Nalanda Institute of Technology
I came across this ad for a new engineering college in Bhubaneswar.
10 comments May 31st, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
XIM plans to roll out new courses in econometrics, financial modelling and regulatory finance.
Business standard reports on XIM’s future plans. Following is an excerpt:
At the Xavier’s Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar, the fresh batch will start on June 15. The institute has got an All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) approval to all its programmes and has thus decided to roll out new courses in econometrics, financial modelling and regulatory finance.
The institute will also start fresh courses in executive development programme through satellite training.
This academic year is significant to us as we got all our programmes approved by AICTE. We will be rolling out many more courses and will also be recruiting new faculty members this year, said Brijraj Mohanty, acting dean, XIM-B. XIM-B is also looking for a new campus in Orissa.
1 comment May 31st, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Post Class X ads (junior colleges; plus two science; plus two commerce)
With the Class X result out there have many many ads for various plus 2; most of them for plus 2 sc. Following is a collection of the ads that I came across. An earlier list is at http://www.orissawatch.org/?p=182.
Continue Reading May 30th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Classrooms are humming again: Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan in Orissa still not showing progress
Financial Express probes the efficacy of big spending of UPA in last three years in primary education in the hinterland of the country.Â
It says the Orissa state government has created an online database of all the 98 lakh children between the 1-14 years age group.
It continues on saying that the Orissa state government wants to use Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan to enroll all children between 6-14 years of age in schools but this attempt, many say, has failed. But nothing is hunky dory. To make matters worse, students enroll and drop out after obtaining scholarships, a problem which is acute in districts like Kalahandi. Moreover, attendance is as low as 30 to 50% in most schools and the school dropout rate is as high as 50%, according to various estimates.
The government must choose alternative way like establishing primary school in every village which has more than 250 populations in hinterland such as KBK (where many villages are located in deep forest).Â
May 30th, 2007 Author : Digambar
IMA takes lead on a new and improved high school Mathematics text in Oriya
New Indian Express reports that Institute of Mathematics in Bhubaneswar is taking a lead in creating a new and improved high school Mathematics text in Oriya. Following is an excerpt from that report.
… the citybased Institute of Mathematics and Applications (IMA) has come forward with a project on textbook in two volumes in Oriya.
“The USP of these books are their content: Need-based, contemporary and specially written for those HSC passouts of Oriya medium schools,†says IMA Director Prof Swadhin Pattnaik.
The project, which began earlier this year would be completed in June so that by July the students will get the books through the Textbook Bureau, he says adding these books, apart from inspiring the students to take the subject more seriously, would help in easy understanding of the subject without going for tuitions.
The panel of writers include eminent mathematician and former vice-chancellor of Utkal University Prof Gokulananda Das, Prof PC Das of IIT Kanpur and Prof Pattnaik and mathematicians drawn from the apex colleges of the State.
From the psychological point of view, students can do better if they understand the subject in their mother tongue.
May 29th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
BPUT and Rourkela
I suggest that BPUT be moved from Rourkela to another location and a comprehensive university (like Utkal, Sambalpur, Berhampur etc.) be established in Rourkela, and the establishment of a medical college in Rourkela be expedited.
Some of you, before getting mad at me, please read the following reasoning.
Continue Reading 17 comments May 29th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Location of the proposed Sri Sri University
Following are some pictures from the university site looking at the Kathajodi river.
4 comments May 28th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Finally BPUT advertises for faculty positions
Finally on May 9 2007 BPUT has advertised for faculty in its post graduate center in Rourkela. The minimum qualification and experience for these positions are described in this document. (Although BPUT was established in 2002, and it had plans to hire 25 faculty for 5 of its research centers, to the best of my knowledge until now there had not been any advertisements for these positions. Lets hope that BPUT is able to hire good faculty and gets on its way to be a real university and not just a university that conducts exams. )
1 comment May 28th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
More on Ravenshaw University
Samaja reports more news on Ravenshaw University. Following are some points mentioned in their article:
- Ravenshaw has advertised for registration in its Ph.D/D.Litt/D.Sc program.
- They will semester system in the Bachelors and Masters level with half monthly examinations with four internal evaluations a year.
- Application form and admission brochure are now available in their website and May 30 is the deadline for application.
- Ravenshaw will not wait for the +3 results to come out and will finish admission based on the entrance exams by June.
- They are trying to have five year integrated M.Sc programs and if this program is established this year then they will admit students to this program from the students who have qualified for +3. The students do not have to apply separately.
- The state has released 10.5 crores to the university.
- A UGC team of experts led by Prof. S. Ramegowda (former Chairman, AICTE and former Vice-Chancellor, Karnataka University) will visit on June 12th.
Besides the above news from the Samaj article, I heard that the VC of Ravenshaw has met some Ravenshaw alumni who are in academia in Orissa and has sought their advice. This is a very good move on the VC’s part as there are some really top-notch academicians in Orissa with Ravenshaw ties.
3 comments May 26th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
ICICI Bank will collaborate with Utkal University in setting up courses in banking and insurance
Tathya reports that ICICI will collaborate with Utkal University to start courses in banking and insurance. I guess this will be mutually beneficial to both Utkal University and ICICI. The later will get a good pool to hire its employees. More about ICICI’s plan in Orissa is at this sister site (direct link).
2 comments May 26th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Establishing a Construction Academy in Orissa
New Indian Express reports that during the discussion between the World Bank and the Orissa government in regards to a loan of 1406 crores for construction of roads in Orissa, the idea of setting up a “construction academy” in lines of the one in Hyderabad was mooted. Following is an excerpt from the New Indian Express article.
The World Bank has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 1,406 crore for the implementation of Rs 2,121- crore Orissa State Roads Project (OSRP).
There is also a proposal to set up a Construction Academy akin to one in Hyderabad to assist the capacity building activities of the State Government.
The academy will train contractors and workers with modern construction techniques.
The Arizona State University, where I am currently at, also has a top-notch school of construction that offers M.S in Construction. May be the Orissa government can go beyond what is in Hyderabad and borrow ideas from the School of Construction at ASU.
May 25th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
More and more political parties are joining the IIT cause
Newsreports mention that Bharatiya Janashakti’s state unit as well as National Students Union of India (NSUI) have decided on state-wide agitation for the IIT in Orissa cause. Earlier we mentioned how BJD is making it a big issue.
To make sure that the IIT is issue is not just considered as a political thing and not grounded in facts, we who understand why an IIT is desperately needed must take actions from our side.
May 24th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Kasturaba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme
As mentioned in the PIB press release
2180 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been sanctioned upto March 2007, which includes 1000 new KGBVs in 2006-07. 88% of KGBVs have been operationalised. A major national evaluation conducted this year has shown that the scheme has received ‘high priority and political attention in all States and has been launched in record time with a clear commitment to reach out to out-of-school girls. The programme has been very well received by the community and has responded to diverse poverty situations including remote inaccessible locations’.
More details on this program is mentioned in another PIB release. In Orissa 49 such schools are being set up. Somehow Orissa seems to be lagging behind with respect to this scheme. Andhra Pradesh is leading in taking advantage of this scheme.
May 24th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Apparel training and design center in Bhubaneswar
There is now an apparel training and design center in Bhubaneswar. Its recent ad is as follows:
Continue Reading May 24th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
DRDO labs and other defense establishments in Orissa
There are two DRDO reserach labs in Orissa. They are:
-
Proof & Experimental Establishment (PXE), Balasore
- Integrated Test Range (ITR), Balasore
In addition there is a sailors training school, INS Chilka and an ordnance factory in Badmal, Balangir.
1 comment May 24th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
Major initiatives by MHRD in the last three years
From http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=28152
Raising public spending in Education; Commitment to universalise access to quality basic education; Revision of National Curriculum Framework for School Education; Strengthening Technical Education and Expansion of Higher Education are some of the highlights of the major initiatives of the Ministry of Human Resource Development during the last three years. These are:-
Continue Reading 1 comment May 23rd, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral
