Odisha HRD

Vedanta University reduces its land requirement to 7500 acres

Sambada (in Oriya) reports that  Vedanta university has reduced its requirement to 7500 acres.

April 18th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Govt. of India established Small scale industry service institute in Cuttack

Some years back government of India established small scale industry service institutes in each state. These institutes give short term training courses on topics that are useful to small scale industries. The corresponding institute in Orissa is located in Cuttack with branches in Rourkela and Rayagada. However it offers courses in various locations across Orissa.

April 17th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Superspeciality hospital with focus on cancer, diabetes and cardiology to come up in the first phase of Vedanta University

The Statesman reports that Mr. Anil Agrawal, head of Sterlite and Vedanta group of industries met the CM today and agreed to establish a superspeciality hospital with 1000 beds with a research institute focussed on cancer and cardiology in the first phase of Vedanta University. The news item also says that Mr. Agrawal will try to tighten the land requirement.

April 17th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Atomic Energy Commission approved the establishment of NISER at Bhubaneswar

An earlier NISER web page said that “the Atomic Energy Commission, in its 182^nd meeting held on 16.03.2007 approved the proposal for establishment of NISER at Bhubaneswar.” It is still in the process of receiving approval from the cabinet.

2 comments April 16th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

NISER Steering committee

Its now listed at http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/steering.php

It consists of the following people:

Continue Reading April 16th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Eyecatching scholarships from Dept. of Sc. and Tech. for 5 yr integrated MSc students

Indian Express reports (thanks to Debendra Mohapatra for the tip on this) that the Department of Science and Technology of India has decided to offer 10,000 scholarships annually of Rs 1 lakh/year for students joining 5 year integrated M.Sc programs. The scheme was announced by the DST secretary T. Ramasami on April 10th at IISER Pune. It has not yet appeared in the Dept. of Sc. and Tech. website.

At present only few places in India offer such 5 yr M.Sc programs. Some of the places I know of are IISER Pune and Kolkata, NISER Bhubaneswar, IITs, BITs Pilani, Indian School of Mines, University of Mysore, University of Hyderabad, BESU, CUSAT, Pondicherry University, Sastra University, University of Pune, St. Xaviers Calcutta and some NITs.

It has been reported [1,2:ugc,3:kerela] that the UGC has also jumped into the fray in supporting universities and institutions that will have 5 yr integrated M.Sc programs.

This information has been passed on to key people in the Orissa government and they have promised to look into starting such programs in some of the universities and autonomous colleges in Orissa.

2 comments April 14th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

NISER website is up again: updated, with entrance exam dates etc.

The web site of NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) is up at http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/. Following are some of the pages in the website.

• Academic Programme
• Steering Committee
• Admission procedure
• Vision
• Important Dates
• Last date for request for application: May 25 2007;
• Last date for submission of admission form: June 8 2007;
• Date of entrance examination: July 29 2007
• Application Form
• Information Brochure

It looks like it really is going to be like IISER or even better because it has a bigger budget and better funding source (DAE). However, it still awaits cabinet approval.

4 comments April 14th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Mail to CMO: looking out for all of Orissa in the HRD front

Dear Friends:

Its time to convey to the Orissa government that they need to look out for all of Orissa and not just BBSR/CTC/Puri areas.

Following is a draft letter that one can send to the CM (cmo at ori.nic.in) about developing higher education and medical opportunities outside of the BBSR/CTC/Puri area. This is a draft. Please make changes to your liking.

If I missed your favorite location, please add them in your letter.

best regards
Chitta

Continue Reading 9 comments April 11th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Statesman’s headlines: Rally for promised IIT

Chitta: Details on the rally with pictures is being chronicled at http://iitorissa.org. [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Here is a first hand impresison of one of the main organizers Lalit Patnaik.

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The rally was a grand success, because it has really evoked very positive response among BUDHIJIBI and Students. The Budhijibi assembled just in time i.e. 8.30 a.m sharp . The rally progressed by 9 a.m.

Continue Reading April 9th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Update on Orissa School of Mining Engineering, Keonjhar: an email from a GOO official

4 comments April 8th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Letter to CM: From mineral resources to human resources

Dear all: Following is a letter that I have sent to the Chief minister. I would urge others to send a similar letter to cmo@ori.nic.in .
Thanks
Chitta

=========================================

Dear Chief minister:

I recently read that Bokaro steel plant (a unit of SAIL) has agreed with Jharkhand Government to set up an engineering college and medical college in Bokaro.
(See http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070226/asp/jamshedpur/story_7441681.asp)

Continue Reading 1 comment April 8th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

From mineral resources to human resources

The news report mentions that the TATAs, Mittal and POSCO are planning to put huge sums of money in the “Corporate Social Responsibility” fund. We suggest that the Orissa government start a formal policy of “From mineral resources to Human resources” and require that any company using Orissa minerals should contribute to the HRD develpment of Orissa. Depending on the size of the minerals used by the company the contribution could be of the form of making a medical college, an engineering college, several ITIs, science and technology magnet schools etc.

This policy should not be only for new companies or private companies, this should be also applicable for public sector companies and companies that are already in Orissa.

In this regard it has been reported that Bokaro Steel plant (part of SAIL) will be opening a medical school as well as an engineering college in Jharkhand. Why is Rourkela Steel Plant (also part of SAIL) not doing the same in Orissa? Why is Orissa government not approaching them about it. The Orissa government should also approach other public sectors such as NALCO, MCL (Mahanadi Coal Fields), and NTPC as well as its own OMC (Orissa mining corporation). These biggies should open a medical college each near their operational area and not in Bhubaneswar.
We must write to Orissa CM about this. I will come up with a draft letter in a few days.

2 comments April 8th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Ban on hiring regular faculty in Orissa Universities is lifted

After a long time and with the Orissa financial situation improving the government of Orissa has lifted the ban on hiring regular faculty in Orissa Universities. For a long time, universities could not hire regular faculty and were hiring faculty on short-term contracts. This had resulted in the lack of quality faculty in the universities and as a result the Orissa universities suffered a lot. The lifting of this ban is an welcome step.

This news is reported in various newspapers. (Sambada, New indian Express)
In the first phase the Orissa government has sanctioned hiring of 70 regular faculty at the four universities of Sambalpur University (47 positions), Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University (4 positions), North Orissa University (Baripada-13 positions) and Fakirmohan University (6 positions). The 6 positions in Fakirmohan University is to start a new program in Applied Physics and Ballistics in collaboration with DRDO. 12 of the positions in the North Orissa University are for 3 newly introduced self-financing courses in biotechnology, business administration and computer science. 1 position in the North Orissa University is for a new department in tribal studies.

April 8th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

Capital Hospital to be made a medical college

The Orissa government has decided to make capital hospital (location) a full-fledged medical college. This is reported in various media outlets. (Kalinga Times, New Indian Express,Samaja1,Samaja2) The government is also planning to open another medical college in Rourkela or in the Mayurbhanj district. For the medical college in Bhubaneswar, the government plans an outlay of 100 crores with an immediate outlay of 25 crores. It is also reported that there is some plans to start PG classes in the Unit IV hospital of Bhubaneswar.With these developments Bhubaneswar-Cuttack area the medical college situation in Bhuabaneswar-CTC-Puri area will be as follows:

Continue Reading 3 comments April 8th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

AIIMS-like institution in Bhubaneswar: recent links

Earlier in the month there were news items in the Orissa press saying that although the 2007-08 budget has 150 crores for the AIIMS like institutions it will be mostly spent in the upgrades of exisiting medical schools and won’t be spent in the 6 new proposed AIIMS clones. I think that is not true. As the business standard article explains, in 2006 July the Health ministry had called for tenders regarding the 6 AIIMS clones. In February 2007 they have called two separate tenders, one on consultancy and the other on buildings. These are linked below. If suitable responses are received and contracts are awarded then work might start this year.

• EOI for providing comprehensive consultancy for 6 AIIMS like institutions (February 2007)
• EOI for setting up housing complexes at Bhubaneswar, …(February 2007)
• The above are found from the page http://www.mohfw.nic.in/tenders.html
• The establishment of these fall under the program “Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Surakshya Jojana“.
• More details in the previous articles on this topic.

1 comment April 7th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral

8th April morning 8.30 am AG Square: IIT rally message by Lalit Patnaik

ARE YOU A SWABHIMANI ODIA

One IIT each for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajsthan has been sanctioned with an investment of Rs.4000 crores. Orissa, although promised two IIT by Central Minister for HRD Mr. M Fatmi on 28th August 2006 at Patna, has been befooled with none.

* Orissa being one of the poorest states in terms of infrastructure in education and technology needs establishment of IIT more than any other state.
* Orissa having richest Mineral deposit needs an IIT to provide knowledge and technology base for best utilization of it’s resources.
* Let us not be blamed by our grand children that we have overslept when their future was being dismissed.

1) We demand establishment of an IIT and up gradation of UCE, Burla to IIEST in Orissa.
2) Join for Orissa in our demand on 8th April 2007 morning at 8.30 am in AG square, Bhubaneswar.

Continue Reading 3 comments April 7th, 2007 Author : Chitta Baral