Odisha HRD

Ph.D production at IIT Delhi; Job opportunities for Ph.Ds

Following is an excerpt from a report in indiaedunews.

As per the last year records, 140 PhDs were awarded to engineering graduates by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) highlighting the increasing trend of students opting for research.

To further encourage Research and Development, IIT-D has also come up with scholarships up to Rs.20,000/- per month for research students. Furthermore, accommodation and in-house facilities are also being provided to research scholars.

According to Mr. M. Balakrishnan, Dean, Post Graduate Studies and Research at IIT-Delhi, "Industrial Research and Development (R&D) in India, is getting bigger day by day. Today, the private sector employs PhDs in all disciplines- Automobiles, Energy, Environment, Materials."

Mr. Balakrishnan, while disagreeing to the fact that salaries are a constraint for PhD-holders, pointed out, "A PhD done by a researcher in any of the engineering field today is paid anywhere between Rs.8 lakh to Rs.16 lakh per annum."

He further added that, the companies involved in the technology establishment pay the highest amount, "Companies such as Google and Yahoo, who work with new technologies, pay the highest amount to the researchers."

May 8th, 2008

Revised Tender for construction of housing complex for AIIMS like institute in Bhubaneswar

Update: Amendment to this tender.

Latest from http://www.mohfw.nic.in/tenders.html (see also http://mohfw.nic.in/tenders.htm):

Construction of Housing complex for AIIMS like institutions under PMSSY at RAIPUR (CHATTISHGARH) / BHUBANESHWAR (ORRISA) /PATNA, RISHIKESH

Some details about the tender:

• Release label: May 2008
• Tender number: HSCC//BU-/155 D&E/2008
• Estimated cost: 60 crores
• Completion period of work: 15 months
• Date of issue of tender document: 5/9/2008 – 6/9/08 up to 1:00 PM
• Bid security: 61 lakhs

Earlier links are at https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=970.

May 8th, 2008

PIB: Educational Complex in Low Literacy Pocket for Development of Women Literacy in Tribal Areas

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38541.

Rajya Sabha 

  No project has been sanctioned in the last three years (2005-06 to 2007-08) in districts other than identified low literacy districts and areas having Primitive Tribal Groups (PTG) girls population under the scheme “Educational Complex in Low Literacy Pocket for Development of Women Literacy in Tribal Areas”, revised and renamed as “Strengthening education among ST girls in low literacy districts” in 2007-08.

            The details of identified districts under the scheme “Educational Complex in Low Literacy Pockets for Development of Women Literacy in Tribal Areas” in which the projects were sanctioned during the last three years is annexed.

            The Government is implementing the Literacy Programmes of National Literacy Mission in 597 districts of the country with special focus on female literacy, a targeted scheme of strengthening education among Scheduled Tribe girls in low literacy districts, as well as, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan with specific components to improve girls education in all districts of the country.

            This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Shri M.A.A. Fatmi in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

…..

HB/ SB/PB

Annexure

May 7th, 2008

Tamilnadu plans to establish ten new universities

Following is an excerpt from a report in chennaionline.com.

Tamil Nadu Government proposed to establish as many as ten Universities, including the World Class University, sanctioned by the Centre during this year, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi announced in the state assembly today.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for his department, he said all the ten universities, including three sanctioned by the centre, would be established during this year itself, which was a record in the history of education in the country. …

The World Class University would be established in Coimbatore, he said, adding apart from this, the centre has also sanctioned a Management University, to be established in Tiruchirapalli and Central University in Mr Karunanidhi’s home town, Tiruvarur, he said.

The minister said after the National Knowlege Commission presented its report, suggesting that the number of Universities in the country should be raised to atleast 1,500 in the coming years, Tamil Nadu took the cue and decided to establish seven Universities this year.

Accordingly, the 168-year-old Presidency College, which produced scholars like Sir C V Raman, S Chandrasekar and Mathematician Srinivasa Varadan, would start functioning as unitary type University from the academic year 2008-09.

The other unitary type Universities to come up are the Kumbakonam Men’s Arts College, which was described as the Cambridge of South India along with Kumbakonam Women’s college, the 156-year-old Coimbatore Government Arts College, along with Women’s Arts college and Queen Mary’s college, the first college to be established for women, he said.

So it looks like the IIM in Tamil Nadu will be in Trichy.

May 6th, 2008

Andhra Pradesh to have a world class university in Kadapa: Orissa should have one in Rourkela

Update 1: It looks like my assumption below that the university at Kadapa is a state one was wrong. As per Times of India, the AP government just decided to change the venue of the world class central university from Vizag to Kadapa.

Update 2: Later reports mention that the AP government did not ask the center before making the Kadapa announcement and the central govt. may not agree to shift the location from Vizag to Kadapa.

Initial post:

Following is an excerpt from newpostindia.com.

The meeting also decided to set up a world-class university in Kadapa, the home district of the chief minister, for which the government will allot 700 acres of land.

In this regard, one may note that the central government had announced that it will establish a world class central university in Vizag. I assume the Andhra Pradesh Government is talking about a different university (state funded) for Kadapa.

The Orissa government should follow Andhra’s example and besides the central govt. funded world class university in Bhubaneswar and another central university in KBK, the Orissa government should establish a world class university in Rourkela via state funds or PPP.

5 comments May 5th, 2008

Utkal University offers Masters in Finance and Control: ad in Samaja

1 comment May 5th, 2008

Sushree group of institutions in Balangir

Their web page is http://www.sushreetech.com/sushree.htm. At present they manage the following programs:

• Diploma in Engineering
• ITI
• Nursing
• Plus 2 science: Pioneer reports that they are in the process of making their plus 2 college a residential college.

May 5th, 2008

Council of Analytical Tribal Studies (COATS) Koraput

The following is an excerpt from http://orissagov.nic.in/pa/cabinet/27.2.07.pdf.

The Council of Analytical Tribal Studies (COATS) is a prestigious institution which is the first of its kind established by a voluntary organization to undertake extensive studies on tribals and their problems with the sole object of supplementing the efforts of Govt. in the sphere of socio-economic development of tribals in this area of their predominance which is an epitome of tribal problems in the State. Its headquarters is  at Koraput which was inaugurated by Late Biju Patnaik, the then Hon’ble Chief Minister of Orissa on the 9th day of January, 1993. The institution has the distinct feature in contrast to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Training and Research Institute, Bhubaneswar functioning under the administrative control of the S.Ts & S.Cs Development Deptt. of Govt. of Orissa, providing training facilities which are only confined to  govt. servants, where as COATS imparts training to all ( both Govt. servants & N.G.Os) apart from providing wider scope in the spheres of teaching and research to those interested in tribal affairs and allied matters. The important activities amongst others of the institution include coaching  students for M.Phil degree in Tribal Studies. The Regional Director of Education, Berhampur in his office order No.4593 dt.7.10.2002 has granted recognition in favour of the Council in the district of Koraput for M.Phil in ‘Tribal Studies’ with 16 seats from the academic session 2002-2003.

1 comment May 4th, 2008

Cabinet approves establishment of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38385.

The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for establishment of Indian Institute of Corporate affairs with an outlay of Rs. 211.00 crores during 11th Plan. The institute would provide a Think-tank, Capacity building and Service Delivery support in various initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Earlier news reported that it will be located in Maneswar, near Gurgaon.

May 1st, 2008

Cabinet approves establishment of National Police University

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38388.

The Union Cabinet today gave its, in principle, approval to establish a National Police University (NPU) for quality education, research and other related academic activities in police related subjects, including competence in the areas of the physical and social sciences.

May 1st, 2008

Research at IMMT (Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology) goes way beyond materials and minerals

Following is an ad from Samaja.
 

1 comment May 1st, 2008

Union Health minister’s statement on delay with respect to AIIMS-like institutes

Following is from the Lok Sabha proceedings on 4/29/08.

DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS: … Coming to the AIIMS-like institutions, my predecessor, Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, when she was the Minister, she had launched a scheme called Pradhan Mantri Swasth Suraksha Yojana, under which they wanted to build six new AIIMS-like institutions and upgrade seven existing institutions to a certain level. Then, after that, our Government took over. At that time, since elections were there, they could not proceed further and the UPA Government took over. It is not like that with the change in Government, the policy would change. Shri Tripathy was mentioning about the political interference and all that, which I would definitely counter that. It is a continuity. Government comes and Government goes but it is a continuity. Definitely, we are following the programme. I would like to commend my predecessor, Shrimati Sushma Swaraj for bringing out that very innovative concept. I have already thanked and commended her for this. Definitely, we are going through this. Again, I would like to say that there has been a delay. I acknowledge the delay; I regret for the same. I could explain the delay, etc. In fact, the Standing Committee on Health has gone in depth into this and they were also upset. I am more upset than the Standing Committee. There has been some delay due to non-response to the tenders, etc. Work has started in Rajasthan; work would be starting in one or two months in Bhubaneswar, in Bhopal, in Patna, etc. This is how the work is distributed and it would take little more time for me.

Even though the previous Government had plans of building six new and improving seven institutions, we are now improving nearly 13 institutions – from seven we are improving 13. Kerala was not in the list of the last Government. After the UPA Government came into power, we included Trivandrum Medical College in Kerala for upgradation and allocated Rs.120 crore. Throughout the country, we have just one slab of Rs.120 crore – Rs.20 crore from the local Government and Rs.100 crore from the Central Government. We try to do that. I would like to assure my friend, Shri Tripathy and others that definitely we are trying to work out the modalities. We had split between the housing and the hospital, etc. to quicken the pace of work. Again, I would like to categorically assure the House that we are definitely into the projects, Sir.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Mr. Minister, are we to take it as an assurance from you that in Bhubaneswar, the work will start within the next two months?

DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS: Within the next three months, it will start in Bhubaneswar.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Okay, three months’ time is all right.

DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS: In three months’ time, the work will start in Bhubaneshwar.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Thank you.

Viswas and others: Please note that besides the six new AIIMS-like institutes the government is taking up the upgradation of 13 exisiting medical colleges  to AIIMS standard. Note that some states (UP, J & K and Andhra Pradesh) will have two of their institutes upgraded. Orissa should try to have one of its other medical colleges outside the Bhubaneswar area to be upgraded to that level. The medical colleges in Berhampur and Burla could be possible candidates.

Update: Some more ones are also in the planning stage.

In Summary:

• Existing AIIMS in Delhi
• 6 New ones in pipeline at Rs 332 crores each (paid by GOI) : Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Patna, Rishikesh, Jodhpur, Raipur
• 13 upgradations at Rs 120 crores each (100 crore paid by GOI, rest 20 crore by the corresponding state)
  • Govt. Medical College, Jammu (J&K)
  • Govt. Medical College, Srinagar (J&K)
  • Kolkatta Medical College, Kolkatta (W.B.)
  • Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow (U.P)
  • Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi (UP)
  • Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad(A.P)
  • Sri Venkateshwara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati (A.P) (50% cost of upgradation will be borne by the TTD Trust)
  • Govt. Medical College, Salem (T.N.)
  • Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS), Ranchi (Jharkhand)
  • B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
  • Bangalore Medical College, Bangalore(Karnataka)
  • Grant Medical College & Sir J.J. Group Of Hospitals, Mumbai, (Maharashta)
  • Medical College, Thrivananthapuram, (Kerala)
• Planning stages
  • Two new ones in UP and West Bengal
  • Upgradation of five existing hospitals in Nagpur, Himachal Pradesh, Amritsar, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

1 comment May 1st, 2008

Evening Standard on Anil Agarwal and Vedanta University

Following is an excerpt from it.

Look at Agarwal. According to the list, the founder and chairman of Vedanta Resources owns shares worth £2.93bn. That valuation, says Beresford, was calculated last month. Since then, his stake in Vedanta has risen to £3.6bn. In a few weeks, on paper, he has made more than £500m.

… Agarwal is also committing £500m of his own money to build a new university – not in Britain, but in Orissa, also in India. Called Vedanta University it will cater for 100,000 students – undergraduates and graduates – plus 40,000 faculty and staff members. The intention is it will rival Stanford (it’s modelled on the Californian university) and will go some way towards slowing the brain drain from India to America.

‘What is money for, if not to be made and given back to society?’ says Agarwal.

May 1st, 2008

Six crores for renovation of the Sanskrit University: Pioneer

Following is an excerpt from a report in the Pioneer.

The university will receive Rs 3 crore for its infrastructure development, while the UGC will also provide Rs 47 lakh for the year.

Besides, the university will have block grant of Rs 2.26 crore and an additional research grant of Rs 10 lakh from the State Government. The Syndicate has approved an annual budget of about Rs 6.94 crore. A 100-bed, two-storied hostel will come up on the campus soon to address the constriction.

The university has further resolved to institute scholarships to the tune of Rs 1 lakh this year to attract poor and meritorious students to pursue their studies. Research on the Jagannath culture being a major objective of the university, a sum of Rs 10 lakh received from the State Government will be utilised in it this year. Earlier, funds for research on the Jagannath culture were provided by the Puri temple trust.

April 28th, 2008

NCERT and Tamil Nadu boardBooks available free on-line

See http://www.ncert.nic.in/textbooks/testing/Index.htm for the NCERT books (Thanks to Abi for the pointer.) See http://www.textbooksonline.tn.nic.in/Default.htm for the Govt. of Tamil Nadu text books.

5 comments April 27th, 2008

Sports hostels in Orissa

The following is from http://orissagov.nic.in/sports&youthservices/dsys/hostels.htm.

The Sports Hostel Scheme was launched in our State in the year 1985 with the objective to enable the talented young Sports persons to undergo systematic coaching for a prolonged period. As per the scheme, the young talented boys and girls in the age group of 10-14 yrs. are selected from the grass-root level through a rigorous process of tests which include anthropometrics as well as series of battery of tests.  After determining their motor capabilities, they are finally selected on the basis of their performance in specific skill tests.  The Sports Hostel scheme has paid rich dividends as large number of Sports Hostel products have proved their worth in National and International tournaments. At present there are 14 Sports Hostels and 3 Centers of Excellence functioning in the State.

 NON-PLAN SECTOR

TRIBAL AREA SUB-PLAN SECTOR

 Government in Sports & Y.S Department bears the expenditure towards the stipend of the inmates @ Rs. 2250/- per head per month, Sports kits and uniforms, medicine, bedding  materials, admission fees of Schools and T.A/D.A etc. for attending different National/International tournaments and coaching camp wherever necessary. Scientific coaching in systematic manner by experienced coaches are provided to these inmates during their stay in the hostels.

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

Government in Sports Department have implemented the scheme of  Centre of  Excellence for  providing intensive coaching to Sports persons between the age group of 15-18 years who are proficient in the concerned field.  In order to be eligible for admission to the Centre of Excellence a candidate must have secured first to sixth position in any recognized National Championship either in Individual or Team events. During their stay in the Centre the inmates enjoy the same facilities availed by their sports Hostels counterparts. The scheme has proved it’s worth as many of the inmates of Centers of Excellence have laurels for the State. In pursuance of this scheme, the Centre of Excellence at the following places are now functional in the State:

TALENT SCOUTING

          Govt. in Sports & Youth Services Department have established 14 Sports Hostels in the State. In order to spot the budding sporting talents from grass root level and to nurture them by admitting in to Sports Hostels the Scheme of Talent Scouting has been formulated in the following manner. The talents must be within the age group of 10 to 14 Years and a student of Class-VIII or below in recognized educational institutions in order to be eligible to appear at the talent scouting selection .

  A)               Block & Dist. Level Selection

At the advent of each Academic Session, all Collectors of the Districts are requested to circulate the Scheme at Panchayat level & Block level for wide publicity and information of the interested sports talents as well as their parents to appear the selection test. It is the responsibility of the Block Development Officers to instruct the educational institutions for selection of talents at Gram Panchayat & Block level. The District Sports Officer of concerned District co-ordinates with the B. D. Os & educational institutions for selection process. Selection of talents at Block & District level Competition are organized in all Districts in order to select the outstanding talents of the Districts. Adequate publicity in print and electronics media regarding conduct of the lower level scouting as well as district level scouting are made for information of general public.

B)              State Level Assessment Camp

After conduct of the Selection trail in all the Districts, the D.S.Os send the list of selected talents along with their detail Bio-Data, motor ability test and Battery test report etc. to the Directorate of Sports & YS., Orissa, Bhubaneswar. A Committee is constituted in the Directorate of Sports & Y.S, Orissa, Bhubaneswar for scrutinization of the lists sent by all the D.S.Os.  Keeping in view the vacancies in different disciplines in all the Sports Hostels a select list of talents is prepared in order to call them for the State level scouting. After fixation of the date of State level selection all the D.S.Os are intimated regarding the list of selected talents in the State level scouting of their respective districts with instruction to ensure attendance of the talents. Selection committees are constituted in all eleven disciplines to prepare the merit list of the talents for admission in the Sports Hostels taking in to consideration of their age, educational qualification, motor ability and skill in the particular discipline.

The selected talents are intimated on the spot for taking admission into the Sports Hostels within specific time frame.  

NON-RESIDENTIAL SUMMER COACHING CAMP

 With a view to provide Coaching to the talents in rural areas as well as urban areas of the State in the popular disciplines of the localities concerned, the scheme of Non-Residential Summer Coaching Camp has been introduced by the Sports & Youth Services Department. Normally these camps are held during Summer vacation during the month of May-June every year. Coaches of the Directorate of Sports & Youth Services, Orissa Council of Sports and Sports Authority of India are deputed for imparting the Coaching in the camps. Concerned D.S.Os in co-ordination with local Sports Clubs, Sports lovers and educational institutions conducts the coaching camps which generally conducted for two weeks. Provision of refreshment and Sports kits are supplied for the purpose. 

4.       SAI SPORTS HOSTEL, CUTTACK

Sports Authority of India has established a Sports Hostel (Residential) at Cuttack to provide coaching to the students between 16-20 years of age in the disciplines of Athletics, Gymnastics, Football etc.  The students residing in SAI sports hostel are getting monthly stipend of Rs. 1500/- towards their fooding charges.  The total sanctioned strength of this hostel is 74.  Besides this, a Non-residential Training Centre is also functioning at Cuttack in Football and Athletics with a student strength of 20.

5.       SPDA SPORTS HOSTEL, DHENKANAL

          Sports Authority of India has established a Sports Hostel at Dhenkanal for development of Sports talents in the disciplines of Football & Athletics.

1.       CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

Government in Sports Department have implemented the scheme for providing intensive coaching to sports persons between the age group of 15-20 years who are proficient in the concerned field in pursuance of this scheme,  the Centre of Excellence at the following places have been opened; 

Sports Hostels

Students belonging to the age group of 10-14 yrs are being admitted into sports hostels in the State situated at different places.

          There are 14 sports hostels as detailed below;

Centre of Excellence

There are 3 Centres of Excellence in the State

1.       Centre of Excellence (Sports Hostel, Panposh)                 Hockey                  36

2.       Centre of Excellence (Sports Hostel, Berhampur)              Wt.Lifting              03

3.       Centre of Excellence (Sports Hostel, Bhubaneswar) Athletics & Wt.Lifting     16

          Sports persons having excellent performance in the age group of 15-20 yrs are inducted to the Centre of Excellence for intensive coaching.  They are provided with  monthly stipend of Rs. 1200/- towards fooding expenses & other facilities as available to the inmates of Sports Hostels.

4 comments April 27th, 2008