Odisha HRD

Rajasthan uses a balanced approach in choosing locations for its national institutions

Update on 27th April 2011: The Central University location has been changed to Bander Sindri near Ajmer and only 80 kms from Jaipur. The Innovation University (previsouly referred to as National University) aiming for world class is now pushed for Jaipur. [Times of India]

The panel set up by the CM of Rajsthan has picked the following places to recommend to the central government for the various national institutes and universities coming up in Rajasthan. (From a Times of India report and another Times of India report)

• IIT : Jodhpur
• IIM: Udaipur
• National University aiming for world-class: Ajmer 
• Central university: Bikaner.

The committee also recommended:

• a "futuristic" heritage conservation and museology centre in Jaipur
• an institute of Food Technology in Hadoti region of Kota

Currently the following national institutions exisit or are being made in the following places in Rajasthan:

• NIT: Jaipur
• LNMIT (private but top-notch): Jaipur
• National law School: Jodhpur
• AIIMS-like institution (being made): Jodhpur

The institutions are nicely distributed between various cities of Rajsthan, although people of Jaipur and Kota are not happy. The population of these locations are:

• Jaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 3.1 million (has inetrnational air connectivity)
• Jodhpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 988K  – (332 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
• Udaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 457K – (400 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
• Ajmer (World Gazetteer 2009):  604.7K – (131 kms from Jaipur)
• Bikaner (World Gazetteer 2009): 624.6K – (321 kms from Jaipur)
• Kota (World Gazetteer 2009): 823 K (242 kms from Jaipur)

In contrast in Orissa the distribution of national institutions are more Bhubaneswar centric. Following is the status:

• IIT: Bhubaneswar
• NISER: Bhubaneswar
• AIIMS-like (being made) : Bhubaneswar
• National Law University: Cuttack (part of Bhubaneswar metroplex)
• IIIT (state-funded) : Bhubaneswar
• National University aiming to be world class: Bhubaneswar
• Vedanta University (private): Puri
• NIT: Rourkela
• Central University: Koraput
• IIIT (centrally funded): state wants it in Berhampur; center has identified as Bhubaneswar

Unfortunately, one of the reason given behind the above selection is the lack of connectivity and the size of places. Following is some information on that.

• Bhubaneswar (World Gazetteer 2009): 1.67 million  (has airport but no inetrnational connectivity)
• Rourkela (World Gazetteer 2009): 551 K  (no air connections) – 334 kms from Bhubaneswar
• Berhampur (World Gazetteer 2009): 403 K (no air connections) – 160 kms from Bhubaneswar
• Koraput-Jeypore-Sunabeda: 200K+ (no air connections) – 499 kms from bhubaneswar
• Puri (World Gazetteer 2009): 185K – 60 kms from Bhubaneswar 
• Sambalpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 258 K (no air connections)  – 321 kms from Bhubaneswar
• Jharsuguda-Belpahar-Brajarajnagar: 200 K (no air connections) – 374 kms from Bhubaneswar; 50 kms from Sambalpur

For the future, following are some of the steps that Orissa government needs to urgently take regarding developing more larger urban areas and having the national institutions more evenly distributed:

• Make sure the centrally funded IIIT is established in Berhampur
• Establish functioing airports in Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Koraput at the earliest
• Push for international flights to Bhubaneswar
• Push for upgradation of UCE Burla (Sambalpur area) to an IIEST (Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology)
• Push for the establishment of a branch of IGNTU (Indira Gandhi National Tribal University) in Phulbani
• Push for the establishment of IIM outside of the Bhubaneswar area
• Push for the establishment of a centrally funded KBK Inst of Engineering and Technology (along the lines of SLIET and ABAGKIET) in Kalahandi or Balangir.
• Push for upgrading another medical college (Berhampur or Sambalpur) to AIIMS level.
• Push for establishing NID in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
• Push for establishing NIPER in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
• Push for a BITS Pilani campus in a location outside of Bhubaneswar

9 comments June 12th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE Mumbai NEST 2009 important notice

Following is from http://nest.niser.ac.in/nest09impnotice.html.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR THE SHORT LISTED CANDIDATES
OF
NEST 2009 EXAMINATION

All the short listed candidates whose names appear in the list have been sent an email asking for the preference to join NISER on or before 30th June, 2009. Alternatively, candidates whose name appears in the list can also download attached consent form and fill it up and send it to NISER on or before 30th June, 2009. If we do not receive the filled consent form from the short listed candidates before 30th June, 2009 it will be assumed that they are not interested in joining NISER or CBS.

The list of selected candidates based on the rank will be announced on the website of NISER on 2nd July, 2009. Selected candidates are requested to deposit the fee (Rs 19650 for General & OBC candidates and Rs 12150 for SC/ST candidates) in terms of a demand draft drawn in favor of "Director NISER" payable at Bhubaneswar before 10th July, 2009. If we do not receive the demand draft before 10th July, 2009, the admission stands cancelled and seat will be allotted to the lower rank candidates in the merit list.

Students claiming admission under reservation (OBC, SC, ST) should produce authentic certificates at the time of admission. Candidates without authentic certificates will not be admitted.

Please note that NISER has only 52 seats (Gen – 31, OBC – 9, SC – 8, ST – 4)

The consent form can be sent by any of the 3 methods given below.

1. direcly fill the online consent form. (will be available shortly)
2. download, fill and send it as mail-attachment to admissions@niser.ac.in or director@niser.ac.in
3. download, fill and FAX it to 0674-2302436

Choose whichever suits you. No need to send repeatedly.

Sd/-
DIRECTOR

1 comment June 12th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

NISER’s plans

Following are some excerpts from the news report in expressbuzz.com.

• The National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, is set to start PhD programmes from December this year.
• … It would be followed by an integrated PhD programme that would commence from August next year.
• … it plans to introduce new streams like Earth and Planetary Sciences, Environment Science and Computer Science by 2013.
• … the institution would move to its own campus at Jatni by 2013
• …. With the campus complete, the NISER would have about 1,000 UG and 700 PhD students along with 250 faculty members and 500 staff.
• … In the next two years, the intake would be 80 which would further go up to 200 in each wing by 2013.
• … Plans are also afoot to introduce a national combined entrance examination for NISER along with IISERs at Trivandrum, Bhopal, Mohali, Kolkata and Pune on the lines of IIT. At present, the IISERs are taking students from the extended merit list of IIT entrance examinations.
• NISER would also, from the next year, adopt one CBSE pattern school in the State to train its students to be absorbed in it for higher studies  

Following is an excerpt from a report in Orissadiary.

• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to lay the foundation stone for the new campus of the prestigious National Institute for Science Education and Research (NISER) near here next month. Though the exact date is yet to be finalised, the foundation stone for our own campus is likely to be laid by the Prime Minister by the second week of July, NISER director Prof T K Chandrasekhar told the media persons.

Following are excerpts from a report in Business Standard.

• The total cost of setting up the new campus is Rs 770 crore. Construction work on the new campus is expected to commence by February 2010.
• In the beginning NISER would be affiliated to Homi Bhabha National Institute, a deemed university within the Department of Atomic Energy, for the award of degrees. At a later stage it will seek UGC approval to get the status of a deemed university for awarding degrees on its own.

1 comment June 12th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

KIIT hires 75 IIT graduates as faculty; hope it nurtures them and keeps most of them

Following is from a news item in Pioneer.

… 75 candidates passing out from seven IITs in the country have joined its ranks as faculties.

In an independent recruitment drive, these BTech, MTech and PhD candidates from the IITs were appointed as faculties in different courses of KIIT. About half of the selected candidates have already joined and the remaining will be joining by the end of this month.

… Besides the IITians, more than 20 competent professors from different reputed universities across the country have also joined KIIT. Further, five law academicians of national and international repute have joined the KIIT Law School.

Faculty quality, especially in its engineering departments has been an issue for critics of KIIT. (This criticism is true for most private colleges and universities in Orissa.) I hope KIIT is able to nurture the abovementioned faculty, especially push the ones without a Ph.D to pursue and get a Ph.D. It should also clearly list its faculty and their qualification in its web pages so that visitors to its web pages are able to correct any misconception regarding KIIT’s faculty quality.

2 comments June 11th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

Orissa JEE 2009 results are declared; some new and recent good private colleges

JEE-2009 RESULTS AVAILABLE: http://www.jeeorissa.com/jee_result.asp

ALTERNATE LINK FOR RESULTS: http://results.jeeorissa.com

By checking randomly I have found that people have gotton ranks beyond 39,000. No official word yet about the total number of qualified candidates for B.Engg and total number of seats.

In 2007, there were 43 colleges that took students based on Orissa JEE and ranks were initially given till 34835 and after the initial counseling there was another JEE to fill leftover seats and in two additional colleges (Indus and Templecity). In 2008 there were 18 more colleges and ITER became a deemed university, taking the total number of colleges taking students from JEE to 43+2+18-1=62. This year (2009) 25-30 new coleges are expected. We will post the details as they become available.

For students wanting to know what they can get based on their, a very very rough idea can be obtained by looking at the 2007 data at https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/1185. However, there were several new colleges in 2008 which were much better than the earlier colleges. Some of those are:

• Apex (run by the same people who run NIST Berhampur)
• Centurion (run by the same people who run JITM, Parlakhemundi)

(By the way, JITM Parlakhemundi is a good college and run by good people. Check their web page. The location is also beautiful. I visited it. For some reason students overlook it. Later this year or early next year there will be direct train to Parlakhemundi.)

Also, Templecity (two of its cofounders were the cofounders of KIIT) and Indus (its founder, an IIT Kharagur graduate and with a Ph.D from Houston USA, was instrumental in making NIST Berhampur a top college)  that were established in 2007 but were not in the initial list are both good colleges.

This year couple of new colleges that are expected to be very good are:

• Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology (Note their promoters. It includes several top notch professors from the US)
• Silicon Institute of Technology Sambalpur (This is being made and will be run by the same people who made and run the top-notch Silicon School in Bhubaneswar)
• IIIT Bhubaneswar (It is aiming to start B. Tech programs this year and may take students through Orissa JEE)

230 comments June 10th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

ICAR operations in Orissa

Following is from http://www.naarm.ernet.in/AgriGateway/RARS&I/Orissa.asp.

 

Orissa – Krishi Vigyan Kendra

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhanjanagar Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Semiliguda Krishi Vigyan Kendra, G. Udayagiri Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Keonjhar, Orissa Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Balasore, Pin -756023, Established in 1983. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sambalpur, Pin – 768102, Established in 1985. Larambha, Bargarh (Dist), Orissa Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kalahandi, Pin – 766001, Established in 1992. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kendrapada, Pin -754211 , Established in 1994. Jajanga, Kapaleswar,  Kendrapara (Dist), Orissa, FAX: (06727)-74962  Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bhubaneshwar, Pin – 751002, Established in 1976. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Cuttack, Pin – 753006, Established in 1992. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhenkanal, Pin – 759013, Established in 1994. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Angul, Pin – 759122, Established in 1995. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, P.O.Box no:10, Sunabeda, Koraput (Dist), Orissa, FAX:  (06853)-20431 Agricultural Technology Information Centres ( ATICs) Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC), Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Dhauli, Kaushalyaganga P.O., BHUBANESWAR – 751 002, ORISSA  Agricultural Institutes & Regional Stations Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar,Orissa, PIN 751003, e mail: root@uat.ori.nic.in, vc@ouat.ten.nic.in, Phone : (0674)-402769/818/918, FAX : 0674-407780 High Altitude Research Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Pottangi-764039, Koraput (Dist), Orissa,  Phone: (06853)-42565  Jute Research Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Kaleswar, Kendrapara (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (06727)-22266  Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,  Keonjhar-758002, Keonjhar (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (06766)-55567  Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,  Ranital-756111, Bhandrak (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (06784)-65952  Regional Research Station, P.O. Agricultural College, Chiplima -768025,  Dist. Sambalpur, Orissa, Phone :  83507 Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, P.O.Box:10, Semiliguda, Sunabeda-763002, Koraput (Dist), Orissa, Phone:  (06853)-20348  Regional Research & Technology Transfer Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,Central Farm, Bhubaneswar-751003, Khurda (Dist), Orissa, Phone: (0674)-470415   Regional Research and TOT (Sub-station) of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology,  Kalimela-764047, Malkangiri (Dist), Orissa Regional Research and TOT (Sub-station) of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Kirei-770073,  Sundergarh (Dist),  Orissa, Phone:(06622)-73245  Regional Research Station of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Krupasindhupur, Berhampur-761001, Ganjam (Dist), Orissa,  Phone:(0680)-208935 Zonal Agricultural Research Station ( ZARS), Bhadrak, Orissa Zonal Agricultural Research Station ( ZARS), Navrangpur, Orissa Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Kausalyaganga Post-751002, Bhubaneswar, Orissa e mail : cifa@tn.nic.in Phone : (0674)-465430/21 Fax : (0674)-465407 Central Rice Research Institute, Bidyadharpur-753006, Cuttack, Orissa, e mail : crri@crri.ori.nic.in Phone : (0671)-642445/450 Fax : (0671)-641744 Central Soil & Water Conservation Research &Training Institute Research Centre P.B No:12,Sunabeda-763002, Koraput (Dist),Orissa, e mail : cswcrti@dte.vsnl.net.in , Phone : (06853)-22418, (06852)-40738, Fax : (06853)-20592 National Research Centre on Water Technology Centre for Eastern Region, Chandrasekharpur, P.O: SE Railway Project Complex, Bhubaneswar-751023, Orissa, e mail : wtcer@stpbh.soft.net/www.wtcer.stpbh.soft.net , Phone : (0674)-300060, Fax : (0674)-301651 National Research Centre  for Women in Agriculture Plot No- 1199, Jagamara, P.O Khandagiri,  Bhubaneswar-751030, Bhubaneswar (Dist) Orissa, e mail : nrcwa@nrcwa.ori.nic.in, Phone : (0674)-471013, Fax : (0674)-471448 Central Avian Research Institute Regional Centre Baramunda housing board, Bhubaneswar -751003, Khurda (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0674)-563934,  Fax : (0674)-553195 Puri Research Centre of Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture 15 B.S.Nagar, Puri-752002, Orissa,  Phone : (06752)-23381 Burla Research Centre of Central Institute of Fisheries Technology Burla-768017, Sambalpur (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0663)-430419 Sisal Research Station of Central Research Institute for Jute &Allied Fibres Bamra-768221, Sambalpur (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0662)-60086 Central Horticultural Experiment Station Aiginia, Bhubaneswar-751019, Khurda (Dist), Orissa, Phone : (0674)-471867, Fax : (0674)-471867 National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources Regional Station C.R.R.I. Campus-753006, Cuttack, Orissa, e mail : nbpgrctc@ori.nic.in, Phone : (0671)-642727, Fax : (0671)-642727

2 comments June 8th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

Nomenclature of Vedanta University gates and some of its landmarks

Tathya.in has a nice article about the 243 page book on Vedanta University master plan. One of the pictures in that article shows the names of the various gates. Following is an enlargement of that picture.

The name of the outer gates in anti-clockwise order are:

• Vedanta gate
• Konark gate
• Kolkata gate
• Bhubaneswar gate
• Nuanai gate
• Puri gate

The name of the inner gates are:

• The gates on the right
  • Brahmaputra gate
  • Ganges gate
  • Godavari gate
  • Narmada gate
  • Sun gate (?)
  • Kaveri gate
  • Mahanadi gate
  • Saraswati gate
  • Yamuna gate
• The gates on the left
  • Library gate
  • North Canal gate
  • Orissa gate
  • New Delhi gate
  • West Canal gate
  • Mumbai gate
  • Hyderabad gate
  • South Canal gate
  • Theatre gate

Some of the other landmarks that are labeled are:

• Gandhi oval
• Crescent maidan
• Nehru square
• Tagore chowk

June 8th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

KIIT group has a broad array of programs; KISS is expected to become its own university

As per its web page, currently the KIIT group has the following institutions:

	School of Technology		Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences
	School of Computer Application		KiiT international School
	School of Management		Kalinga Polytechnic
	School of Rural Management		KIIT Science College
	School of Biotechnology		Industrial Training Centre
	KIIT Law School		Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences
	School of Languages

In 2009 it is starting four new schools:

• Mass communication
• Design
• Film studies
• Sculpture

In addition KISS  (Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences) plans to offer Mastesr program in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Botany, Zoology, Political Science, Philosophy, Economics, History, Tribal study, Anthropology, Accountancy, English, Oriya, and Sociology. the following ad for admission to KISS suggests that it will soon be a university on its own.

Considering the way KIIT is going one day the group may have the maximum number and variety of programs among all universities in India. Below are a list of programs at the Bachelors/Masters level that come to mind that the KIIT group does not yet have. Readers are requested to suggest additional programs.

• School of Architecture
• School of Physical and Earth Sciences (Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Earth Science)
• School of Life Sciences (Biology)
• Schoolof Liberal Arts (Economics, Political science, Geography, Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Linguistics, Psychology, Sociology, Women and Gender studies)
• School of Public Health
• School of Archaeology
• School of performance arts (Music, Dance, Theater, various instruments, various kinds of vocals) – with regular events for locals
• School of Fine Arts and Creative Writing (Art education, Art history, Art studies, ceramics, drawing, fibres, metals, painting, photography, print making)
• School of Business (Accountancy, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Marketing)
• Additional Engineering fields: Industrial engineering, Chemical engineering, Bioengineering, Petroleum Engineering, Mining Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Aerospace Engineering
• Culinary Institute
• School of Public Policy and Government 
• School of Energy and Sustainability
• School of Construction 
• School of Medical technology (including Bio-Medical Informatics)
• School of Nursing
• Programs in Social Service
• School of Agriculture
• School of Veterinary Science
• School of Education (including special education)
• School of Agri-business, Food science and Nutrition
• School of Tourism
• School of Sports sciences and Kinesiology
• School of Religious studies
• School of Aviation and Aviation management

1 comment June 7th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

NISER Bhubaneswar has a new faculty advertisement; asst professor’s take home Rs 44,438 p.m and reader’s take home Rs 67,414 p.m

The ad is at http://niser.ac.in/notices/2009/new-faculty.php. Following are some excerpts. It has the updated salary numbers. The IISER ads as of now – Trivendrum, Bhopal, Mohali, Pune, Kolkata –  seem to have the old salary numbers.

National Institute of Science Education and Research

Institute of Physics Campus, Bhubaneswar

web : http://niser.ac.in

Faculty Positions at NISER

Invitation to be part of a new initiative in science education

The National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) has been setup at Bhubaneswar by the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India to be a unique institution of its kind pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate education in science combined with frontline research. The Government of India has made a very generous financial outlay to NISER for the purpose of setting up state-of-the-art research facilities in all branches of basic science and to promote interdisciplinary areas of research.

NISER is being setup in a sprawling 300 acre campus about 3 km from Khurda Road Railway Station on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar overlooking Barunei Hills. It will be a fully residential campus with modern living amenities including children’s school and health centre.

…

NISER invites applications in the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics from extremely motivated Indian scientists with a high-profile research agenda and a flair for teaching (especially at the undergraduate level) for the following faculty positions bearing scale of pay given against each:

Assistant Professor	15,600 – 39,100
Reader (F)	37,400 – Rs 67,000

ASST. PROFESSOR : Pay Band Rs 15,600 – 39,100 + Grade Pay 7,600
Basic pay on initial appointment will be Rs 29,920 + 22% D.A at current rates + 20% HRA on basic pay. Total emoluments will be approximately Rs 44,438/- per month.

Minimum Qualification
A Ph.D degree in the relevant discipline from a reputed university or institute. Two years of postdoctoral experience preferably abroad with high quality publication in high impact journals.

Age – Preferably 30-37 years

READER (F) – Pay Band Rs 37,400 – 67,000 + Grade Pay 8,700
Basic pay on initial appointment will be Rs 46,100 + 22% DA at current rates + 20% HRA on basic pay. Total emoluments will be approximately Rs 67,414/- per month.

Minimum Qualification
A Ph.D degree in the relevant discipline from a reputed University or Institute. At least 4-5 years of postdoctoral experience preferably abroad with high quality publication in high impact journals.

Age Limit – Between 37-42 years

The age of superannuation is 65 years. In addition to the basic salary, NISER faculty is entitled to allowances as admissible to Central Government Employees stationed at Bhubaneswar and to the DAE’s update allowance, which is currently Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 30,000 per year depending on the scale of pay. They will also receive other fringe benefits (like Relocation Grant, Reimbursement of telephone charges, financial support to attend national/international Conferences/Seminars/Workshops, etc.) which will be comparable to the best in the country.

NISER has sufficient funds to provide seed money to the new faculty to start their research programme. In addition the Department of Atomic Energy provides generous grants from its Prospective Research Fund to bright young scientists.

Interested candidates may apply enclosing:

• Curriculum Vitae
• List of Publications (with reprints of important papers as pdf files)
• Names and addresses (with e-mail and fax number) of at least three referees
• A statement of purpose and research programme

The qualification and experience prescribed are the minimum and mere possession of the same does not entitle a candidate to be considered for any position. However, the experience criteria may be relaxed for exceptionally meritorious candidates.

Applications should be sent by e-mail to careers [at] niser [dot] ac [dot] in marking "Faculty in (branch)" in the subject field (branch being one of the disciplines mentioned above). This is an open advertisement and there is no time limit for sending the application, but the applications received will be taken up for consideration at regular intervals. Candidates are advised to request the Referees to send their letters of recommendations (preferably signed versions as pdf file) directly to NISER at the above e-mail address. Those having regular job in any organization should also send a "No Objection Certificate" from the current employer in electronic form.

All correspondence should be addressed to the above e-mail address only (or any other e-mail address that is notified on the NISER website in future). No postal correspondence is required at any stage. Enquiry regarding the outcome of the application is generally discouraged.

 

-Director

1 comment June 6th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

More IITs and IIMs — beyond the ones listed in the March 28 2008 announcement — in the offing?

On March 28th 2008 eight new IIT and seven new IIM locations were declared. The IITs were to be located in Bihar, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Gujarat. The IIMs were to be located in Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh (Raipur), Uttarakhand and Haryana. At that time one of the deciding principles was that no state would have both a new IIT and a new IIM.

Since then establishment of a new IIT in Karnataka is often mentioned and because of a typo in the speech of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a new IIM will most likely be established in Rajasthan. Following is an excerpt from a recent news item about an IIT in Karnataka.

Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily on Sunday said that an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) would be established at Muddenahalli on the outskirts of Chickaballapur. Addressing a meeting of Congress workers here, Mr. Moily, who represents Chickaballapur in the Lok Sabha, said that he had discussed the matter with Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal. Steps would be taken soon to set up an IIT at Muddenahalli, he said. During his election campaign, Mr. Moily had promised that he would strive to get an IIT established at Muddenahalli, the birthplace of the legendary engineer Sir M. Visvesvaraya.

Following is an excerpt from a report about the IIM in Rajasthan.

What seemed to be a typographical error made by the HRD Ministry in Budget papers has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Rajasthan, as Rajasthan will now get a new Indian Institute of Management (IIM) for the error.

In light of these Orissa should continue to vigorously push for an IIM.

3 comments June 2nd, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

IIT Bhubaneswar students will stay near Jharpada and take bus to their classes

Update: Dharitri reports that so far 18 faculty have been hired.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.

"Last year, we admitted 120 students to three streams: civil, mechanical and electrical (40 students each). The number would the same this year," IIT-Bhubaneswar registrar B K Ray told TOI. According to him, 240 students (of both batches) would be taught at IIT-Kharagpur Extension Centre building here. "Three laboratories are being set up. Everything should be ready in time," Ray said.

"Since no hostel is available now, we have taken 50 new apartments on rent at SBI Colony in the Jharpada area for students’ accommodation. A private party would do the catering job, while for transportation of students from the apartments to classrooms the distance is seven km we will hire three-four buses," the registrar said.

Around 935 acre has already been earmarked at Kansapada in Jatni, about 30 km from here, for construction of a permanent campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar.

"It will take at least three years to build the new campus. We aim to start classes on the permanent campus in 2011," Ray said….

IIT officials said they have got approval to open courses in different subjects, but as of now they want to concentrate on civil, mechanical and electrical streams to ensure no dilution of quality took place.

"There is no need to rush. We have started recruiting teachers. Apart from IIT-Kharagpur teachers, some retired IIT and Institute of Physics and National Institute of Science, Education and Research (NISER) teachers will join us," Ray added.

May 30th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

New Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will try to speed up the setting up of AIIMS like institutes

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

Azad said the ministry would also try to speed up the setting up of six institutes on the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The government had announced the plan in 2003, but it was given a final go ahead in 2005.

Under the scheme, such institutes would be set up in Patna, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Raipur and Rishikesh. Azad also said the ministry would upgrade 13 other medical institutes in the country.

He said after the six AIIMS like institutes come up, the government plans to start two more such institutes and also upgrade six medical institutes.

May 29th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

IIT coaching by IIT graduates

I had heard that many of the Kota coaching institutes hire IIT graduates to teach, but did not know how much they paid. The following excerpt from an Indian Express report mentions that even high schools in Delhi hire IIT graduates to coach their students. 

Not only did 30 of its students make it to the IITs, Modern Vidya Niketan, Faridabad, has also produced the all-India IIT-JEE topper, Nitin Jain. Nearly 430 students appeared for the examination and 141 were able to make it to the merit list. In 2008 too, the school had an impressive number of students cracking the IIT-JEE, but this year’s results surpassed all expectations, managing director Varun Sharma said. “For the last 15 years, we have been sending students to the IITs. At least 15 have made it every year,” he said. The school employs around 25 former IITians and pays them a package of up to Rs 15 lakh per annum each, according to Sharma.

1 comment May 29th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

Budget approved for one professor, two associate professors and three assistant professors in each course of CUO Koraput

Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.

UGC sanctioned posts of one professor, two associate professors and three assistant professors for each course in these universities. These universities will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil and PhD courses. The admission process will begin from this academic year itself. They were already given a small budget to start their camp offices.

On Wednesday, UGC chairperson Sukhdeo Thorat had said these universities might try to get faculty from among Indians settled abroad as well as foreigners.

Meanwhile, search for the site of six universities — in Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala — continues. In Haryana, the new university will be in Mahendragarh, while the one in Punjab will be in Bhatinda. The one on Karnataka will be in Dharwad and the one in Tamil in Tiruvarur. In the case of Orissa, the likely site will be in Koraput and for Jharkhand it is likely to be Khunti. Three existing universities — Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya in Chhattisgarh, Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya at Sagar (MP) and Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna University in Uttarakhand — were upgraded as central universities.

May 29th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

Orissa CHSE (+2) toppers in 2009

May 28th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral

Admission notice of Food Craft Institute Balangir

This institute is established by Ministry of Tourism Government of India and Government of Orissa. This is the only centrally funded institute in the Balangir district.

3 comments May 28th, 2009 Author : Chitta Baral