Odisha HRD

Upgrading UCE Burla: Making an Orissa University of Engineering and Applied Sciences (OUEAS)

December 9th, 2006

University College of Engineering, Burla(UCE Burla) in Sambalpur district of Orissa is the oldest Engineering College of Orissa. The Orissa government and many people of Orissa (including UCE Burla alumni) would like UCE Burla to be upgraded to one of the proposed IIESTs (Indian institute of Engineering Science and Technology). The five institutions that have been shortlisted for such upgradation are:

1. Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU) – formerly Bengal Engineering College, Sibpur
2. Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)
3. University College of Engineering, Osmania University
4. Andhra University College of Engineering
5. Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IT-BHU)

The Orissa government should follow the example of BESU and CUSAT and make UCE, Burla a university (not a deemed university). But this should not be a just change of names. But rather it should be a step to substantially improve UCE Burla, bring a buzz about it, and introduce new innovative programs into it. In other words UCE Burla after being converted to OUEAS should have some distinguishing features that would make it well-known in the country.

If that happens the chances of it getting converted to an IIEST would be much higher and even if the central government does not make it an IIEST, it will be of further benefit to people of Orissa and will be known Indiawide.

Following are some ideas of what the Orissa government should do and what the well-wishers of UCE Burla should push for.

1. The government of Orissa has power to make universities. Recently, they converted Ravenshaw College to a University. On the other hand deemed university is a designation that the UGC uses for (a) certain private institutions (e.g. KIIT) and (b) for certain central government institutions that are not quite the level of an institution of national importance and are not central universities. (e.g., IIIT Allahbad is a deemed university, while IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, IISc. etc are institution of national importance.) State universities get UGC grants. Its not clear if non-centrally funded deemed universities do. So UCE Burla should be made to a state university, and Orissa does not need to go and beg UGC for the “deemed university” tag. By being a state university and by satisfying necessary UGC conditions it should be able to get UGC funds.
2. Currently UCE Burla has departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, Manufacturing Science, Civil Engineering, MCA, Computer Science, Information technology, Physics, Chemistry, Humanities and Mathematics. It offers B.Engg courses in mostly engineering subjects, M.Engg in several engineering specializations and is a nodal center for Ph.D in Engineering and Technology subjects. Its academic programs should be upgraded in the following ways:
1. Various applied sciences departments and programs in them should be introduced. Examples of such departments are: Biochemistry, Engineering Physics, Geophysics, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Material Sciences, Management, and Industrial Management.
2. It should offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in these subjects, including an MBA degree.
3. It should offer dual degrees, especially that combine science and engineering subjects.
3. The OUEAS and the Orissa government should then push to establish 1-2 centers of excellence in engineering and applied sciences at OUEAS, such as CIRBAS at the Jamia Millia Islamia Central University in New Delhi.
4. The OUEAS should admit some of its students through all India exams such as the AIEEE or whatever exams the IIESTs use.

In summary, the above is an outline of a path that UCE Burla should take. Then it will not matter that much whether it becomes an IIEST or not. At the same time it will significantly improve its chances of becoming an IIEST. Moreover, if the Orissa government takes a proposal based on the above outlines to the central government, the central government might even contribute towards the proposed transformation.

Entry Filed under: New Universities,UCE Burla (became a university)