Berhampur University partners with BARC on research: Dharitri
February 3rd, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
Orissa problems in primary and middle school education: two Samaja articles
February 3rd, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
Is the proposal to convert “Institute of Material Sciences (IMS)” to “National Institute for Advanced Materials and Applications (NIAMA)” dead?
In 2005 our CM had proposed the central takeover/adoption of the Institute of Material Sciences (IMS) in Bhubaneswar (68/1, Laxmi Vihar, Bhubaneswar – 751005 ) to make it a National Institute for advanced materials and applications. In this, ex-IIT Khragpur director Prof. K. L. Chpora, a recent Padma shri award winner, was involved. But besides the following news report from 2005 nothing much has happened.
February 3rd, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
CM Naveen Patnaik reacts angrily to MHRD special secretary’s statement; writes to PM again
Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer. (Also reported in Statesman, Sambada, New Indian Express, Dharitr1, Dharitri2, Pragativadi)
… Coming down heavily on the Centre, Patnaik said, "I am surprised to see that decisions are being taken on a political consideration. I have repeatedly taken up the matter of establishing of an IIT in Orissa with the Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD). I have told them that Orissa’s case is a genuine one."
Raising his voice against the Centre, Patnaik said a question should be asked why the Centre shifted the National Institute of Science (NIS), which was sanctioned by the then NDA Government from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
Reacting sharply over the remarks of the Union Secretary of HRD that Orissa does not deserve an IIT as it has already got the NISER (National Institute of Science and Educational Research), Patnaik said how could the NIS be shifted to Kolkata when IIT, Kharagpur is already there.
"How West Bengal has taken two such premier institutes? All these decisions have been taken on a political consideration," Patnaik said.
In his letter Patnaik mentioned that as Orissa was witnessing a rapid growth in industrialisation, these technical institutes are required for creating the requisite manpower.
February 2nd, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
Reaction to “No IIT for Orissa because of NISER” comment by an MHRD official
A news report in Samaja (30th January 2008, Page 7) mentions that Special Secretary in the higher education department Mr. Acharya said that, "Orissa and many other states have vigorously demanded IITs; But since a IIT quality higher education institution – NISER – has been established in Orissa, it is not possible to establish an IIT in that state." He continues on to say that, " NISER and IIT have the same admission process that happens at the same time. Since NISER will fulfill the need for an IIT one should not put much weight on the demand for an IIT."
The above logic is absolutely ridiculous and filled with falsehoods and contradicts with MHRD actions with respect to other states.
1. NISER and IITs have different admission process and they have no connection with each other. NISER uses the NEST test (http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/admission.php ) conducted by DAE while IITs have their own JEE. The secretary may be confusing NISER with IISER which do take some students from the IIT JEE merit list.
2. NISER will not fulfill the need for an IIT. Currently, NISER only offers M.Sc degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Some day in the future it may offer a few technology degrees. However, it will not be soon, as having full-fledged engineering degrees will defeat the purpose of NISER, as
students when given a choice between Science and Engineering disciplines in the same institute will prefer engineering, and as a result the NISER science departments, the reason de etre for the establishment of NISER, will not get good students. In this regard it may be noted that Science is second class in the
IITs where students prefer engineering over Science courses. Most students who get into sciences into IITs are the ones who can not get into any engineering disciplines.
Note that IISc, where both engineering and science are flourishing is different because it does not offer undergraduate degrees in science so there is no competition between student choosing between science and engineering after +2.
3. Even if NISER abandons its reason-de-etre and decides to expand into engineering aggressively, the infrastructure, especially the 300 acres allocated to NISER will not allow that. Note that the IITs in Patna and Hyderabad will have 500 acres land.
4. The engineering and technology disciplines will not be established in NISER that quickly, and because of the break-neck industrial progress happening in Orissa, it needs a top notch engineering and technological institute like an IIT "yesterday."
5. Finally the following actions contradict the assertion that Orissa will not get an IIT because it has a NISER
(a) Maharastra was given a IISER even though it has an IIT. (Both are funded by MHRD.)
(b) West Bengal was given an IISER and an IIT like institute (IIEST) eventhough it has an IIT. (All are funded by MHRD and the IISER and the IIEST will be in the Kolkata area.)
(c) Andhra Pradesh was given an IIT and two IIESTs. (All are funded by MHRD.)
(d) Kerala was given an IISER, an IIEST and an IIST (Indian Institute of Space Technology); the first two funded by MHRD, while the last one is funded by Ministry of Science and Technology.
So why is that when it comes to Orissa, when Orissa is now at the bottom of per-capita MHRD funding on higher education institutions, NISER counts against Orissa. This is despite that Orissa needs to bridge the largest gap in higher education enrollment, from 6.1% to the targeted 15%.
Is it because the above four have UPA allied governments while Orissa does not?
Also, earlier it has been remarked in the Parliament by an UPA minister that Orissa has this and that institute (such as Inst of Physics etc.). Yes, but other states have more of such institutes. See the list we compiled at http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol1/state_wise_national_lab.pdf.
So why does it count against Orissa getting an IIT, and does not count against the other states.
Is not this blatant discrimination against Orissa?
Is not such discrimination in the past a main reason why Orissa is now at the bottom of higher education enrollment and many other parameters?
Is that what the government of India wants? And in this information age of news media and Internet will the people of Orissa stand-by and just meekly accept this blatant discrimination?
1 comment January 31st, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
NISER will fulfill Orissa’s IIT demand: Samaja
(Acknowledgment: The Samaja article was brought to my notice by Prof. R. Nayak. My greatest appreciation to him for his concerns.)
This is really crazy and ridiculous. Only for Orissa, all these arguments are made; West Bengal can have an IIT, an IIESR and an IIT like institution (IIEST) all funded by MHRD; the later two in the same city Kolkata; Maharastra can have both IITs and IISERs funded by MHRD; Andhra Pradesh can have an IIT and two IIESTs (one IIT and one IIEST in the same city) funded by MHRD, Kerala can be given an MHRD funded IISER and a Ministry of Sc & Tech funded IIST (Indian Inst of Space Technology); but when it comes to Orissa it can not have an IIT because it is having NISER. (The later is funded by DAE while IITs are funded by MHRD. )
People and representatives of Orissa should not take this lying down. They must take this opportunity to explain GOI how such arguments are used against Orissa to harm Orissa and stunt its progress.
Watch out for further reactions to this apparent trial balloon floated by MHRD. They floated many such trial balloons when we were demanding NIS and they were countered by the people and representatives of Orissa. The same needs to be done urgently.
January 31st, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
IIIT-Bh Announces Admission Results
IIIT Bhubneswar has announced the admission results for its M. Tech. program. Twenty five candidates have been selected for admission and five have been wait-listed. The list of the successful candidates can be found here.
January 31st, 2008 Author : Pratyusa
Current IIT and IISc non-plan funding levels
The following is from a report in the Telegraph. Note that non-plan funding is used for maintaining infrastructure.
January 30th, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
Education Abroad: New IMS Center at Bhubaneswar to Help Students
Following is an excerpt from a New Indian Express report.
BHUBANESWAR: Having secured a place for itself in the minds of management aspirants, leading coaching institute IMS is set to add another promising chapter to its expanding portfolio.
The first IMS ‘centre for international education’ is coming up in the city next month.
The centre will engage itself in assisting students, going abroad, gain enrollment in international universities.
Besides, it would offer quality coaching to students taking GRE and GMAT.
1 comment January 29th, 2008 Author : Pratyusa
Partial list of “in progress (under consideration at AICTE)†MBA/MCA/etc. Colleges in Orissa
The following is from http://www.aicte.ernet.in/download/NewCollege/list.doc downloaded on January 26th 2008. These are colleges that have applied to AICTE for an LOI and AICTE has listed them for some clarifications. There may be other colleges which are also in progress and AICTE has already issued LOI to them.
Continue Reading 5 comments January 27th, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
Partial list of “in progress (under consideration at AICTE)” Engineering Colleges in Orissa
The following is from http://www.aicte.ernet.in/download/NewCollege/list.doc downloaded on January 26th 2008.
Continue Reading 3 comments January 27th, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
The current list of engineering/MBA/MCA colleges in Orissa.
The following list is from http://www.aicte.ernet.in/app_inst_new.htm downloaded on January 26th 2008.
Continue Reading January 27th, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
Bihar and Andhra Pradesh IITs to start classes in temporary locations in 2008?
Following are excerpts from a report in Hindustan Times.
Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have got an edge over Rajasthan. Both states will get IITs of their own from the next academic year.
The HRD Ministry has informed Bihar and Andhra Pradesh that admissions to the two new IITs will start in temporary campuses, while the ministry sets up new campuses.
The new campus will be built around 100 kilometres from Patna in Bihar and Isnapur in Medak district of Andhra Pradesh. The campuses will be built in an area of 500-600 acres at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore.
In a letter to the chief secretaries of the two state governments, the HRD ministry has asked for makeshift campuses so that enrolment of students can start.
“Only a few students for limited disciplines will be admitted in the first year and temporary campuses will be linked to an existing IIT,” a ministry official said.
1 comment January 27th, 2008 Author : Chitta Baral
BJB College to Offer Four Professional Courses
Following is an excerpt from a New Indian Express report.
BHUBANESWAR: The golden jubilee celebration of BJB College could not have come at a better time. It has received the State Government’s nod to start as many as four self finance courses from the coming academic session.
The new courses would include a five year integrated MBA programme and a two year post graduate programme in journalism and mass communication.
The other two courses would be a five year integrated MSc programme in Bioinformatics and a five year integrated MSc programme in electronic and telecommunications. All the courses are high in demand in the present job market.
They would be offered in collaboration with Heritage Vision, an educational trust, said college principal B.N.Patnaik. While the MBA programme will have 60 seats, rest of the programmes would have 48 seats each.
Placement would be the last thing one should worry about as the institute has emerged as a sought-after hunting ground for multinationals looking for bright minds.
According to placement officer Prof Swetansu Sekhar Rath, Infosys, Vedanta, ICICI Prudential and energy and environment solution firm Phermax are next in line. They are slated to the visit the campus soon.
5 comments January 26th, 2008 Author : Pratyusa
