Following is an excerpt on this from a report in Telegraph.
Jharkhand’s first central university has finally found itself a home: it will come up over 300 acres at a site in Khunti district, 18km from the state capital.
68 comments April 24th, 2008
Following is from http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/dae.html. (See also http://www.dae.gov.in/aidedlnks.htm.)
1 comment April 23rd, 2008
The following is from http://www.icmr.nic.in/institute.htm#Permanent%20Institutes/Centres.
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 NOIDA |
 PATNA |
 PONDICHERRY |
 PUNE |
ICMR’s Regional Medical Research Centres
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April 23rd, 2008
The following list is from http://www.drdo.com/labindex.shtml. See also http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/drdo.html.
Following is the list at also http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/drdo.html.
ADE- Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bangalore
ARDE- Armament R&D Establishment, Pune
ASL- Advanced Systems Laboratory, Hyderabad
CAIR- Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Bagalore
CFEES- Centre for Fire, Explosives & Environmental Safety, Delhi
CVRDE- Combat Vehicles R&D Establishment, Chennai/Avadi
DARE- Defence Avionics Reseach Establishmnet, Bangalore
DARL- Defence Agricultural Research Laboratory, Pithoragarh
DEBEL- Defence Bioengineering and Electrochemical Laboratory, Bangalore
DEAL- Defence Electronics Applications Laboratory, Dehradun
DESIDOC- Defence Scientific Information & Documentation Centre, Delhi
DFRL- Defence Food Research Laboratory, Mysore
DIPR- Defence Institute of Psychological Research, Delhi
DIPAS – Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences, Delhi
DLJ – Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur
DLRL – Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Hyderabad
DMRL- Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad
DMSRDE- Defence Materials & Stores R & D Establishment, Kanpur
DTRL – Defence Terrain Research Laboratory
DRDL – Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad
DRDE – Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior
DRL- Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur
FRL – Field Research Laboratory, C/o 56 A.P.O.
GTRE – Gas Turbine Research Establishment, Bangalore
HEMRL – High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune
IAT – Institute of Armament Technology, Pune
INMAS – Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Research, Delhi
IRDE – Instruments R& D Establishment, Dehradun
ISSA- Insttitue of Systems Studies and Analyses, Delhi
ITM- Institute of Technology Management, Mussoorie
LASTEC- Laser Science & Technology Centre, Delhi
LRDE – Electronics and Radar Development Establishment, Bangalore
MTRDC – Microwave Tube R&D Centre, Bangalore
NMRL – Naval Materials Research Laboratory, Ambernath
NPOL – Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory, Kochi
NSTL _ Naval Science & Technological Laboratory, Visakhapattanam
PXE – Proof & Experimental Establishment, Chandipur, Orissa
RCI – Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad
R&DE – Research & Development Engineers, Pune
SASE – Snow & Avalanche Study Establishment, Chandigarh
SAG – Scientific Analysis Group, Delhi
SSPLDA- Solid State Physics Laboratory, Delhi
TBRL – Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh
VRDE – Vehicles research & Development establishment, Ahmednagar
58 comments April 23rd, 2008
The following list is from http://dst.gov.in/autonomous/autonomous_index.htm. Orissa does not figure in that list. In 2005 Orissa was trying for one. See https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=948. But nothing seems to have happened since then. (Orissa does have the "Institute of Life Sciences" which is funded by the Department of Biotechnology, which is under the Ministry of Science of Technology.)
The Department of Biotechnology labs are listed in http://dbtindia.nic.in/institutions/instmain.html. They are:
Centre For DNA Fingerprinting And Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad (http://www.cdfd.org.in)
Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal, Manipur (http://www.ibsd-imphal.nic.in)
Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar ( http://www.ilsc.org)
National Institute Of Immunology, New Delhi (http://www.nii.res.in )
National Centre For Plant Genome Research (NCPGR), JNU, New Delhi (http://www.ncpgr.nic.in)
National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Gurgaon (http://www.nbrc.ac.in)
National Centre for Cell Sciences, Pune (http://www.nccs.res.in )
April 23rd, 2008
The following list is from http://www.csir.res.in/External/Heads/aboutcsir/lab_directory.htm.
101 comments April 23rd, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in New Indian Express.
The Human Resource Development Ministry has asked the State Government to identify land for the proposed Indian Institute of Technology and the Central University (CU) announced by the Centre.
In a communique to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Ministry has requested for 700 acres of land free of cost near the Capital for setting up Central University. …
The contour and the shape of the institutions, however, will be defined shortly. The new
ITIIT and the CU will be set up during the 11th Plan period.
4 comments April 22nd, 2008
Update: As per an earlier PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=29814 the regular central universities (not the world class ones) will have a budget of Rs 300 crores each.
Update 2: As per the PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=31005 the NISER budget is 823.19 crores and as per the PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=12975 the IISER budgets are 500 crores.
Update 3: Budget for new AIIMS-like institution is 332 crores each while for upgradation is 120 crores each of which 100 crores is from the central government and 20 crores is from the state government.
Update4: Budget for the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University is 60 crore for establishment and 12cr/year during the 11th plan.
Update 5: The budget for each new AIIMS-like institutition was increased on Feb 25, 2009 to 533 crores from its original estimate of 332 crores.
Updated 6: The budget for new AIIMS like institutions is now pegged at 850 crores each.
Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=37684.
| IITS, IIMS AND UNIVERSITIES OF WORLD CLASS STANDARD
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| 20:25 IST | |
RAJYA SABHA
Based on the recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (SAC-PM), it has been decided to set up three new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), one each in the States of Rajasthan, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh during the XI plan. In order to expand the facilities for high quality management education in the North-East, the Government has decided to establish an Indian Institute of Management (IIM), at Shillong.
After considering requests of the State Governments and other relevant factors such as existing regional distribution of Central Educational Institutions in the country, it has been decided to locate 5 more IITs and 6 more IIMs in the following States :-
IITs – Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh (Indore), Gujarat and Punjab.
IIMs – Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh (Raipur), Uttarakhand and Haryana.
16 States which do not have a Central University at present, and which will get one Central University each in the 11th Plan are Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa. Of these, in three States, existing State Universities will be taken over by the Central Government and converted into Central Universities. These three Universities are Dr. Hari Singh Gaur University, Sagar (in Madhya Pradesh), Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur (in Chhattisgarh), and Goa University. It has also been decided to locate 14 world class Universities, one each in the 14 States / Regions as detailed in the Annexure. State Governments of Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have offered land free of cost for setting up of IITs in their States. Locations of remaining Institutes / Central Universities will depend on various factors including the sites as may be offered by the respective State Governments.
A total outlay for setting up of one new IIT, with an intake capacity of 860 students is expected to be Rs. 760 crores. The total outlay for setting up of one IIM, with an intake capacity of 180 students is expected to be of the order of Rs. 210.25 crores. The estimated cost for infrastructure of a Central University with a School of Medicine, with an intake capacity of about 12700 students, would be about Rs. 720 crores spread over a period of 9 years. These new Institutes / universities will be funded by the Central Government (except cost of developed land).
This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Smt. D. Purandeswari in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
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HB/PB
1 comment April 21st, 2008
Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=37589.
| HRD MINISTRY ISSUES DIRECTIONS FOR CENTRAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RESERVATION FOR THE OBCS
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| 16:50 IST | |
The implementation of reservation in admission under the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2006 [No. 5 of 2006] in respect of persons belonging to the socially and educationally backward classes (OBCs) had been ‘stayed’ by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, while hearing Writ Petition (Civil) No. 265 and a bunch of other writ petitions. The
A detailed programme of phasing of the expansion has already been worked out by CEIs and approved by the Empowered Committee for implementing the recommendations of the Oversight Committee. In view of the ‘stay orders’ of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, the academic session commencing from the calendar year 2008 would, for all practical purposes, be the first year of implementation.
This O.M. is intended to clarify the process of implementation of reservation for the OBCs as given below:-
I) The policy of reservation for the OBCs under the Central Educational Institutions Act is to be implemented from the forthcoming academic session itself.
II) This is applicable to all the CEIs, exceptions being only those institutions of excellence, research institutions of national and stragetic importance specified in the Schedule to the
IV) The reservation for the OBCs and SCs/STs under the
V) The Central Government is taking steps to ensure that CEIs are not put to difficulties in phasing of admissions under Section 6 of the Act, due to the deferment of reservation in admissions from the academic session in calendar year 2007, owing to the ‘stay orders’ of the Supreme Court.
VI) Each Central Educational Institution shall ensure that from among candidates belonging to the OBCs applying for admission against the seats reserved for the OBC category, information is collected from the candidates for exercising due diligence, so that no candidate belonging to the “creamy layer” is given the benefit of reservation for the OBCs.
VIII) The Socially and Educationally Backward Classes / OBCs who are eligible for availing the benefits of reservation is to be ascertained from the Central lists of SEBCs/OBCs as per Resolution No. 12011/68/93-DCC (C) of the Ministry of Welfare (now the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) as modified from time to time by that Ministry based on the advice of the National Commission for Backward Classes (
IX) CEIs which have completed the process of admission test and selection of candidates in the SC,ST and unreserved categories, should identify the ‘creamy layer’ on the basis of the above mentioned information from among the successful wait-listed candidates belonging to the OBCs as per the Central List and, thereafter, offer admission to eligible candidates. For the purpose of identification, candidates would be required to furnish information on each of the criteria as per the prevailing rule of exclusion of the socially advanced persons (creamy layer). Please ensure that no ineligible person belonging to the ‘creamy layer’ derives the benefit of reservation. After completion of this process, information in respect of successful and eligible candidates belonging to the OBC category being offered admission may also be intimated to this Ministry.
X) Each
XI) CEIs which are in the process of conducting admission tests may decide on the cut-off marks for the OBC category well in time, so that consistent with the standards of education of the CEIs, sufficient number of eligible OBC candidates are available for selection on the basis of inter-se merit against the reserved seats. Such institutions may also obtain information pertaining to the background of students who may have indicated as belonging to the OBC category in the application form, so as to identify those belonging to the ‘creamy layer’ from among them for exclusion from the counseling / interviews / group discussions / offer of admissions.
XII) CEIs which are yet to come out with application forms for admission may expeditiously insert the rule of exclusion / criteria of exclusion for the creamy layer, so that at the application stage itself the creamy layer could be identified, and only eligible candidates belonging to the OBC category are considered for the subsequent selection process and admissions against the reserved seats.
XIII) Central Educational Institutions which are yet to advertise the process of selection and admissions, shall ensure that the attention of candidates intending to apply against the reserved seats is directed to the mechanism mentioned in the preceding sub-paragraphs.
While the above clarification is in respect of reservation in admission against the seats for the OBCs, CEIs may also bear in mind that there may be a proportionate increase in the seats for the categories of SCs and STs also, where the extant procedure of selection or cut off marks for these categories shall continue to be in force.
Resolution
Whereas, the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 [No.5 of 2007] (hereinafter referred to as the ‘
And whereas, the
And whereas, the Government of India had, recognizing that in our society marked by gross inequalities, early achievement of the objective of social justice as enshrined in the Constitution is a must, and established the Second Backward Classes Commission or the Mandal Commission as a measure pursuant to this purpose;
And whereas, the terms of the reference of the said Mandal Commission included the determination of the criteria for defining the socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC) and recommendation of steps to be taken for the advancement of the socially and educationally backward classes of citizens so identified and examination of the desirability or otherwise of making provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of such backward classes of citizens which are not adequately represented in public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of any State;
And whereas, the Government carefully considered the Report and the recommendations of the Commission regarding the benefits that shall be extended to the socially and educationally backward classes, which comprehensively included various measures of social justice and social equalisation, including reservation in posts and vacancies under the State and public sector undertakings as well as reservation in educational institutions and, thereafter, came to the view that at the outset certain weightage has to be provided to such classes in the services of the Union and its Public Undertakings;
And whereas, therefore, orders were passed in its O.M. No. 36012/31/90-Estt. (SCT) dated 13.8.1990 of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions (Department of Personnel & Training) providing reservation of 27% in civil posts and services under the Government of India for socially and educationally backward classes, and that the SEBC would comprise in the first Phase, the castes and communities which are common to both the State-wise lists prepared by the Commission and the State Governments’ lists;
And whereas, pursuant to the aforesaid O.M. and considering the judgment of the Supreme Court dated 15.11.1992 in its Mandal case (Indra Sawhney and Others vs. Union of India and Others) which upheld the aforesaid O.M. and the principle of commonality laid down in the aforesaid O.M. whereby the SEBC would comprise the castes and communities which are common to both the State-wise lists in the Report of the Mandal Commission and the State Governments’ lists;
And whereas, it is clear from the Report and recommendations of the Mandal Commission and from the O.M. referred to above that the identification and listing of SEBC was for all purposes, of Articles including those under Articles 15(4) 16(4) of the Constitution and purposes of all other social justice measures which emerge from the Constitutional mandate of equality as well as the removal of inequality, including social inequality; and that this was always the intention of the Government of India, and it was only as an initial step (“at the outset”), in the situation and context then existing, that reservation under Article 16(4) was taken up, and this should not be misconstrued or misinterpreted to mean that the Central Lists of SEBCs were intended for the purpose of only Article 16(4);
And whereas, it is not the practice of the Government of India or the State Governments, nor is it practical to identify and list SEBC/OBC or any other category in need of social justice for each purpose separately, and in the case of SC and ST also such has been the principle and practice all along, and in the case of SEBC this is the position in respect of State Lists as noted by the aforesaid Supreme Court judgment which specifically mentions that the State lists of SEBC/OBC were prepared both for the purposes of Article 16(4) as well as 15(4), and in the Indian social reality every genuine socially backward class is also an educationally backward class and it has been pointed out by the Supreme Court in the aforesaid judgment that in the Indian Context social backwardness leads to educational backwardness;
And whereas, no public purpose is served by identifying and listing SEBC for each purpose each time separately thereby losing time;
And whereas, the mention of the purpose of reservation in Government posts and services in the Resolution of the Ministry of Welfare No. 12011/68/93-
And whereas, the Central Government is satisfied that the Central Lists of the SEBC/OBCs, was prepared with due care;
And further whereas, the lists of SEBCs/OBCs of different States referred to for arriving at the Central (Common) Lists of SEBCs/OBCs were and are being used by States for extending the benefit of reservation for employment as well as for other measures of advancement such as admission to educational institutions and scholarships and so on;
And whereas, it is clear from the above that the SEBC/OBC referred to in the
And whereas, the Central Lists of SEBCs/OBCs, as modified from time to time on the advice of
Now therefore, the Government of India, by way of clarification, reconfirms that the above mentioned Central Lists of SEBCs/OBCs are and have always been for all purposes including reservation in admission to educational institutions as elucidated above, and hereby notifies and adopts the Central Lists of SEBCs/OBCs notified State-wise from time to time by the Ministry of Welfare/Social Justice & Empowerment, subject to such modifications as may be made therein from time to time by that Ministry, excluding, in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court of India dated 10.4.2008 in W.P (Civil) No. 265 and other related Writ Petitions, the Socially Advanced Persons/sections (commonly referred to as the “creamy layer”) in accordance with O.M. No. 36012/22/93-Estt.[SCT], dated 8.9.1993 of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions (Department of Personnel & Training) as amended by O.M. No. 36033/3/2004 – Estt. (Res) dated
Bhal/AD/MK
7 comments April 20th, 2008
Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=37505.
| SETTING UP OF IIT, IIM AND CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES
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| 18:15 IST | |
LOK SABHA
Based on the recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (SAC-PM), it has been decided to set up three new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), one each in the States of Rajasthan, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh during the XI plan. In order to expand the facilities for high quality management education in the North-East, the Government has decided to establish an Indian Institute of Management (IIM), at Shillong. After considering requests of the State Governments and other relevant factors such as existing regional distribution of Central Educational Institutions in the country, it has been decided to locate 5more IITs and 6 more IIMs in the following States:-
IITs – Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh (Indore), Gujarat and Punjab.
IIMs – Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh (Raipur), Uttarakhand and Haryana.
16 States which do not have a Central University at present, and which will get one Central University each in the 11th Plan are Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa. Of these, in three States, existing State Universities will be taken over by the Central Government and converted into Central universities. These three Universtities are Dr. Hari Singh Gaur University, Sagar (in Madhya Pradesh), Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur (in Chattisgarh), and Goa University.
Establishment of IITs, IIMs, and Central Universities in the above States is subject to State Governments offering adequate land at suitable locations, free of cost, for the purpose. Each of the concerned State Government is being requested to offer land accordingly. Actual establishment of these institutions would however depend, among other things, on how quickly the concerned State Governments respond by allotting adequate land at suitable locations.
Locations of 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IITs), to be set up in the 11th Plan have not been finalized.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. D. Purandeswari in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
…..
HB/VL/SB/IIT16.4
The Raja Sabha PIB is at http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=37632.
| SETTING UP OF NEW IITS AND IIMS
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| 17:9 IST | |
RAJYA SABHA
Based on the recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (SAC-PM), it has been decided to set up three new Indian institutes of Technology (IITs), one each in the States of Rajasthan,
IITs: Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh,
IIMs: Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Haryana.
It was also decided that no new
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HB/PB
1 comment April 16th, 2008
This is very interesting. As per World gazetter Kota’s population is 807,920. The two cities in Rajasthan that have a larger population are Jodhpur (971,407) and Jaipur (2,997,114). Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph about this.
A spot near Hyderabad has been picked for the Andhra Pradesh IIT, but the HRD ministry and the governments of Rajasthan and Bihar are at loggerheads over finalising sites.
While the site Bihar picked suffers from waterlogging, the ministry considers the Rajasthan government’s choice — Kota — “too far from a major city”.
It looks to me that the new IITs will be in locations where they can form an ITIR (Information Technology Investment Regions) and close to an airport. It is not clear what "close" would mean. I hope 100kms is considered close enough. This could be an issue for the IIT in Orissa. In Orissa the major cities are (i) Bhubaneswar (1,636,216), (ii) Rourkela (542,481), (iii) Brahmapur (389,830) and (iv) Sambalpur (254,236). If Kota was not considered a major city, by that definition center may not consider Rourkela, Brahmapur and Sambalpur as major cities. But then too many institutes are coming up in Bhubaneswar and it would be better to have the IIT somewhat away from Bhubaneswar. With all these constraints, the only location that seems appropriate in terms of being near a major city and yet not in Bhubaneswar, but near another city in Orissa, would be a location between Bhubaneswar and Berhampur that is as far from Bhubaneswar as acceptable to the center. My guess is a location 100 kms from Bhubaneswar (on the NH) and on the major Rail corridor could be acceptable to the center as such a location would be only 1hr (to 1.5 hr) away from Bhubaneswar; thus not too far from the only major city in Orissa. Yet it will be close to Berhampur to positively impact Berhampur and help create a Bhubaneswar-Berhampur knowledge corridor. Also, if it is established in the Ganjam district (even though right on the Ganjam-Khordha border on the NH5) it will give a psychological boost to south Orissa which is tagged as among the most backward areas of Orissa and India.
20 comments April 12th, 2008
Excerpts from an article in the Business Standard:
Directors of some Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are understood to have written to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia urging the government to give the proposed IITs some other name.
They are of the view that calling the new institutes “IITs” would dilute the brand image of the existing premier institutes, which figure among the world’s 100 best technology universities and are compared with the likes of MIT, California University and Berkeley.
If true, this is an unfortunate development. I do not think increasing the number of IITs from 7 to 16 is going to have any impact on the existing IITs, if done right. IIMs don’t seem to mind any "brand dilution"; the elitist attitude of the IITs is rather shocking.
IMHO, existing IITs are so good because of their students, faculty, and funding. If the government is willing to invest in the IITs and is careful in hiring the faculty, then the proposed IITs can have equally good infrastructure and faculty compared to the old ones. As far as students are concerned, doubling the intake is not going to impact the quality of students drastically. I believe that the top 6000 IIT JEE rankers are as good as the top 3000 rankers (or however many students are admitted these days). Finally, existing IITs are nowhere near MIT or UCB, so its not really a big gap to bridge for the proposed IITs.
April 4th, 2008
Following are some excerpts from the paper "The Higher Educational Transformation of China and Its Global Implications" by Yao Li, John Whalley, Shunming Zhang, Xiliang Zhao.
… The number of undergraduate and graduate students in China has been grown at approximately 30% per year since 1999, and the number of graduates at all levels of higher education in China has approximately quadrupled in the last 6 years.
… Much of the increased spending is focused on elite universities, and new academic contracts differ sharply from earlier ones, with no tenure and annual publication quotas often used.
… The educational transformation underway in China seemingly differs from that in other low wage economies at either similar or earlier stages of development, in focusing heavily on tertiary education rather than on primary or secondary (unlike, say, India).
… A further feature of recent Chinese higher educational policy has been both to promote so-called "elite" universities and also to consolidate other universities and reduce their numbers.
… The focus of policy is to elevate a small number of Chinese universities to world class status, and both strengthen them and make them bigger.
… In many of China’s major cities there has also been consolidation of universities, with, say, 4 or 5 small universities in the city consolidated into a large single entity as a way of improving their ranking.
… For example, Beijing Medical University was incorporated into Peking University and was formally renamed Faculty of Health Science,
Peking University in 2000. Eventually, the Central Arts and Design College was incorporated into Tsinghua University and was renamed Faculty of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University in 1999.… institutions of high education in China are now subject to extraordinary pressures to upgrade themselves in terms of objective rankings. High priority is placed on international rankings taken as publications in international journals, citations, and international cooperation.
… It is now accepted as important for universities and related institutions to achieve publication in journals of good ranking and what is generated by publication citations counts equally for Chinese scholars in appointment, maintenance of position, and promotion.
… It is not uncommon for an annual target of three international publications to be set for faculty members, with termination of
employment to occur on non fulfillment.… The primary stress on education attainment is on traditional academic disciplines, especially sciences, but social sciences and business also enter.
… There are three separate sources–government funds, commercial income fiom university-owned companies and entities, tuition and other educational charges such as fees paid by students and parents, …
… In 1998 under a special "985" I’roject,l4 10 of China’s leading universities were given three-year grants in excess of 30 billion RMB (current price) for quality improvements (Wang, 2002). Included in the first round of 985 Project grants were Peking, Tsinghua, Fudan, Zhejiang, and Nanjing Universities. l5 Peklng and Tsinghua universities, the top two ranked institutions, each received 1.8 billion RMB. Afterwards, the Ministry of Education cooperated with provincial or municipal governments and other departments to also develop Shanghai Jiaotong University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Science and Technology University of China and Harbin Industry University …
… In addition to government funding, higher education institutions in China, also generate significant support by engaging in commercial activities. These include companies and other entities owned by the institutions and which the institutions operate.
… Table 9: Education funding for elite universities in China (2004)
… The main tasks for the higher educational development strategy in the 1 lth 5-Year Plan are as follows. The gross enrollment rate of higher education is to reach 25% of each entering age cohort by 2010 and the total enrollment of higher education is to hit 30 million.
… The "211 Projects" and "985 Project" are to be continued, with an emphasis on technology innovation, cultivating talents with creativity, and improving the capacity for self-innovation, so that top universities in China become an important force in an increasingly innovative nation.
… The educational component of the llth 5-Year Plan is clear in providing for large injections of funds into China’s tertiary educational system. Education is a major focus over the 5 year period of the plan, with the proportion of education expenditures to GDP increasing to 4% in 2010, from 3.4% in 2002. Much of the additional spending is focused on the elite universities, a group of around 20 universities in China, which are thought to have the best students and the capability to grow and mature into major global educational institutions which are comparable to those in the OECD. The research component of university activities is also seen as a central element in generating new ideas and eventually process and production methods which will improve profitability. Educational improvement in both research and student generation is thus seen as a central element of a continued high Chinese growth process.
… The prime emphasis which is now placed on international publications in China has already resulted in large increases in paper submissions to international journals and paper submissions are likely to grow further in the next few years. According to a recent study "Key Figures 2007 on Science, Technology and Innovation", China is now one of the largest producers of scientific output as measured by its share in the world total of peer reviewed scientific articles.
… Evaluated by the most frequently cited papers, China is ranked seventh, lower than South Korea, but still higher than other large developing economies, such as India and Brazil.
… The contractual arrangements in universities in China are a further element of China’s educational transformation, and portend future global change.
… , the tenure system for professors in universities and colleges has been changed significantly. The first changes were made by Peking University in reforming its deep-rooted academic tenure system, and this was followed by other Chinese elite universities. These reforms were implemented in February 2004. Taking Pelung University as an example, the reforms are that only professors enjoy lifelong employment, and the university does not offer tenured positions to associate professors, lecturers and assistant professors. Associate professors in arts and sciences and lecturers in all subjects are offered employment contracts up to 12 years. If associate professors and lecturers fail in their promotions after appraisal and examination of their academic attainments within the contracted period, they are dismissed.
… It is now common for researchers and scholars in many Chinese universities to receive only 3 year contracts and these contracts differ sharply by individual circumstance. And individuals receiving contracts are often given quotas in terms of the number of the publications in designated journals which should be attained within a limited period of time. It is not uncommon for these quotas to specify 3 papers per year in international journals, although what is accepted as an international journal varies sharply from institute to institute.
April 3rd, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Kalinga Times.
A high security laboratory, which would be one of its kind in Southeast Asia, will be set up in Orissa this year to fight foot and mouth disease that affects about 470 million domestic livestock annually.
"The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an autonomous national organisation under the central government, recently approved the establishment of the laboratory at Jatani on the outskirt of the capital city Bhubaneswar," director of the state animal husbandry department Bishnupada Sethi told IANS Sunday.
It is going to be the first such centre of India and one of its kind in Southeast Asia with the Bio Safety Level (3+) facilities which will work for proper control and containment of virulent, pathogenic and mutagenic foot and mouth disease viruses, he said.
Bio-safety Level 3 facility expands the capability of researchers to conduct research on potential viral agents that do not currently have vaccines or therapies.
… People working in laboratory wear special protective suits with filtered air supply and work within airtight cabinetry.
Foot and mouth disease is endemic in India. It is present almost in all parts of the country and occurs round the year. It also hits free-living and captive ungulates and elephants.
… The disease samples will be received from the entire country as well as from abroad for proper identification and characterisation of the biological pathogen that caused the disease.
It will also serve as a repository unit for various serotypes – a grouping of viruses of the foot and mouth disease, Sethi said.
The research will help in manufacturing of foot and mouth disease vaccine through proper inclusion of emerging strains of concerned virus, he added.
… The state government has already identified an area of 116.325 acres located 25 km away from the state capital to be given to ICAR for the laboratory.
The centre, which will also serve as a referral laboratory for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), will be more technologically advanced than the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, said B. Patnaik, a scientist.
April 1st, 2008
See http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=36999.
March 31st, 2008
The 11th plan intends to establish 10 NITs. Following is a list of the existing 20 NITs and the 5 4 proposed IIESTs which is proposed to be part of the NIT act. (IT BHU, which was earlier proposed to be an IIEST, is now slated to become an IIT.)
1 comment March 31st, 2008
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AGRA 
