Odisha HRD

13 Writeup

• 1. R. K. Ghosh  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 10:26 am

  I think it is not wise to convert an existing university into a central university. Govt of India (read MHRD) will want it in order to reduce the level of funding and get millage out of it. It is like having the cake and eating it too. MHRD will get ready infrastructure plus have the benefit of propaganda during elections (which is going to take place in two years time). The idea of converting existing university into a central university is a politically master stroke but academically unwise. The reasons are as follows:
  1. An existing university has some traditions and practices. While inheriting good points is good, the baggage also comes with contaminations. I believe our old universities have heavier baggages of the latter types and these cannot be eliminated easily.
  2. As opposed to this a green field university has to create its traditions and practices and can draw from experiences gained from other existing universities and carefully steer clear from the contaminations of the kind I mentioned in point 1.
  3. Latest equipment, teaching aids, and above all an young faculty does inspire and excite students. An old university unless it is of the level of Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard or Oxford neither excite students nor contribute to development of the region.
  4. A new university adds to the number of opportunities including overall development. Upgrading an existing university does not help much except a cosmetic change at the first instance. It will take years before any impact is felt. Since our universities typically have a life of 30 years (a conservative estimate),
  I feel this proposal of converting an existing university amounts to some cheating people of Orissa.
  After reading the piece about Mr. Jayaram Ramesh’s statement about IIT in Orissa and the rejoinder of Prof. Chitta Baral, I think it is high time some ombudsman type regulatory body should overlook the politics in Education. We need a search committee for appointment of minister of HRD instead of political compulsions deciding about the appointee.

• 2. Chitta Baral  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 1:01 pm

  It is definitely better to have a brand new central university. I hope the central govt. will allow that.

• 3. R.P.Tripathy  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 2:29 pm

  Just a query. Can’t the state government recommend the name of a college instead of an existing University, from the KBK region (under special circumstances and in view of Orissa’s demand for a KBK University) say Govt. College Bhawanipatna or Koraput to be upgraded as a Central University? The Govt. College at Bhawanipatna more specifically, enjoys the status of a College with potential for excellence along with 3 other colleges of Orissa and to begin with this may be a starting point for realising a full-fledged University. In my opinion this may be a solution under the circumstances.
  R.P

• 4. Debu  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 2:50 pm

  There cannot be a quantum jump from a Govt college to a Central University. What the existing staff will do if it turned out to be a Central Univ ? Govt is not going to dump them in the anme of Central Univ.

  The best bet obviously goes to Utkal University. Now or in future if anyone will be upgraded taht is Utkal one. It deserves too as compared to other univ of orissa.

• 5. R.P.Tripathy  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 5:25 pm

  Be it JNU or University of Hyderabad, they started with tiny campuses if you see the old Golden Threshold in Hyderabad town or the JNU old campus. So, what I mean is initially the University can start functioning from the campus of a reputed college as a new campus would certainly take some time. So, no need to close down the college. If we talk about Utkal then other two Universities at Sambalpur and Berhampur which are more closer to the KBK will demand C.U status for their respective universities. So, it is better to go for a new University in the KBK region. If converting a University to C.U is mandatory than the state government may think in terms of granting Unitary University status to a college in KBK on the lines of Ravenshaw Unitary University.
  R.P

• 6. Piyush Patnaik  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 5:34 pm

  This is a conspiracy by the UPA government. They want to placate the people of orissa after snatching the tribal university. The govermant of orissa should stick to it’s demand for a central university in the KBK region and nothing less. I think the CM is doing the right thing highlighting the apathy of central leaders towards orissa. In fact it should be made a poll issue. If Mr. Naveen Patnaik wins then the central leaders will get a message that people of orissa will take things lying down anymore. Some people are writing in various forums that the CM is polticising the issue. What is the harm if he is doing so? At least the issue of negligence of Orissa is getting highlighted. If this historical neglect is to be corrected the game has to played at the political level.

• 7. Marttand Deo  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 7:50 pm

  I think Govt of Orissa create a state University in KBK region like, it has done FM university or North Orissa University with tiny campus , and hand it over for Central University, so that It will solve the long pending Higher Education Neglect in KBK region

  M. Deo
  New Delhi

• 8. Chitta Baral  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 8:14 pm

  In this reagrd please read the posting http://www.orissawatch.org/?p=29
  written by Dr. Digambara Patra. If only the govt. had listen to him then!

  I think regardless the govt. of Orissa should make a KBK University on its own immediately.

• 9. Prashant K Sahoo  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 9:27 pm

  Dear Mr. Debu,

  First of all for a state like oDishA , converting an existing university to Central Unvirsity , is not a good idea as suggested by Mr. Ghosh and few others.

  KBK area does deserve a Central University much more than what Utkal University does deserve for itself. So if you compare the resource and opportunity distribution in oDishA I will say lets focus to have a Central University in KBK region apart of the above proposal. It is not a big deal for the center if we oriyas unanimously agree to upgrade any exisiting college in KBK region to a central university or entirely setup a new university. What it needs is the mindset to see every region of oDishA is developed.

  So lets keep this KBK Central Universtiy movement going on. Let keep it in its individuality.

  Thank you.

• 10. R. K. Ghosh  |  June 23rd, 2007 at 10:56 am

  In fact, the concept of “upgrading is stillborn”. It is difficult to believe the IIT Roorkee (an upgraded version) can really come come up to the level of other IITs in next ten years time. Though I should say it has been relatively easier for Roorkee University to quickly adapt due its existing unitary structure and standards (it had less of the baggage of the other kind).

• 11. Debu  |  June 24th, 2007 at 6:41 pm

  To
  Mr. P. K. Sahoo,

  Sir,
  There is a saying “60 mahan gheea heba auu Radha nachibe”. Wait for CU in KBK. Right now center is asking for upgradion of one univ of Orissa and not a college ? If you donot follow their saying and demand for an upgradion of a KBK college to CU status then atlast we will get zero.

  FM college is converted to a University. Can it compete with Utkal at any point of time ?? Never.

• 12. Biswanath  |  June 25th, 2007 at 5:34 pm

  Berhampur University should be recommended due to its proximity with the KBK region and underdeveloped districts like Kandhamal, Boudh and Gajapati.

• 13. Prashant K Sahoo  |  June 26th, 2007 at 10:37 am

  Dear Mr. Debu,

  We are not talking about who will compete with whom. What we are talking about to get a Central University in oDishA . And in my view I am particular about KBK. I am not going to bring any other area here.

  The need for a central unviersity in KBK is much more higher priority than what other unviersity is upgraded to CU. That is why I had said let’s whether oDishA get a CU or not , KBK must deserve a CU in its individuality.

  Your view is true but it doesn’t fit in KBK context.