Newly AICTE approved Indus college of Engineering will take students through the upcoming Orissa JEE counseling: Ad in Samaja
5 comments September 7th, 2007
Archive for 2007
Orissa govt ad in Samaja: accomplishments in higher ed and higher secondary education
September 7th, 2007
Telegraph reports on the status of an AIIMS clone in Bhubaneswar
Following are some excerpts from that report. (Thanks to Deba Nayak for the pointer.)
The Union government would soon start construction of the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) near Bhubaneswar from December 2007.
The proposed regional centre of the AIIMS has been postponed for the past four years. Last year, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) put the Bhubaneswar-AIIMS on fast track by making budgetary allocations under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). Official sources said a sum of Rs 330 crore has been so far sanctioned.
Replying to a query put by BJD MP Prasanna Patsani today, the Union health minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, said the construction would begin from December. “He assured me that work on the AIIMS college would begin in April 2008,” Patsani told The Telegraph. … According to an initial estimate, a sum of Rs 280 crore would be spent on the establishment of the Bhubaneswar AIIMS. In the first phase, three departments — cardiology and cardio-thoracic, nephrology and urology and cancer centre — would be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 133 crore.
A two-storied modular building was proposed on the 100-acre site to house four operation theatres, out patient departments, diagnostic block and in patient wards. The diagnostic unit was to be equipped with sophisticated equipment such as CT scan, MRI, X-ray machines, electro-encephalogram and electro-cardiogram.
September 7th, 2007
NISER Bhubaneswar gets cabinet approval
From http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=31005.
The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for establishment of National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Bhubaneswar at an estimated cost of Rs. 823.19 crore and also creation of 761 posts in academic, scientific, technical, administrative and auxiliary categories.
NISER will start functioning initially from the campus of Institute of Physics (IOP) and its academic programme will start from September, 2007.
The said institute will conduct the following programmes in science education for bright and meritorious students selected on all-India basis :
a) An integrtated 5 year M.Sc. programme in the core and emerging branches of Basic Sciences to students after their 10+2 Higher Secondary schooling. This in turn will be integrated with Ph.D. programme on the one hand and employment in various R&D organizations and industry in the country on the other.
b) Integrated m.Sc. + Ph.D after B.Sc from other Universities.
c) Ph. D. programme after M.Sc. from other universities.
(The PIB for the cabinet approval of IISER Kolkata and Pune is here.)
September 7th, 2007
Templecity institute’s advertisement in Samaja
(Disclosure: The management of this institute has been in contact with me to be one of their academic advisors, a non-paid position)
September 6th, 2007
Important Information for Admission to Orissa Engineering Colleges through the NRI quota (Orissa JEE)
From http:/./www.jeeorissa.com/newsfiles/news_26.html.
REGISTRATION FOR COUNSELLING-CUM-ADMISSION FOR VACANT NRI SEATS
As per directives of the Government Orissa the Counselling-cum-Admission for vacant seats of JEE/NRI and 15% AIEEE/AIPMEE/AIPDEE seats will be held from September 05, 2007. All eligible candidates are advised to follow the instructions as given below.
Registration for NRI Candidates (GOTO http://www.jeeorissa.com/ to find where to register, most likely here, but make sure, in case that changes)
* Starting Date: September 04. 2007 & Last date: 5.0PM on Sept. 6, 2007
* Candidates are required to register on-line in our website (www.jeeorissa.com) for vacant NRI seats
* Fee will be charged 4 times of the normal fee
* Date ,time and venue given in the schedule.
General Instructions
(a) Venue and schedule of counselling will be notified after completion of the Registration process.
(b) Only registered and JEE-extended merit list candidates will be eligible to participate in the counselling-cum-admission process. Online registration does not guarantee to call for counseling-cum-admission process and admission shall be subject to availability of seats.
(c) Rank card will neither be sent to the JEE-extended merit list candidates nor AIEEE/AIPMEE/AIPDEE registered candidates for counseling-cum-admission process.
(d) Candidates, interested to participate in the counselling-cum-admission process, shall come prepared as per instruction given (details about documents and drafts of Rs.16,000/- and Rs.200/- etc.) in the Counselling-cum-Admission Information Brochure available in our website: www.jeeorissa.com. Sd/- Chairman, JEE-2007, Orissa
4 comments September 6th, 2007
What does $1 billion buy? Is Vedanta University’s proposed budget enough?
Following up on our earlier rejoinder of an article that said $1-$3 billion is not enough for making a research university in India, following are some excerpts from an Indian Express article which talks about how much $1 billion buys in terms of Indian HRD.
How much is this Rs 4443.60 crore in the context of current spending on education? Consider these:
44 times the annual allocation for an IIT at the rate of Rs 100 crore average.
68% of the total allocation in 2007-08 for higher and technical education, which is Rs 6,483 crore, inclusive of allocation for expansion to accommodate OBC quotas
• Almost twice this year’s allocation for the entire UGC (Rs 2124.77 crore) which includes all Central universities and its quota expansion
137% of the current year allocation for technical education: Rs.3240 crore of which Rs.2122 crore is IITs, NITs, IIMs expansion.
50% of the entire Tenth Plan allocation for higher and technical education, Rs 8876 crore
• Cost of 2 new IITs
• Upgrading 15 premium IITs
• Setting of 15 Central universities
September 6th, 2007
Wipro and KIIT will join hands to offer short-term post graduate courses
Following is an excerpt from a Statesman report.
Under the partnership programme, short-term postgraduate courses spanning six months to one year in Technology Infrastructure Service (TIS) will also be offered.
These courses will cater to the growing demand of skilled manpower in the IT infrastructure management service (IMS).
It is becoming a real challenge for all the IT companies in India to get manpower with the right skill for IMS.
These courses will be conducted as per as the customised course curriculum prepared by Wipro.
Trainers will be arranged by Wipro to train the teachers of KIIT for successfully conducting these courses with the aim to prepare the IT industry ready for IMS practice.
The KIIT University has also signed another MoU with Wipro, under which diploma students of KIIT will be trained in the English language communication skills with a customised course curriculum to make them industry ready in IMS practice.
Apart from this initiative, Wipro will also conduct a recruitment drive for the diploma students of the university every year
September 6th, 2007
Orissa government’s loan stipend fund
Orissa government has a loan stipend fund available for higher studies. This loan is available from its higher education department. There is a recent report in New Indian Express regarding it. Following are some excerpts:
The Higher Education Department has proposed to provide study loans to more number of poor and meritorious students pursuing higher studies in Government institutions from the current academic session. A meeting chaired by Higher Education Minister Samir Dey on Tuesday decided to increase the study loan ceiling from Rs 1.20 crore to Rs 2.20 crore.
… The Government had extended loan stipend to 963 students in 2006-07 and 460 students could be extended loan this year. Applications of more students could be considered only if the loan ceiling is increased to Rs 2.20 crore.
The study loan provided to the poor and meritorious students is interest-free and the loanee students should repay the loan within one year of completion of study or within one month of getting employment. However, 10 percent interest is charged for default in repayment, Dey said. The State Government has been extending study loans since 1954 and the number of beneficiaries is 23,445. While the outstanding loan stood at Rs 7.20 crore, the Government has so far realised Rs 63.86 lakh.
A majority of the loanees has simply forgotten that they had taken study loan from the Government, the Minister said adding, certificate cases have been instituted against 5,092 persons
17 comments September 5th, 2007
Urgent important information and instruction from NISER, Bhubaneswar
The following is from http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/important.html.
All the students selected for admission to NISER are requested to reach Bhubaneswar positively on 9th September 2007. They will be provided temporary accommodaion within Institute of Physics campus. Accompanying parents/ guardians will also be provided accommodation within the campus.
Please note that there will be general strike on 10th September 2007. However, work within the IOP campus, both for NISER admission and inauguration of NISER Academic Programme will be held on 10th September 2007 as announced earlier.
The Orientation classes will be held on 11th Sept. 2007 followed by medical examination by Institute Doctor.
Regular classes will start on 12.09.2007 at 08:00 Hrs.
Break-up of charges to be paid at the time of admission to NISER
| General | SC/ST | |
| Tuition Fee | Rs. 6,000 | — |
| Caution Money (Hostel) | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 1,000 |
| Caution Money (Laboratory) | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 1,000 |
| Caution Money (Library) | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 1,000 |
| Mess Advance | Rs. 4,000 | Rs. 4,000 |
| ————— | ————— | |
| Total | Rs. 13,000 | Rs. 7,000 |
List of materials to be carried by the student for staying in the hostel
Students will be provided a cot with mattress and pillow, one study table with chair and one medium sized almirah for storage. They should bring their own linen, pillow cover, towel, mosquito-net, curtain, bucket, glass etc. for their own use.
1 comment September 4th, 2007
AIIMS like institutions facing problem in attracting contractors
Following are excerpts from a Business Standard report. (Thanks to Anand Shah for the pointer.)
Even as engineering and construction firms are actively partnering private players in setting up medi-cities and super-speciality hospitals, a key initiative aimed at setting up six AIIMS-like hospitals and upgrading 13 facilities is finding few takers.
The initiative is part of the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), announced in 2005. The projects, with a total outlay of over Rs 3,500 crore, are scheduled to be completed by 2010.
Few developers have responded to the tenders for setting up six hospitals modelled on AIIMS and upgrading 13 medical colleges.
Health ministry officials said the poor response from the private sector for these projects, each worth Rs 50-100 crore, was unfortunate and needed to be seriously analysed.
"The construction boom has thrown open more projects that one can handle. We will have to market our projects well for a good response," said a ministry official.
… The tender inviting private firms to develop housing facilities for the six AIIMS-like institutions has received very few responses, forcing the government to think of floating a second tender. The tender for preparing a detailed project report (DPR), expected to close on September 24, is expected to get a similar response.
Project consultants in the healthcare segment say the government should relax the tender norms. "The archaic norms that keep most well-established players out of the tender process should be kept aside," said a consultant.
… The apathy of turnkey consultancy and construction firms is known to be a direct result of ?hassle-free? business opportunities in the nationwide real estate boom.
The lack of response has been plaguing the project from the very beginning. It took two tenders and more than a year for the ministry to finalise the consultants for the project. The stringent quality parameters, which kept out most potential bidders, are known to be one of the reasons for the poor response.
The project, which envisages AIIMS-like institutes in Bhopal, Bhubhaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh, received the Planning Commission’s nod in the 10th Plan. The work was to begin in the 10th Plan period itself. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared the project in March 2006.
… Any delay in the execution of the project will raise serious doubts about the government?s capability to add healthcare beds on time.
September 3rd, 2007
New Engineering Colleges in Orissa that have received AICTE approval since the last counseling may admit students
There are at least two engineering colleges that have received AICTE approval to start classes this year. The next round of counseling may include some seats for those colleges. It may not allow admission to all its seats as that would be unfair to students who participated in the last counseling and did not have the choice. So to be fair only the NRI quota part (and possibly the AIEEE part) of the seats of these college may be filled during the next round of counseling. This is unconfirmed news, so watch for any formal announcement. The two colleges in the Bhubaneswar area that I know to have received AICTE approval recently are:
- Templecity Institute of Technology
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Electronics and Communication Engineering
- Indus College of Engineering
- Computer Science
- Information Technology
- Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
(Disclaimer: I was invited today to join the advisory board of Templecity Institute of Technology. I am seriously considering it, as i know and like couple of the promoters. Currently I am in a similar capacity at Silicon and JITM. None of them pay me though; nor have they done any favor to any of my relatives, family members, acquaintances, friends etc. I do not expect any favor in the future either. I just give them advice and sometimes they use it.)
6 comments September 3rd, 2007
IIIT Bhubaneswar plans to start class in November; hopes to get final AICTE approval by then
Earlier, based on a tathya.in report, we mentioned IIIT Bhubaneswar getting AICTE approval to start M.Tech classes. As per a New Indian Express report today, IIIT is hoping to start classes in November after getting the final AICTE approval. The FAQ section in the IIIT Bhubaneswar website also supports that.
2 comments September 3rd, 2007