Update on Central University of Orissa Koraput
October 23rd, 2009
Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
The newly established Central University of Orissa at Koraput aims to set up five new schools in the academic session of 2010.
The proposed new schools include the School of Basic Sciences, School of Health Sciences, School of Development Studies, School of Indigenous Studies and School of Biodiversity Studies.
… The new schools would offer courses in subjects like mathematics, economics, nursing, pharmacy and community health.”For starting the School of Health Sciences, the Central University of Orissa is mulling tie-ups with Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi and for School of Community and Public Health with the University of Minnesota, US.
The Central University of Orissa will set up a Centre for Peace and Sustainable Development next year. The University also intends to run joint research projects and programmes with the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development, New Delhi. The Central University plans to offer PHD in five subjects- English, Hindi, sociology, anthropology as well as journalism and mass communication from 2010.
“We are going to sign a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the British Council for holding English language teaching workshops once in every three months. Our university will also enter into a MoU with the Chennai Mathematical Institute University (CMIU) and under this MoU, the faculty from CMIU will visit our campus from the 2010 academic session”, said Banerjee.
At present, the Central University of Orissa has two schools- School of Languages and School of Social Sciences. While the School of Languages offers post graduate programmes in English and Hindi; the School of Social Sciences offers post graduate courses in sociology, anthropology as well as journalism and mass communication.
Now the following is from Dharitri.
One needs to take note of the underlined sentence. I think in future when we have central institutions in "remote" areas, we should at least let it start for a year in a less remote location so that when they are depending on visiting faculty they are able to attract them. Once they hire permanent faculty the remoteness of the location will become less relevant.
Entry Filed under: Central University of Orissa, Koraput,Koraput-Jeypore-Sunabeda area (5)
4 Writeup
1. R.K. Ghosh | October 23rd, 2009 at 10:22 am
Remoteness is a function of infrastructure, specially road connection. I remember going to Koraput through Vijayanagram by bus some 25 years back. The roads in Andhra were ok and when we entered Orissa border there was a discernible change in quality of roads as well as their widths. It is unfortunate, as appears from the quoted news item, that the roads to access Koraput has not improved even today.
2. Dipti prakash palai | October 23rd, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Hindi and english subject will be offered.What about Odia!Though it is central university but it aims toward imparting of education to people of region.But I dont think without having knowledge of mother tounge a person wud b said as educated.I really wonder by what thinking Odia people themselves left behind their language in their own state.
3. Sandip Dasverma | October 26th, 2009 at 6:48 am
It is better to start institutes at remote stations from the beginning. Else what has happened to BPUT will happen to all such institutes. And Rourkela, where BPUT is to be located, is not at all remote like Koraput.
With clearical staff recruited from BBSR, it would have taken decades to relocate it to Koraput.
A case in point is the office of Additional Chief Secretary post that was created 20 years or so back for KBK. It is still operating from BBSR and KBK is lingering where it was 20 years back. No wonder it is now a Maoist stronghold.
As a Govt employee, I have worked in Koraput for two stints of 3 years each and seen the effects of project chiefs living in the colonies and not living in the colonies. You have to decide what you want, run the institute for the people of KBK or for favoring families of the staff and the teaching staff.
Such projects to be successful, need dedicated, committed and conscious souls. They never works with the mercenaries but conscientious souls. And for merceneries even if you recruit them, they will leave if they can’t find a plea to stay at BBSR. It is usually a bad bargain for the KBK, in whose name the money is sanctioned.
4. Prashant K Sahoo | October 27th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I agree with Sandip bAbu. Looking at the history of BPUT it is indeed risky to start something at BBSR. In my opinion every remote project takes little bit time and one should be ready with such situation.