Odisha HRD

Berhampur University to collaboarte with BARC to study impact of radiation on plants

Following is an excerpt from a report in Hindu.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Berhampur University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to study positive impacts of radiation on plants.

… The BARC has chosen four centres in the country to take up reasearch on impact of ionizing radiation on non-human biota, especially on plants of human benefit. The four centres are IARI, New Delhi, Agricultural University, Hyderabad, BARC Mumbai and Botany department of Berhampur University.

… The BARC has already released Rs. 40 lakh for installation of a ‘Gamma Irradiater’ in a ‘Gamma Chamber’ to be established on the university campus.

… Prof Brahma Bihari Panda, coordinator of the project, said under the project they would experiment on bringing in positive mutational changes in different plant breeds beneficial to humans. Both ultra violent rays and gamma radiation affect plants. But here mutational changes would be brought in through controlled use of ionizing gamma radiation.

These experiments may bring in genetic mutant changes in major crop breeds to make them more productive, pest resistant and environment friendly. It would also provide ways to preservation capacity of different plant products, including food grains and vegetables through peaceful use of radiation.

The Gamma Chamber of the project could also be used for sterilisation of medical waste and other hazardous bio-waste. Prof. Sahu felt the Gamma unit could also be an income generator for the university as this unit could also be used by other organisations for a service charge.

4 comments December 22nd, 2008

KIIT School of Biotechnology has faculty involved in research

KIIT School of Biotechnology  has faculty that are  involved in research. Following is its current faculty list that I obtained from http://www.kiitbiotech.ac.in/faculty.htm. All faculty with the rank of Senior Lecturer and above have Ph.Ds and many are with multi-year post-doctoral experience abroad. I think this school may soon challenge the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar in term of research.

Would not it be wonderful if KIIT builds up similarly in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and challenges NISER?

20 comments December 21st, 2008

Orissa government plans a government engineering college in Kalahandi near Bhawanipatna

Following is from tathya.in.

Finally KBK region will have a Government sponsored engineering college.

And this will be established here in the district Headquarters of Kalahandi.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has given green signal to this effect.

The Industries department has moved the files so that the institution receives approval of AICTE.

The authorities are eying to enroll students in 2009-10 in four streams, once the AICTE approval is availed.

The Collector has been asked to locate 30 acres of land near Bhawanipatna.

At least 10 acres of land is required for an engineering college but keeping in future expansion, the State Government has asked the Collector Kalahandi to do the needful.

Chief Minister has asked the Finance department to provide Rs.4 crore from the Orissa Contingency Fund (OCF).

Recently the OCF has been allowed to enlarge its kitty to Rs.400 crore.

There are 63 engineering colleges in the state and 2 in KBK. 

Most of the engineering colleges are in Khurda district, which houses 34.

There are no government engineering colleges in KBK and keeping this in view the Chief Minister has approved the Kalahandi Engineering College in this part of KBK, said an official.

This engineering college will be constituent college of Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT).

6 comments December 20th, 2008

Koraput as a location for a central university

Now that Koraput has been announced by the CM as well as in the assembly as the location for a central university, lets be happy about it. I know some of the other districts who wanted the central university to be there may have reasons to be unhappy. My suggestion to them, especially for people (and my friends) from Kalahandi, is to continue their efforts for a new central university and pursue other avenues such as a state university and a BPIET. 

Now celebrating Koraput, following are some good aspects of Koraput.

• Koraput area is a cluster of several towns which could become a sizeable metropolitan area in the near future. As per the population numbers in this site and this site the towns around Koraput and their population are: Jeypore: 84,136 (20 km from Koraput); Koraput: 39,523; Sunabeda: 62,706 (20 km from Koraput); and Damanjodi: 8,475. The total may now surpass 200,000.
• The Kolab resorvoir is a picturesque area for a central university. The university is proposed to be between Koraput at Sunabeda on the bank of this resorvoir.

December 19th, 2008

Land identified in Koraput for Central University; Branch of IGNTU proposed for Phulbani

The following is from Samaja.

It is high time people of Kalahandi go to the CM for higher education institutes in Kalahandi. In particular they should demand a state university and a centrally funded BPIET (Biju Patnaik Inst of Engineering and Technology) in the line of SLIET and ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury IET.  The people of Kalahandi need to be strategic in terms of what they can get at this time. For example, UCE Burla supporters initially, for several years, were going after a deemed university status. It was going very slowly. Once they switched to demanding for state unitary university status, things happened fast. Similarly, people of Kalahandi should realize that they should not put all their egg in one basket.  IMHO, shifting of the location from Koraput to Kalahandi after the location is announced by the CM and mentioned in the assembly is unlikely, and I hope I am wrong, but a new central university in Kalahandi has a low chance of happening soon. So as a practical matter people of Kalahandi should, for now, ask for a state university and a BPIET. They don’t have to retract their demand for a central university; that can continue.

16 comments December 19th, 2008

Central government scholarship scheme for college and university students

The following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=45828.

The Department of Higher Education of Ministry of Human Resource Development [MHRD], Government of India has decided to implement a new Central Sector Scheme titled ‘Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students’ w.e.f. 2008-09. This would be available to upto 82,000 meritorious students per year belonging to non-creamy layer, studying in recognised Colleges/Universities in India, who are not in receipt of any other scholarship. 50% of the total number of scholarships would be for girls. The rate of scholarship would be Rs. 1,000/- (Rupees One thousand only) per month for graduation level for the first 3 years of the College/University Education and Rs. 2000 (Rupees Two thousand only) per month in the 4th and 5th year of College/University Education. The Scholarship would be paid for 10 months is an academic year. The scheme is also open to students pursuing professional courses through recognised institutions. However, renewal of the scholarship from year-to-year would be subject to good conduct and fulfillment of prescribed academic performance.

All the State Boards of Senior Secondary Education ,CBSE and ICSE have been requested to contact the eligible candidates on the basis of the merit list of Senior Secondary Examination results 2008 and recommend to the MHRD the details of Scholars selected against the specified number of scholarships allocated to the Board. The disbursement of scholarships to these selected students will be made by the MHRD, directly into the bank account of the students, through a designated Bank.

******

VLK/ska

74 comments December 18th, 2008

UCE becomes Vir Surendra Sai University of Technology

Following from a report in Pioneer.

The Burla Engineering College has been accorded with a Unitary University status. A Bill to this effect on Wednesday got the nod of the State Assembly. After passing of the Bill, the university is now known as Vir Surendra Sai University of Technology.

As per the provision of the bill, a Management Committee, Academic Council of Studies, Finance Committee and other necessary committee, which is deemed to be necessary for the functioning of the university, would be set up.

One Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Controller of Finance, Controller of Examination, Students’ Welfare Dean would be appointed. However, the Vice-Chancellor would be appointed on the recommendation of the Chancellor.

6 comments December 18th, 2008

INSPIRE fellowship letter to NISER

Thanks to Debu for this.

5 comments December 17th, 2008

UCE Burla becomes a unitary university – a live report from the assembly

Ashesh Padhy

1 comment December 17th, 2008

Story behind the the ABA Ghani Khan Institute of Engineering and Technology

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

… The human resource development ministry has decided to open nine new NITs instead of 10, replacing the tenth with an institute to be named after A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhury.

The Union cabinet approved the Ghani Khan Choudhary Institute of Engineering and Technology on November 20, allocating Rs 97 crore for the project.

The institute will be based in Malda, the late Congress leader’s bastion.

… a cash-strapped government has quietly decided to scrap one NIT to accommodate the institute named after Choudhury without spending more.

… Unlike the NITs, which have a national character and admit students from across the country, the Ghani Khan Choudhary Institute will primarily cater to local students, sources said.

“It will not be an NIT and will not even be run like one. The idea, pushed by the late Congress leader’s family, was not to have a national institution but a memorial to Choudhury. And that’s what this institute will be,” a source close to HRD minister Arjun Singh said.

… The Ghani Khan Choudhary Institute will not be run by a central law.

Choudhury’s family members, it is learnt, have met Arjun at least twice to urge him to start the institute. A source in the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that it, too, had been petitioned by the family.

…But the HRD ministry, the sources said, decided instead to propose the Ghani Khan Choudhary Institute in place of one NIT.

In 2009 if there is a friendly government in the Center Orissa should try for Biju Patnaik Instutute of Engineering and Technology along the above lines.

2 comments December 17th, 2008

What to do after B.Tech?

It is a good idea for some to consider pursuing M.Tech (via GATE) after B.Tech and then go for an academic job in engineering colleges. One may also consider doing a Ph.D and going after a faculty job in top institutions. Some of the reasons are:

• IT job market is getting tougher for fresh graduates.
• These days there are uncertainties in IT jobs for even people with experience.
• UGC salary has increased quite a bit. See also this latest PIB.
• There is a lot of demand for M.Techs for faculty positions in engineering colleges across India.
• See also the following piece in Samaja. (I don’t endorse the numbers, or the sentiment behind the trading, but it does give an idea regarding which jobs are stable. This may be useful to people looking for stability.)
• Eight new IITs, ten new NITs, 14 new National Universities and 16 central universities (13 of them new) are opening across India. A large number of faculty positions will be available in these places.

183 comments December 16th, 2008

Concept paper being finalized for the proposed 14 national universities

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=45702.

The Government proposes to establish 14 National Universities aiming towards world-class standards the 11^th Plan period.  A State- wise list of cities identified or locating these universities is annexed.  A preliminary draft of the Concept Paper on setting up of these universities was prepared by an Expert Committee constituted by the University Grants Commission.  The Expert Committee has held extensive consultations with eminent educationists, academics and policy makers.  The relevant recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission have also been taken into consideration by the Expert Committee while revising the draft Concept Paper. The Concept Paper is, however, yet to be finalized by the Committee.

This information was given by Shri Arjun Singh, the Minister of Human Resource Development in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

1 comment December 16th, 2008

NIT Rourkela alumni association organizing seminar in Bhubaneswar

Dear All Alumni of all places,

It is a great pleasure to hereby inform you that NITRAAB is organizing a national level seminar on 21st December 2008 (sun day) at 9.15 a.m. at the hotel SWOSTI PLAZA. The theme of the seminar is INDUSTRIAL RESURGENCE IN ORISSA .

The seminar will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Orissa and many other dignitaries and renowned speakers will grace the occasion. It will also be attended by many of the loved and respected ex- faculties of the RECR/NITR.

In fact this seminar will be the perfect showcase of the newly registered NITRAAB and its activities, with support and help from the NITRAA H.Q. at Rourkela. So as the honourable members of the NITRAA, you are hereby earnestly requested to make this seminar a grand success by attending and participating in it with out fail.

The seminar is arranged on sponsorship basis and hence there shall not be any participation fees.

Since this will be our own fuction, it is needless to say that our presence is essential. The programme for the day will be as follows :-

Seminar- with snacks and lunch:- 9.15 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Dinner and Cultural Programme :- 6.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.

Please attend and make it a success.

Sincerely

Sanjaya K. Mohanty
Co-ordinator
sanjaya58@gmail.com

(Message sent by

Bharati Panda
NIT- Rourkela 1980 (Mech.)
Member / Board of Governors
NIT – Rourkela )

1 comment December 15th, 2008

IIT Bhubaneswar to run from Bhubaneswar from 2009: Kalinga Times

Following is from Kalinga Times’ report on it.

The classes of IIT Bhubaneswar, which are now being held at IIT Kharagpur, will be conducted at the latter’s extension centre here from July next year.

The student strength of IIT Bhubaneswar will increase from the present 120 to 240 by July next.

All the 240 students of IIT Bhubaneswar will attend their classes in the extension centre of IIT Kharagpur which will be used as a temporary campus till IIT Bhubaneswar developed its own campus in the city.

… IIT Kharagpur is facilitating establishment of IIT Bhubaneswar as the mentor IIT appointed by the Central government.

The authorities of IIT Kharagpur are now constructing new buildings at their extension centre in the city to accommodate IIT Bhubaneswar till the later develops its own campus.

The process of appointment of teachers and other staff for IIT Bhubaneswar has also started. The process of selecting 30 faculty members was nearing completion, Dr. Damodar Acharya, Director of IIT Kharagpur and Chairman of the Governing Body of IIT Bhubaneswar, told reporters in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

On the other hand, efforts were on to start construction of IIT Bhubaneswar’s own campus next year. A total of Rs 1,000 crore will be utilised for the establishment of the IIT.

Odisha government has already offered land at several locations around the city for the proposed campus for IIT Bhubaneswar. The site selection process will be over within a few weeks.

1 comment December 15th, 2008

Rs 80,000/year fellowships for science students under INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research)

Update2: The number 80,000 is inconsistent with the earlier announced number of Rs 100,000/year made in http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=36632.

Update: See also http://www.pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=45626 for the PM’s speech while launching the INSPIRE program.

Following is from a report in Telegraph.

India’s brightest students who choose to pursue science in college will get Rs 80,000 a year under a government scholarship to draw youngsters to careers in research.

The department of science and technology (DoT) today launched the nation’s largest-ever project to wean high-school students away from dreams of studying engineering or medicine towards BSc and MSc degrees.

Students who rank within 10,000 in the IIT Joint Entrance Examination and within 20,000 in the All India Engineering Entrance Examination but still choose BSc will be eligible for the scholarship, announced earlier this year but formally launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. Students who clear the central medical entrance exam but opt for BSc will also be eligible.

All students who come within the top 1 per cent both in the 10th and 12th standard exams of central or state boards may also apply for the Scholarship for Higher Education. The department of science expects to offer 10,000 scholarships every year.

Students of Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) and the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), national science talent scholars and Olympiad medallists will also be eligible.

The scholarship will be available from BSc second year till the students complete their master’s. Students of IISER Pune, Calcutta, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram will receive it this year. So will those of NISER Bhubaneswar.

… The project will also award Rs 5,000 every year to 200,000 students from classes VI to X — picked with help from the schools’ science faculties — for work on a school-level science project. It will provide doctoral fellowships and an assured five-year research career to postgraduate students.

The government will spend Rs 2,100 crore on the scheme in the next three years.

India’s science policy makers have long worried about the migration of meritorious students towards, traditionally, engineering and medicine and, in recent years, management and information technology. “This initiative is important for India from a long-term perspective,” said T. Ramasamy, DoT secretary. “We expect to begin seeing gains from this in about a decade or so from now.”

128 comments December 14th, 2008

Current TIFR locations

Following is from a TIFR page.

December 14th, 2008