government has also agreed to provide adequate facilities of water, electricity and road connectivity. I appreciate the support of the Government of Orissa to have this IIT in Bhubaneswar and would like to specially thank Shri Naveen Patnaikji for his support for the venture.

I take this opportunity to mention that we had made an assessment of various States about availability of degree and diploma level courses per lakh population in the field of technical education. We find that the availability of degree and diploma level courses per lakh population in Orissa is much below the national average. This obviously means that the regional imbalance in respect of technical education needs to be corrected. It is in this context that the setting up of an IIT in Bhubaneswar is a right and timely step. I am sure the Government of Orissa will derive maximum benefits from the Central Government schemes for educational advancement of this State.

The Government of India in its Eleventh Plan has given a major thrust to education. The Central Government has taken several initiatives in respect of new institution building. These include setting up of 30 new Central Universities, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, eight new IITs, seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), two new Schools of Planning & Architecture (SPAs), 10 new National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and 20 new IIITs. For this unprecedented expansion, the credit goes to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, who has been kind enough to accord very high priority to the education sector and provided a nine fold increase in the budgetary outlays for the higher education during the XIth Plan as compared to Xth Plan.

Capacity building in the diverse fields of basic science, engineering and technology, architecture, management will empower besides providing opportunities to the youth. It has been decided to launch a massive National Initiative for Skill Development under which it is proposed to give assistance for the establishment of 1000 new polytechnics. It is also proposed to upgrade infrastructure facilities of existing diploma level Government and Government aided polytechnics. In order to attract women in polytechnic education, we are proposing to provide financial assistance for the construction of women’s hostels in 500 polytechnics.

The Government is also going to incentivise the States for starting new Universities, besides giving a one time grant to the States on a matching basis to develop the infrastructure of State technical institutions. With these initiatives, we hope to increase access (by 5% GER during XI Plan) with equity and excellence.

8. I am happy to say that the State of Orissa is also getting its due share. We have decided in this Plan Period to have in Orissa State, one Central University, one National University aiming for world class standards, one IIIT, and several Polytechnics in those districts which currently do not have a Polytechnic. The Government and Private Engineering Colleges will also be getting opportunity to upgrade their facilities through TEQIP. This will provide our youth in the State with vocational and professional educational opportunities to realize their full potential.”

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KKP/ska

Add comment February 12th, 2009