Centrally funded non-NIT/IIT engineering colleges in various states; need a KBKIET in Kalahandi

Besides IITs and NITs some centrally funded engineering colleges are being established by the central govt. in various states. This includes the Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology in Punjab and Central Institute of Technology, Kokrajhar, Assam.

Following is a PIB report on a similar institute being established in Malda, West Bengal.

The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for establishment of Ghani Khan Choudhary Institute of Engineering & Technology, as a Centrally funded institution in Malda, West Bengal on the modular pattern of teaching as adopted by Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering & Technology (SLIET), Longowal, Punjab. The Institution will offer courses in Engineering and Technology to cater to the various manpower requirements of the region, with special emphasis on courses relevant to the local population such as in food technology & sericulture.

Initially, the Institution would start with Certificate level courses leading to Diploma, Degree and Post-graduate levels later.

The total project outlay of the Institute will be around Rs. 97 crores.

Orissa should ask for a similar engineering college to cater to the backward KBK+ districts and located in Kalahandi.

Koraput will have the central university; Branch of IGNTU is being pursued in Kandhamala. So an engineering college like SLIET should be located in Kalahandi. The institute can be called KBK institute of Engineering and Technology (KBKIET).

Add comment November 20th, 2008

AICTE to allow doubling of seats in colleges with a more than 4 year record

Following is an except from a report in expressbuzz.com.

As per AICTE’s decision, all degree and diploma technical institutes, which have completed four years, can double their students intake without having to augment the existing infrastructure.

In plain words, they can run a second shift because they have facility which are otherwise underutilised.

Going by the current scenario in Orissa, there are approximately 57 private engineering colleges with an approved intake of 22,000 seats in engineering disciplines, 3,000 in MCA classes and another 3,000 for MBA programmes. Then there are diploma institutes.

Of the 57 colleges, about 30 have completed four years and more which means they will be entitled to run the second shift. A conservative estimate would put the number of seats in second shift at 15,000.

The decision has come as a pleasant surprise for the engineering colleges which stand to gain the most.

For the students, it could be mean more opportunities to get an engineering degree.

‘More seats will mean more students can enrol in engineering courses and it is a good news for all those willing to pursue technical education,’ Orissa Private Engineering Colleges Association chairman Binod Dash said.

The existing facilities remain idle in many technical institutes in the State and the second shift would be able to utilise the same.

Addition of 15,000 students would not be a burden for the colleges, Dash said. Moreover, the teaching faculty would stand to gain, he added.

However, addition of 15,000 seats would also mean more work for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Committee which holds the test.

The million dollar question is will the addition benefit technical education? ‘Such a decision has taken me by surprise. It only makes business sense to me,’ said a member of the JEE Committee.

Given the AICTE assumption that existing facilities can be used for second shift means teaching faculty members would have to put in double the work if private institutes choose not to augment their number.

‘If facilities are remaining idle in the technical institutes, we had suggested in the past that the same can be used to train ITI and polytechnic students,’ said the official.

Besides, one of the most important issues will be employability of students who pass out every year.

‘Not many parent would send their wards to general colleges anymore but it remains to be seen how many would get jobs at the end,’ head of an institute said.

The AICTE decision will affect new colleges since more seats will now be available in old and established institutes which may prompt the former to cut down on their fees, another insider said.

1 comment November 13th, 2008

BIT asked to admit students by October 31st; BPUT has to figure out how!

I am told that Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology (BIT) which could not participate in Orissa JEE counseling during August this year due to delayed AICTE approval will be admitting its first batch of students by the end of October 2008. On October 1, the Orissa High Court has issued an order to BPUT for allowing BIT and other six engineering colleges to admit their students by the end of October 2008. Prof. Rabi Mahapatra, Chairman, BIT said the stage is set to start the classes of all the four engineering branches from November 1, 2008. Special efforts are being made to cope up with the BPUT curriculum in the compressed semester time frame.

BIT is promoted by three US based professors (Prof. Rabi Mahapatra, Prof. Prasant Mohapatra and Prof. Laxmi Bhuyan) and several professional from top industries in USA. The vision of this group is to establish a world class Institute in the country. The Govt. of Orissa has keenly supported their efforts to establish a quality technical education. More on BIT can be found by visiting their website at http://www.bit.edu.in.

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I am told that six other exisiting engineering colleges had seat increases which also happened after the Orissa govt.deadline. Students were not admitted against those seats during the last counseling. Now students will also be admitted against those seats.

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The Orissa ggovernment is trying to figure out how to do the above. Watch out this space and http://www.jeeorissa.com/home.asp for any updates on this.

Add comment October 9th, 2008

Layout of Parala Maharaj Engineering College, Berhampur

The tender will be opened in October 2008 and the work is required to be completed in 15 months. Following are some layout diagrams.

Add comment October 9th, 2008

Orissa government issues tenders for IIIT, Parala Maharaj Engineering College and Construction Academy

In recent months the Orissa government has issued tenders for two state funded and one PPP based institute:

• IIIT Bhubaneswar: The tender is for construction of administrative and academic building, hostel and external services to be completed in 9 months and at an estimated value of work of Rs 15 crores.
• Parala Maharaj Engineering College in Berhampur: The tender is for construction of the College Building at Berhampur (Sitalapalli), Ground Floor and First Floor, to be completed in 15 months, and at an estimated value of work of Rs 7 crores.
• Construction Academy in Gopalpur, Cuttack: The tender is for construction of Administrative Block (Stilt, Ground & First Floor), to be completed in 18 months, and at an estimated value of work of Rs 5.6 crores.

The tender documents are currently available via http://tendersorissa.gov.in/.

Add comment October 9th, 2008

UCE Burla gets conditional nod to be made to a state university

Following is a report from someone who attended the meeting.

Yesterday we (students + alumni + faculty) had a satisfying meeting with CM. salient points -

(1) Ordinance shall be moved to amend BPUT Act to delist UCE as Constituent College of BPUT

(2) CM agreed to move an Act to convert UCE as an Unitary State University subjected to condition given below

(3) CM asked his officials to examine how much acres can be given to UCE

(4) CM said he will look into our claim for Rs 300 crore infrastructure fund which includes Central Funding of 1/3rd.

CM asked what are the benefits of State University. We talked about 12(B) grant from UGC. We talked about an independent Governing Body who can augment the courses/students/faculty/research. We gave examples of BESU & CUSAT.

 

This was contested by VC and Industry Secretary Mr Aditya Padhy. They said that -

(a) UGC fund is very small - may be to the tune of Rs 1 to 2 crore a year. 

(b) Guindy College is affiliated to Anna University, Pune Engg College is affiliated to Pune University and yet they are quality college. Why UCE wants University status, and resisting affilitaion to BPUT.

(c) Deemed University status is no inferior to State University as both get UGC grant against 12 (B) and get nearly same grant.

(d) Indian Institute of Science is Deemed University and yet the best institution.

(e) After Revensaw became University, the situation has not improved. They are still struggling for faculty & fund. VC said he is Revensaw’s Seante Member and knows the conditions better than all of us.

Though CM agreed our demand for State University, he asked us (as well Industry Secretary) to prepare a note with examples of other institutions as to how State University will help UCE to grow. Report should contain references to the growth of some Unitary State Universities (in addition to BESU & CUSAT) including Revensaw University. Report has to be submitted within a week.

6 comments September 25th, 2008

Foundation stone of Sri Sri University laid; web site unveiled

The website of the university is http://www.srisriuniversity.org. The courses that are on offer now (hope they start working on the engineering and medical school soon) are as follows:

Following is an excerpt of the news item from the Statesman about the foundation laying .

The foundation stone for the Sri Sri University was laid at Naraj in Cuttack district today. The University is going to be set up by Sri Sri Ravisankar Vidya Mandir Trust.

Speaking at the occasion, chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik said the world-class research-based University will have streams in basic science, arts, engineering, business management, law, art and culture, ayurveda and others.

… The government has provided 186 acres of land for the Sri Sri University and will bring a special law for it.
Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravisankar said the whole world looks to India for guidance in the present turbulence across the glove.

“The human values are the best gifts of our country to the world”, he said.

On the university he said that that this will be a common man’s university. “There is an urgent need to change the educational system and the prime necessity is the teaching of human values”, he added.

Add comment September 25th, 2008

Hi-Tech group’s plan for Khurda, Jatni and Rourkela

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard by Jayjit Dash.

Hi-Tech Group of Institutions has planned to set up two management institutes, one at Khurda and the other at Jatni, both located within 25 km radius of the city, at a combined investment of about Rs 12 crore.

These management institutes are set to be built on surplus land available at the two technological institutes run by the organisation – Konark Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) located at Jatni and the Hi-Tech Institute of Technology (HIT) in Khurda.

While the B-school in Khurda will come up on 15 acres of surplus land on HIT campus, the other B-school will be developed on 10 acres of surplus land within the KIST campus at Jatni.

“Construction work for our two proposed management institutes has already begun and we expect these two institutes to be functional next year. …

Each of these management institutes will have an intake of 60 seats and will offer two-year, full-time MBA programmes from the 2009-10 academic session.

The Hi-Tech Group will also invest Rs 30 crore for introducing new super-specialities, namely, cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, neurology, nephrology and trauma care in the Hi-Tech hospital. Hi-Tech Group of Institutions has also got the approval of AICTE to introduce post-graduate courses in engineering at the KIST campus.

The KIST campus will offer MTech in computer science and engineering as well as electronics and telecommunications engineering from the next academic session.

At present, KIST is offering BTech in five streams of engineering with the institute’s total intake being 420 seats. Meanwhile, the group expects to take possession of land for its proposed medical college and hospital in Rourkela within a month.

“We expect to get 25 acres of land for our proposed medical college cum hospital in Rourkela within a month and then inaugurate the hospital six months after acquiring land. Our medical college in Rourkela is expected to be operational a year after the inauguration of the hospital”, Panigrahi claimed.

1 comment September 13th, 2008

UCE Burla Students’ dharna reported in various newspapers

Following is an excerpt from a report in New Indian Express.

Students of University College of Engineering (UCE), Burla, launched their three day hunger strike from today staging silent sit-on dharna in front of the administrative building of the college.

The students are demanding Unitary University Status for the oldest engineering college of the State, on the lines of Ravenshaw University, transfer of 400 acres of government land adjacent to UCE campus, hike in annual grant to UCE to Rs 15 crore and special infrastructure development grant of Rs 100 crore spread over three years. The students had launched a stir in October demanding upgradation of UCE to IIT with support from the Alumni Association of the college and locals.

But with the State Government deciding to house the IIT at Jatni, they are now demanding declaring the college as an Unitary University.

The students had apprised the Chief Minister of their demand vide a petition on August 2 and set August 21 as deadline to fulfill the demand.

But with no communication from the office of the Chief Minister for a dialogue over the issue, they resorted to hunger strike. … A delegation of students will be leaving for Bhubaneswar and will try to get an audience with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Governor MC Bhandare.

7 comments August 24th, 2008

UCE Burla students write to CM to make it a unitary university

Following is the copy of the letter that was sent to me:

Sri Naveen Patanaik ji
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Orissa

Sub: State Govt’s response to our demand for “Unitary University” status to our college.

Respected Sir,
In our letter dated 2nd August, 2008, we had requested you to consider the followings:

1) Pass an Act in State Assembly to declare UCE as a “Unitary University” (like Revensaw Univ.)
2) Transfer the free Government land of 400 acers adjacent to UCE campus to UCE.
3) Hike the annual grant to UCE to Rs 15 crore.
4) Give a special “Infrastructure Development Grant” of Rs 100 crore to UCE spread over three years.

We painfully recall that in 2004, our college was the choice of State Government for becoming “IIT”. But, when center agreed to give “IIT”, it was shifted to Jatni. You have written MHRD for making UCE an “NIT”, but we see least possibility of this as the new NITs will go to the states which don’t have NIT now. Therefore, “Unitary University” is the only feasible route for upgrading UCE. We have sought an appointment with Hon’ble Chief Minister, but unfortunately we are not heard.

The students of UCE have never fought for their self. We never come out in support of any such strike by other BPUT  students demanding withdrawal of year-back system or so. Our fight is for the prestige and ‘swabhimaan’ of our college. If we are not assured of fulfillment of our legitimate demand by 21st of Aug,08. we will be constrained to take any step that may be required to fulfill it. We will be forced to come out to street and paralyze entire Sambalpur region including the Railways & National Highways. The people across the civic society, student unions of other institutes & political parties have already come forward to participate in our agitation. If this does not attract to notice , we will march to Bhubaneswar and ‘gherao’ the State Assembly and seek explanation from the representatives of people who will assemble there. Yet, we believe, such moments will not come; you will definitely fulfill our legitimate aspiration.
Warm regards,

Students, UCE, Burla

Copy to: Sri Jayanarayan Mishra, Hon’ble Minister of commerce & Transport
Sri Prasanna Acharaya, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Sambalpur Constituency
Sri Kishore Mohanty, Hon’ble Speaker, Orissa Assembly
Sri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Deogarh Constituency
Smt Pramila Bohidar,MP Rajya Sabha
Sri Sanatan Bishi,Hon’ble Health Minister
Sri Surender Lath, MP Rajya Sabha
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Northen Division, Sambalpur
The Collector & District Magistrate, Sambalpur
The Incharge, Police Station, Burla
Superintendent of Police, Sambalpur
Vice-Chancellor, BPUT
Industry Minister, Govt. of Orissa
Industry Secretary, Govt. Of Orissa
Principal, UCE Burla

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This is a just demand. When and if the students get a chance to meet the CM and/or the govt.officials they must request that UCE Burla must be molded in the model of CUSAT, BESU (both are state universities) and the plan in Maharastra and UP to have state funded universities at the level of an IIT. Besides the demand mentioned in the above letter, to make UCE Burla really a top institution some additional steps need to be taken. For example: 

• It should be allowed to hire faculty from all over India (not just from Orissa or Oriyas); and have the payscale of NITs and IITs.

• Its seats should be doubled but a significant percent (say 30% or perhaps 50%) should be open to all India admission either through AIEEE or IIT JEE.  Because of the doubling of the seats students of Orissa will not lose out.
• In other words, mold it like an NIT or IIT and it will one day be picked to get that level. (This is the same strategey that was done with, say, Institute of Physics, which was made like a central institute, and after some years, it was picked up by the central govt. Similarly, CUSAT takes students from all over India.)

1 comment August 22nd, 2008

Engineering and Medical College in Keonjhar?

Following is an excerpt from a report in Statesman.

Keonjhar will soon have a medical college and an engineering college, said Bombay Oriya Mahasangha president Mr Bipin Bihari Mishra here recently. The Mahasangha will also take steps for the beautification of the major tourist spots, he added while addressing the media here today.

“As a man from Keonjhar, it deeply shocked me to see how miserable is the living condition of the people living in the remote villages. In Keonjhar, the villages are still away from the government’s various developmental programmes,” Mr Mishra lamented while explaining his plans for overall growth of the mineral-rich district. “We will adopt a village and work for its overall development. Then another village will be adopted and developed and so on,” Mr Mishra pointed out. He discussed with the media about the various problems the district is presently facing and possible ways to get rid of the problems.

… “We ensure that the cancer patients from Orissa are being treated at Tata Memorial Hospital and Cancer Research Institute free of cost, and we will also arrange for the stay of the attendants at a very nominal price as low as Rs 10 a day,” he said adding that an ‘Utakal Bhawan’ is going to come up on a land of 30,000 sq feet in Mumbai with the initiative of the Maha-sangha.

3 comments August 19th, 2008

Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology (BIT) has just received AICTE approval

I am told by Prof. Rabi Mahapatra (Chairman of the Trustee) and Dr. Gopal Mohapatra (member Trustee) that BIT (Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology) has now received AICTE approval. This is great news. Since BPUT JEE counseling is already midway, I hope a way is found for BIT to admit students this year.

BIT will be a unique institution is Orissa. The reason I say it is that it is being built by several well-known  professors from the US and several other professionals.  Following is the list of  its promoters as obtained from their web page.

• Prof. Rabi N. Mahapatra, Chairman
  Department of Computer Science, Texas A&M University, USA
• Mrs. Sumita Panda, Managing Trustee
  Bhubaneswar, India
• Prof. Laxmi N. Bhuyan, Trustee
  Professor and Chairman, Department of Computer Science, University of California, Riverside, USA
• Mr. Binoy K. Dash, Trustee
  Software Engineer, Cisco Systems, California, USA
• Major General P Pinak Das (Retd.), Trustee
  Defense Research Development Organization, New Delhi, India
• Mr. Rabindra Gaan, Trustee
  Satellite Radio Broadband Consultant, Bell Labs, New Jersey, USA
• Mr. Neelamadhaba Mahapatro, Trustee
  General Manager and Partner, Microsoft Corp. USA
• Dr. Gopal K. Mohapatra, Trustee
  Geophysical Advisor, Hess Corp., Houston
• Prof. Prasant Mohapatra, Trustee
  Professor and Chairman, Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis, USA
• Dr. Sujata Mishra, M.B.B.S, M.D, Trustee
  Consulting Physician, Bangalore, India

11 comments August 16th, 2008