Odisha HRD

Number of seats in various colleges of OUAT (Orissa University of Agricultute and Technology): from Samaja

1 comment April 4th, 2010

Why mention of IIT coaching classes in Orissalinks?

In https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/4059 we mentioned about some of the national tutorials that have now set shop in Bhubaneswar. A close friend and elder of mine (Sandip Dasverma) whom I respect a lot was surprised (and even dismayed) that I gave space to them here, and was wondering how come I am promoting institutes that to him are so harmful to our society.

I have mixed thoughts and feelings about the whole thing, so I decided I will write my thoughts and feelings, which at this point may not be fully coherent.

1. In Orissalinks we are writing about *all* kinds of educational and HRD infrastructure and opportunities in Odisha. When we write about ITI or Diploma or vocational schools we are not necessarily promoting them; nor it is our intention that every body should do ITI or a diploma. (On the other hand we do not think there is anything wrong in going to an ITI or doing a Diploma.) We cover them so that these pages serve as a dynamic directory of opportunities and infrastructure of various kinds. In that sense IIT tutorials are educational and HRD infrastructure elements and we cover them. Our coverage does not necessarily mean we promote them. In case of ITI and Diploma institutions, having them listed here helps industries who may be considering to move to Odisha.

2. To us IIT tutorials are HRD infrastructure elements that for whatever reason are an important component of a city/town/metro/population-hub. Students are looking for them, the parents are looking for them, the top ones at other locations have been successful in sending large numbers to the IITs, and parents in Odisha due to the lack of such institutes have sent their kids out of state. Moreover, Odisha has been sending comparatively very few students to IITs, thus not taking advantage of the opportunity provided by the well-funded and reputed IITs. So in that sense having top national coaching classes in Odisha is good. The kids who want to go there need not now go to or be sent to (by their parents) locations out of state and hopefully there will be more number of people getting to IITs from Odisha because of the presence of these nationally reputed tutorials in Odisha.

Hopefully we have clarified why we covered IIT tutorials here; We covered them because as the situation in India is now, they are an important educational infrastructure of a place/town/city/metro.

Thats that, but what do we think about these tutorials and their alleged harmful impact on the education system and society. To us the issue is not so simple nor black and white. To initiate a debate we will put some pointers and arguments.

• Coaching classes in various countries and their purpose is given here. In India, coaching classes are a reality and they thrive because (i) admission to top schools is extremely competitive and (ii) the admission process is fairly well defined. In this regard one may read the article at http://hosted.law.wisc.edu/wilj/issues/24/1/steiner.pdf which explains why cram schools for getting law license is common in many other countries but not in the USA.
• Coaching classes are not so common for college admission in the USA because of two main reasons: Decent students can fairly easily get into decent universities in most states; and admission is not based on a single exam and the process is not very clear and on purpose not well explained to the public.
• At this point the fuzzy processes adopted for admissions in US institutions will not work in India as there will be a lot of chance for corruption. One of the aura behind the IIT entrance exams and its admission process is the lack of corruption in the process of IIT admission. Many a professors and IIT directors’ kids have not been able to get into IITs. That is not the case in most US universities (even the most elite and most competitive ones) where kids of alumni, faculty and big donors may have an inside track to admission.
• Recently a committee chaired by Prof Damodar Acharya has been formed to revamp the IIT admission process. Among other things they are considering to take into account the marks obtained in the 12th grade. I am not sure if that will eliminate the coaching classes. The coaching classes will just adopt and start teaching how to also ace the 12th exam.
• However it is the case that mastering (how to answer) the kind of questions asked in the IIT entrance exam requires coaching beyond what is taught in the regular school curriculum. If the question pattern was changed to closely follow the regular school curriculum then coaching classes will possibly be less effective and thus their attraction could possibly decrease. But the questions may then be too simple making it difficult to pick 10,000 out of 5 lakhs. Also, there is a reason behind the kind of hard questions that are asked in the IIT entrance exams. Students with aptitude to answer such questions are good at problem solving and thus the kind of students the IITs are looking for. But IITs have not been able to figure out how to separate these students from students  who have trained (and been coached) to be successful in the IIT entrance exams.
  • It is common in India to believe in the notion of  "inherent ability" which is behind the elusive goal of finding students who have the inherent ability versus students who apparently do not have that ability but train hard (in the coaching classes) and get through the entrance exams.
  • But this view is being challenged. See the book review at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/books/review/Paul-t.html?ref=books. Following is a quote: "David Shenk with “The Genius in All of Us,” which argues that we have before us not a “talent scarcity” but a “latent talent abundance.” Our problem “isn’t our inadequate genetic assets,” but “our inability, so far, to tap into what we already have.” The truth is “that few of us know our true limits, that the vast majority of us have not even come close to tapping what scientists call our ‘un­actualized potential.’ ” At first it would seem that Shenk, the author of thoughtful books on information overload, memory loss and chess, has veered into guru territory. But he has assembled a large body of research to back up his claims. … Shenk doesn’t neglect the take-home point we’re all waiting for, even titling a chapter “How to Be a Genius (or Merely Great).” The answer has less in common with the bromides of motivational speakers than with the old saw about how to get to Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice. Whatever you wish to do well, Shenk writes, you must do over and over again, in a manner involving, as Ericsson put it, “repeated attempts to reach beyond one’s current level,” which results in “frequent failures.” This is known as “deliberate practice,” and over time it can actually produce changes in the brain, making new heights of achievement possible.
  • In light of the above, is it really right to look down on students who worked hard for whatever number of years in a coaching class and trained themselves so as to succeed in the IIT entrance exam? Can we really fault the coaching classes who provide the students the opportunity to train, train and train? Who are we to tell that train, train, train following a goal or someone’s life’s ambition is bad? Do we do that with respect to an athlete or an aspiring musician? No, we are impressed by their dedication.
• Few years back IITs changed their requirement for admission and now one can enter an IIT only the year he/she passes the 12th or the next year. This was aimed at stopping people from spending multiple years in coaching schools in preparation for IIT. I guess it addresses that problem but raises other questions such as: Why is it wrong to work hard and long and prepare? Why can not some one decide to pursue an engineering degree at whatever age they become interested in? The later is a problem in most programs in India and is understandable because of the resource crunch. Coming back to the former: Why is it wrong to work hard and long and prepare? Does the society penalise an athlete or a music student who decides to fully focus on their goal of being a world class athlete or a musician? In case of the IITs, the problem is that most students who work hard and long to get in, do not often work hard once they get into the IITs. But then the IITs should design their course work accordingly? Also, they should assign majors for most students (say 80%) after the first year. That way students after they get in will have to work hard to get the major of their choice.
• Who are bad? The students going to coaching classes? Their parents? The owner of the coaching class? The faculty at the coaching classes? The System? If it is the system then as we mentioned we can not fault the nature of the admission process as a non-transperent one (used in the US universities) will not work in today’s India where corruption is endemic and because of that even national tests are conducted for clerical jobs in the Railways and Banks. So the only approach is to have enough good institutions/colleges/universities so that the situation is not as competitive as it is now. But even then there will be coveted institutions and admissions to them will be extremely competitive and their will be coaching classes for them. Just look at France, where 5% of its high school graduates spend 2-3 years in cram schools so that they can get into the Grandes Ecoles.
• The increase in the number of IITs, NITs, central universities, the creation of new IIITs, IISERs/NISER and the plan for 14 innovation universities will increase the number of  good institutions in India and that would be helpful. They will also help in the more serious issue that plagued India where most good students out of high school went for engineering and medicine.
• However, India needs to figure out how to improve the standards at its state universities and colleges which have degraded badly over the years. Just creating new creamy layers on the top and letting the bottom rot will worsen the situation. 

I hope the above thoughts explain why I don’t agree with the crowd and follow the fashion these days among many who put all the blame in the world at the door of coaching classes. I can see some adverse results (such as the story about an IIT JEE number 1 who was coached three years before he got JEE 1 but flunked in many of his classes in the first year) but it is not easy for me to just point blank think coaching classes as evils. In fact there may be evidence to the contrary. The coaching classes seems to have helped students from far flung areas without access to good schools to get trained  and get into the IITs. The success of the super 30 in Bihar has now prompted the Punjab government to start similar coaching for rural students in Punjab. Similar plans are also afoot in Tamil Nadu and Chhatisgarh. The Orissa government had also announced similar plans in collaboration with the Institute of Mathematics & Applications. I am not sure if that has been implemented.

Now some other related thoughts.

• In my school days, middle class parents would find a tuition master or send their kids for tution if the kids were not doing well in school. So being "tutored" had a negative connotation similar to the connotation of "remedial classes" in US schools. Of course in US now parents and kids are being sensitized to not look down on students with reading and learning disabilities. But things started changing in India and students doing well also started getting tutored to do even better, and at times this was encouraged by the teachers themselves, some with motivation to augment their income (their pay was always pathetic). Some of these teachers neglected in their teaching in their regular classes giving bad names to the "tutors".  These two underlined aspects have contributed to the negative connotation behind coaching in the mind of many.
• Personally, I have never had a tuition master in my life. I did take postal coaching (Agrawal Classes) in my 12th class (ISc 2nd year) to prepare for  IIT and got in that year. The postal coaching worked as follows: I would get booklets with some theory and solved examples and some questions. I would solve the questions myself and send it for evaluation. Some one (a faculty) at the coaching center would evaluate my solutions and give me a grade. Thats all. This was better than the alternative of reading the IIT entrance guide books and doing the exercises there as in case of the later, one was not sure if the solution was correct or not. Also, in case of the postal coaching, the solutions had to be sent in within certain time, thus creating a discipline on the preparation. I have not met a single person in my life who got through the IIT entrance exam without preparing specifically for IIT outside of the class syllabus and that meant at least going through the IIT entrance guide books.
• So I have no direct idea about how the current classroom coaching classes operate. I only know from second and third hand descriptions.

Having said all this, what would be my advice to students in their 11th and 12th grade?

• First, one need not focus on IITs, engineering or medicine. India now provides successful careers in many many fields. One can go for science and math in the top institutes such as IIISERs, NISER, ISI, etc. One can go for law in one of the National Law Schools. One can go for Economics and other social science subjects in various good colleges. One can go for accountancy and other commerce subjects. One can be successful in any of those. Also, down the road the IISERs, NISER, National Law schools and the Innovation Universities will have similar name recognition as the IITs.
• However, if one aims to get into the IITs, until further changes happen one still need to prepare beyond their Class 12 syllabus. Here I would recommend the aspiring students to get into the best coaching class (in terms of their past performance) that is available. In that regard it is good that Bhubaneswar now has some of the nationally known top ones in FITJEE, Vidya Mandir and Resonance. However, in case the teachers in those coaching classes do not emphasize the following, I would have one advice to the students: There is no substitute to the ability and understanding one develops when one is pondering on a question (on his/her own) for hours or sometimes days and is eventually able to figure out how to solve it. Memorizing a trick told by the teacher to solve that question is an extremely poor substitute and does not develop the critical thinking ability that the IITs expect their students to have. On the positive side, the periodic exams conducted by the coaching classes have some advantages. Doing well in them and getting encouragement from the teachers who are able to compare a current coaching class student with successful students from yesteryears gives the students the much needed confidence. (In general I have noticed that less students from Odisha get into IITs because of the confidence problem during their 11-12th. But where ever the good ones go, they do well and become very successful in their careers.) Also, the coaching classes provide a routine and a discipline in the preparation. This is hard  for a 16-17yr old to do on his/her own.
  • In this regard one may note that bad coaching classes or not using the coaching classes in the right way could be very harmful. As an anecdotal example, a nephew of mine was telling me that he was not confident about his IIT exam as he did not have a tuition master in subject X, though he had tuition in Y and Z. After the IIT entrance exam he said he did well in X but not in Y, Z. I explained him and he agreed that in X, he studied himself and developed the understanding while in Y and Z, he was told various problem solving tricks; but that did not develop a deeper understanding in his mind and he could not apply them to the questions he encountered in the IIT entrance exam.

8 comments April 3rd, 2010

Realistic assessment of foreign universities coming to India by a Rutgers University Dean

I fully agree with this article by David Finegold in Indian Express. Following are some excerpts.

… Unfortunately, the proposed legislation to encourage the leading universities from around the world to set up campuses in India is unlikely to achieve the desired objectives. Below are 10 reasons why these top universities are not likely to come in the numbers projected, one possible exception to this scenario, and a suggested alternative approach to reform that could meet the desired objective more quickly.

… The timing of the bill could not have been worse for encouraging the world’s best universities to invest in creating new campuses.

… When Sibal toured the US in the fall of 2009 to recruit the leading private universities, part of his pitch was they should follow the lead of IT and business service multinationals and come to India because it offers a source of high-quality, low-cost talent. The problem with this analogy is that leading universities are not driven by a desire to lower labour costs or increase profits; … Rather, India should appeal to their desire to attract the world’s most able students,

…The bill likewise misunderstands the motives of many of the Indian students now travelling abroad to obtain their degrees. … This ignores the reality that, even with the huge growth in opportunities in the Indian economy, an equal or greater part of students’ motivation for studying abroad is the chance to get a job in that country after graduation.

… With a few notable exceptions — e.g. Wharton’s decision to create a small campus in Silicon Valley, the recent forays into Dubai and Singapore — most of the universities that India is seeking to recruit have resisted the temptation to grow for centuries, …

… As a subset of these universities looks to establish foreign campuses, they are likely to be most attracted to those countries which offer them generous incentives that both reduce upfront costs and the risks associated with global expansion. … India is not proposing any such financial inducements.

… those who opt for a PhD and are able to publish in the top academic journals in their field — the talent pool that would interest leading foreign universities — are in demand in a global labour market that enables them to work anywhere in the world. Attracting them or their peers from other countries to campuses in India would mean paying competitive salaries that would erase India’s cost advantage.

… The combined effect of the above factors is that those institutions which are most likely to be attracted to the Indian market are those that the Indian government least wants: the lower-quality providers that treat higher education as a way to make money, rather than focusing on world-class research and the quality of the learning experience.

... One attractive option for a few of the leading foreign universities might be the endowment of an Indian campus by a wealthy individual (perhaps one of their alumni) and/or corporation. This was the way in which many of India’s most respected private higher education institutions were first created — i.e. the Tata Institutes in different disciplines and The Indian School of Business — and how many of the leading private US universities (Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago, Duke) came into being. A key element that enabled these institutions to become and remain world-class, however, was that the founding individual/family gave the resources with relatively few strings attached, and allowed the university to govern itself, rather than the much more hands-on approach of many of the universities created more recently by Indian industrialists.

… However, an alternative strategy is already working. It promises to expand the quality and quantity of Indian higher education and provide greater benefits to the foreign universities. This strategy encourages the formation of more dual- or joint-degree partnerships between Indian and foreign institutions.

The writer is dean of the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University. He and colleagues are conducting research for a book on “Developing the Skills of the 21st Century Workforce: Comparing the Education and Training Systems of India and China.”

The part in red is close to (but not 100%) what Vedanta University seems to be about. Unfortunately many in Odisha do not understand it.

The underlined part is already happening. One major instances is the partnership between Asian Institute of Public Health in Bhubaneswar and University of Maryland Medical school in Baltimore.

3 comments April 2nd, 2010

Right to Education Bill: the bill and some draft rules

The bill is at http://education.nic.in/Elementary/free%20and%20compulsory.pdf. Some draft rules regarding how to implement it are at http://schoolchoice.in/campaigns/legislation/draft-model-rules_The_Right_of_Children_to_Free_and_Compulsory_Education_Act_2009.pdf.

April 2nd, 2010

What are the exact districtwise IP numbers in Odisha? MP Pyari Mohapatra asks question on ESIC medical college in the Rajya Sabha.

MP Pyari Mohapatra’s question is in page 21 Q 1456 of http://164.100.47.5/EDAILYQUESTIONS/sessionno/219/830RS.pdf. See below for the question and the answer.

The above Q&A is referred to in the Pioneer report http://dailypioneer.com/246034/ESIC-issue-Labour-Minister-fumbles-at-Rourkela-meet.html. From the answer it is not clear what the IP situation really is. While the Bhubaneswar area may have very substantial number of IPs, there could still be more in the Rourkela area and the ESIC medical college should then be established in Rourkela. So saying "very substantial" is not meaningful.  I could not find the annexure mentioned in the Rajya Sabha answer.

If someone has the real data, please publish it so that any manipulation will become clear.

(Note: The discussion in this thread will be restricted to exact IP numbers in Odisha and nothing else.)

10 comments April 1st, 2010

IIT Bhubaneswar pitches a Climate Change research center to the Odisha government

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

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bhubaneswar has proposed establishment of Innovative Centre for Climate Change (ICCC) here.

Director of IIT-Bhubaneswar Madhusudan Chakraborty who met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here at the Secretariat today along with a team of experts gave this proposal to him.

Chakraborty said school of earth, ocean and environment is being established in Bhubaneswar IIT.

The school will impart teaching on land, water, air and environment and proposed research in the subject.

The IIT is keen on establishment of research institute of this school on climate change, he said.

Prof Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the American University of Massachusetts, said the institute will conduct research on climate change, adding, information on climate will be availed from different sources for research.

Rise in sea level, extreme weather, changing eco-system, air quality and pollution, affect of the changes in the human health, shortage of drinking and energy needs will be dealt with in this advanced research centre, he said.

The institute will also conduct research on the impact of climate change on the ecosystem of Chilika lake. He requested the Chief Minister to provide land with necessary infrastructure for the institute.

A similar center proposed in 2007, called "Center for Climate Change Research" (CCCR), was established at the Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune last year. This center has 20 scientists positions.

March 31st, 2010

Virtual walkthrough of the proposed Sri Sri University, Cuttack

The following was posted in youtube 3 weeks back.

The following is 10 months old and about the status of construction then.

March 31st, 2010

Planning Commission approves Science Magnet Schools; to be implemented soon and then followed by Arts and Culture Magnet Schools

Update: Apparently the MHRD people driving this project have told the HRD minister regarding the origin of the idea behind this proposal and Odisha is in their initial list of locations for one of the 10 schools.

See http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Science-Magnet-Navodayas-soon/597429 and http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100330/jsp/nation/story_12280434.jsp for details. Following are excerpts from the Indian Express article.

… a new set of Navodayas will come up as ‘Science Magnet’ schools in collaboration with top-notch R&D institutes like the Indian Institute of Science, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, National Physical Laboratory, Council for Science & Industrial Research, Indian Space Research Organisation and the IITs among others, highly placed sources told The Indian Express. Following them will be special schools focused on culture, music, sports and vocational education.

These specialised schools will, however, only cater to students from classes IX to XII. All other Navodaya schools admit students from Class VI onwards.

Starting this year, the schools will be set up over the next three years and add to the chain of over 560 Navodayas spread across the country. Cleared last week by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti’s Executive Committee headed by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, the proposal is set to go to the Union Cabinet and will take off with 10 Science Magnet Navodayas to start with.

“The whole concept has been developed in view of the huge shortage of Science graduates and post-graduates worldwide. No one wants to do core Science any longer. So planned as a Phase II of the Navodaya expansion, 10 Science Magnet Navodaya schools will be set up at a cost of some Rs 15-20 crore each,” a senior official in the HRD Ministry said. “These will be located in the vicinity of institutes like NPL, BARC, ISRO, IISc etc with whom we will be collaborating. We have already written to these institutes.”

“These institutes will basically do the handholding for the specialised schools, conduct special sessions, help set up state-of-the-art labs, assist in making Science teaching easy, evolve new pedagogical methods and also help to project the basic sciences as attractive options,” added the official. “It is hoped that students will ultimately also plug the vacuum in the scientific community and join their league at these institutes.”

While the course will be based on CBSE curriculum, the admission to these schools will take into account aptitude in Sciences, participation in events like Science Olympiads among other criteria. Admissions to the Navodayas are on the basis of a national-level examination.

We had written about this in https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/303 and had contacted the SAC-PM, DST, IISER/NISER directors, and MHRD officers about it. We are happy that it is now going to be implemented. Hopefully, one of the 10 schools will be in Odisha.

March 30th, 2010

Libraries in Odisha

The following list is from http://hkmsl.gov.in/listoflibraries.htm.

Continue Reading 2 comments March 29th, 2010

List of ITIs in Odisha

The following is obtained from the page http://sctevtorissa.in/ITI/ResultMain.aspx. (Odisha has 314 blocks and there is a plan for 1 new ITI in each block.)

1. ANGUL (22?; 8 blocks)

Adarsha ITC, Angul; Akhandalamani ITC, Banarpal; Angul Aluminium ITC, Angul; Basudev ITC, Handidhua, Angul; Gurukrupa ITC, Angul; ITC (TTEDC), Talcher, Angul; ITC, Angul; ITC, Banarpal, Angul; ITC, Rengali, Angul; ITI (Women), Dhenkanal; ITI, Talcher, Angul; Kaminimayee ITC,Chhendipada, Angul; Krupajal ITC, Angul; Maa Budhi ITI, Angul; Maa Hingula ITC, Talabeda, Talcher, Angul; Malyagiri ITC, Pallahara, Angul; Matru Shakti ITC, Samal Barage, Angul; OP Jindal Institue of Technology & Skills, Angul; Orissa ITC, Angul; Pathani Samanta ITC, Angul; Satyanarayan ITC, Boinda, Angul; Shreedhitree ITC, Angul

2. BALASORE (31; 12 blocks)

Ayodhya Industrial Training Centre, Balasore Balasore Institute of Technical Studies, Balasore Balasore ITC, Balasore Balasore Technical School, Balasore Basanti Industrial Training Centre, Balasore Basta ITC, Basta, Balasore BCET- ITC, Balasore Binori ITC, Markona, Balasore BNTTC, Basta, Balasore BNTTC, Nikhiria, Baliapal, Balasore Das ITC, Balasore Digambaridevi ITC, Jaleswar, Balasore Fakir Mohan ITC, Balasore Gyanabikash ITC, Jaleswar, Balasore IEMT, Podhuanpada, Balasore IET, Samalpur, Balasore ITC (IIT), Arad Bazar, Balasore ITI, Balasore Jagadhatri ITC, Balasore Jyoti ITC, Balasore Little Flower ITC, Soro, Balasore Lokshakti ITC, Seragarh, Balasore Minarani Industrial Training Centre, Balasore Modern ITC, Motiganj, Balasore North Balasore ITC, Jaleswar, Balasore Omm ITC, Kalidashpur, Balasore Rural Institute Of Industrial Training Centre, Balasore Sai ITC, Balasore Shreeram ITC, Bhimapura, Balasore Subarna Rekha Industrial Training Centre, Jaleswar, Balasore Trimurty ITC, Balasore

3. BARAGARH (9; 12 blocks)

ITI (Women), Bargarh Konark ITC, Bargarh Maa Sarala ITC, Barpali, Bargarh Mohan Nag ITC, Bargarh PKA (ITC), Bhukta, Bargarh Samaleswari ITC, Bargarh Sathyam I.T.C., Bargarh Shree Ganesh ITC,Baragarh Uma Maheswar ITC, Baragarh

4. BHADRAK (13; 7 blocks)

Akankshya ITC, Bhadrak Almighty Technical Institue ITC, Asurali, Bhadrak Bhadrak I.T.C, Bhadrak BIET ITC, Barpada, Bhadrak Damodar IE&T (ITC), Bhadrak ITC, Charampa, Bhadrak Madhabananda Snehalata ITC, Bhadrak Prafulla Chandra ITC, Bhadrak Royal ITC, Charampa, Bhadrak Satyasai ITC, Basudevpur, Bhadrak Shree Jagannath I.T.C., Ranital, Bhadrak Tihidi ITC, Bhadrak Varrsa Industrial Training Centre, Bhadrak

5. BOLANGIR (4; 15 blocks)

I.T.I., Bolangir ITI (Women), Bolangir KBK ITC, Bolangir Sushree ITC, Sadaipali, Bolangir

6. BOUDH (3?; 3 blocks)

I.T.I., (W), Boudh I.T.I., Phulbani Maa Barala Devi ITC, Phulbani

7. CUTTACK (45;14 blocks)

ABIT, ITC Wing, Khapuria, Cuttack Adinath ITC, Cuttack Ch. D.N. Mishra Memorial ITC, Mahanga, Cuttack Champanath I.T.C., Champeswar, Cuttack Chidananda ITC, Jagatpur, Cuttack Chitrapala ITC, Cuttack Cuttack ITC, Cuttack Dadhichi ITC, Vidya Vihar, Sudargram, Cuttack Dhabaleswar ITC, Athagarh, Cuttack Driems ITC, Tangi Ganapati IET, ITC, Jagatpur I.T.C., Jagatpur, Cuttack I.T.I., Cuttack Inst.Of Voca.Trg.& Edu.Shankarpur, Cuttack Institute Of Science & Technology, Cuttack ITI (Women), Cuttack Kalapata ITC, Cuttack Kalinga Bikash Commercial Institute, Cuttack Kshetrabasi Technical Inst, Cuttack M.I.T.C., Jagatpur, Cuttack Multi Purpose I.T.C., Baramba, Cuttack NABAPRAVAT ITC, SALIPUR , Cuttack Police I.T.I., Cuttack Rambaba ITC, Cuttack Rizwani Institute Of Industrial Tec. Jagatpur, Cuttack Saraswat ITC, SALIPUR, Cuttack Saraswata ITC, Cuttack Shreekhetra ITC, Naranpur, Cuttack Sri Guru Industrial Training Center, Cuttack Sri Jagannath Institute, Jagatpur, Cuttack Sri Satya Sai ITC, Nakhara, Cuttack Swagat ITC, Cuttack Swami Nigamananda ITC, Cuttack Utkal Education Institute, Mangalabag, Cuttack Venus ITC, Cuttack

8. DEOGARH (1; 3 blocks)

Deogarh I.T.C., Deogarh

9. DHENKANAL (10; 8 blocks)

Astasambhu ITC, Sarang, Dhenkanal Baji Rout I.T.C, Dhenkanal CHANDRASEKHAR ITC, DHENKANAL I.T.C., Hindol Road, Dhenkanal I.T.C., Kamakhyanagar, Dhenkanal Jagakalia ITC , Meramandali, Dhenkanal Kamakshee ITC, Kamakhyanagar, Dhenkanal Mahatmagandhi Technical Inst. Bhuban, Dhenkanal Parimal Engg. & Indust. Trgg.Centre, Dhenkanal Vivekananda ITC, At-Hatiluchani, Dhenkanal

10. GAJAPATI (3; 7 blocks)

Centurion I.T.C., Paralakhemundi, Gajapati Dr. Ambedkar ITC, Gajapati Gajapati I.T.C., Paralakhemundi

11. GANJAM (24; 22 blocks)

Balaji Inst. Of Vocational Training, ITC, Chhatrapur, Ganjam Banadevi I.T.C., Kabisuryanagar Bisal ITC, Ralab, Ganjam Brundaban Nayak Memorial I.T.C. , Hilpatana, Berhampur Budhakendu I.T.C., Kabirajpur, Ganjam Ganapati I.T.C., Rambha, Ganjam Gopabandhu I.T.C., Sundarapada, Ganjam I.T.I, HINJILICUT I.T.I.(W), Chhatrapur, Ganjam I.T.I., Berhampur IIAS/I.T.C., Bhejiput, Ganjam Kalinga I.T.C., Chhatrapur, Ganjam Maa Mahurikalua I.T.C., Berhampur Mahatmagandhi I.T.C., Aska, Ganjam Marcony ITC [New], Ratnamalapur, Ganjam Rajiv Memorial I.T.C., Berhampur S.M.I.T.I.T.C. Hinjilicut, Ganjam Sai Industrial Training Centre, Bellaguntha, Ganjam Satyasai I.T.C., Ballipadar, Ganjam Shri ITC, Bhanjanagar St. Josephs Technical Institute, Chhatrapur Swami Sivananda I.T.C., Aska, Ganjam Tara Tarini I.T.C., Aska, Ganjam Techno I.T.C., Berhampur

12. JAGATSINGHPUR (11; 8 blocks)

Dr.Rushi Kumar I.E.T., Jagatsinghpur Institute Of Tech. Information & Training Centre, Taralapada, Jagatsinghpur Madan Mohan ITC, Mangarajpur, Jagatsinghpur Madan Mohan ITC, Mangarajpur, Jagatsinghpur Manorama Institute Of Education & Technology, Jagatsinghpur, Iite, Chandikhole Orissa I.I.T., Paradip Orissa State ITC, Raghunathpur, Jagatsinghpur Paradeep I.T.C., Paradeepgarh Paradeep Institute Of Industrial Technology, Paradeep Sancket School Of Rural Engg. & Business Management ITC, Jagatsinghpur Vanuprava ITC, Jagatsinghpur

13. JAJPUR (16; 10 blocks)

Al-Rahim Institute of Engineering & Technology ITC, Jajpur Ashree Aryan ITC, Jajpur Road Biju Patnaik I.E.T.Kuakhia, Rasulpur, Jajpur CTTC ITC, Kalinga Nagar, Jajpur GIET-ITC, Dhanmandal, Chandikhole I.I.T.R., ITC, Dhanmandal, Jajpur Jajpur Institute Of Engg. & Tech.ITC, Jajpur Maa Tarini ITC, Mashra, Jajpur Mahatma Gandhi Technical Institute, Jajpur Manorama IIET, Chandikhol, Jajpur Manorama ITC, Jajpur Road Mesco (MISL) ITC, Jajpur Neelachal Industrial Training Centre, Jajpur Road Sri Ganesh I.T.C., Sitaleswar, Jajpur Town Tarini I.E.T.&M., Jajpur VINAYAK ITC, DHANMANDAL

14. JHARSUGUDA (5; 5 blocks)

Black Diamond I.T.C., Brajarajnagar Draupadi ITC., Jharsuguda I.T.C., Debadihi, Jharsuguda Steel City ITC, Jharsuguda Swami Jagannath I.T.C., Jharsuguda

15. KALAHANDI (8; 13 blocks)

I.T.C., Dharamgarh, Kalahandi I.T.I., Bhawanipatna Ideal Institute Of Technology, Kalahandi Infonet Technology ITC, Bhawanipatna Kalahandi ITC., Bhawanipatna Maa Manikeswari I.T.C., Bhawanipatna Narla I.T.C., Kalahandi Swagat ITC, Kalahandi

16. KANDHAMAL (1; 12 blocks )

Industrial Training Institute , Phulbani, Kandhamal

17. KENDRAPARA (7; 9 blocks)

Bagdevi Advance ITC, Bhagabatpur, Kendrapara ITC, Pattamundai, Kendrapara Kendrapara IET (ITC), Kendrapara LAXMINARAYAN IET ITC, KENDRAPARA PNS ITC, Marshaghai, Kendrapara Radharaman ITC, Pattamundai, Kendrapara TARINI ITC, KENDRAPARA

18. KEONJHAR (10; 13 blocks)

Baitarani ITC, Keonjhar Dadhibamana ITC, Turumunga, Keonjhar I.T.C., Padmapur, Keonjhar I.T.I., (Women), Anandapur, Keonjhar I.T.I., Barbil, Keonjhar ITC, Keonjhar Keonjhar ITC , Baniapat Kushaleswar ITC Maa Tarini ITC, Chhenapadichhak, Keonjhar U.C. ITC, Keonjhar

19. KHURDHA (39; 10 blocks)

Barunei ITC, Khurda Bhubaneswar Inst. Of Indust. Tech. , Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar ITC & Tech.Mancheswar Bhubaneswar TV Training Institute, Bhubaneswar Biju Pattnaik Computer Academy ITC, Bhubaneswar Biswakarma, ITC., Khurda C.V. Raman Inst. Of Tech. , Bhubaneswar CIPET, ITC, Bhubaneswar CRPF., ITI, Bhubaneswar CTTC ITC, Bhubaneswar Focus ITC, Bhubaneswar Ganesh Institute Of Engg. Tech, Bhubaneswar I.T.I., (W), Bhubaneswar K.I.T.C., Khurdha Kalinga Inst. Of Industrial Tech, Bhubaneswar Kalinga ITC, Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar Krupajal ITC, Bhubaneswar Labella Beauty Care, Bhubaneswar Maa Durga E.I.S., Baranga Millennium ITC, BBSR NEHRU SEVA SANGH, BANPUR , Khurdha Nobel ITC, Bhubaneswar Nousis ITC, Bhubaneswar Orissa ITC, Bhubaneswar ORTEC ITC, Khurdha Rabindra ITC, Bhubaneswar Rajdhani ITC, BBSR Royal Institute Of Industrial Technology, Mancheswar, BBSR Sadhana ITC, Bankoi, Bolgarh, Khurda Shirdi Sai College Of Pro.Edu, Khurdha Siridi Sai ITC, Dumduma, BBSR Sri ITC, Patrapada, Bhubaneswar Swami Sivananda ITC, Mancheswar, BBSR Swami Vivekananda ITC, Pokhariput, Bhubaneswar Swosti Institute Of Industrial Tech, Bhubaneswar Teresa Industrial Training Centre, Bhubaneswar Uma Maheswar, I.T.C., Balugaon Uttarayani I.T.C., Jatni, Khurda Vishweshraya ITC, BBSR

20. KORAPUT (11; 14 blocks)

Aryan ITC, Borigumma, Koraput Damanjodi I.T.C., Semiliguda, Koraput God Gift ITC, Jeypore, Koraput Gopabandhu I.T.I., Ambaguda, Koraput I.T.C., I.E.M., Jaypore, Koraput ITC, IICIT, Jeypore, Koraput K.I.T.C, Kotpad, Koraput Koraput ITC, Koraput Padmanav I.T.C., Jeypore, Koraput Panchabati I.T.C., Jeypore, Koraput Vision ITC, Parabeda, Jeypore

21. MALKANGIRI (1; 7 blocks)

Shatabdi I.T.C., Malkangiri

22. MAYURBHANJ (36; 26 blocks)

Baisinga I.T.C, Mayurbhanj Baripada ITC, Sankhapata, Baripada Betnoti ITC, Mayurbhanj Bhanjabhumi ITC, Udala, Mayurbhanj Bhukila Madhei ITC, Mayurbhanj Bisoi ITC, Bisoi, Mayurbhanj Chakradhar ITC, Mayurbhanj Chitrada I.T.C., Mayurbhanj Durgarani Shilpa Talim Kendra, Mayurbhanj Friends ITC, Bhanjakia, Mayurbhanj GC.Bala Industrial Training Center, Takatpur, Mayurbhanj Guruprasad ITC, Betnoti, Mayurbhanj Institute of Industrial Education & Training ITC, MBJ JAGANNATH INST. OF INDUST.TRAINING, Mayurbhanj Little Flower I.T.C., Baripada Madali Sahu ITC, Mayurbhanj Maharaja Pratap Chandra ITC, Deuli , Mayurbhanj Mahima ITC, Mayurbhanj Mayurbhanj ITC, Baripada Millan Devi ITC, Baripada Morada I.T.C., Morada, Mayurbhanj Nilamadhab Institute Of Vocational Training ITC, Rairangpur, Mayurbhanj North Orissa Industrial Training Centre, Echinda, Rairangpur , Mayurbhanj P.C.I.T.I.(W), Baripada Panda ITC, Baisinga, Mayurbhanj Parameswar ITC, Jashipur, Mayurbhanj Rairangpur Ind. Trg. Cum Prod. Centre, Mayurbhanj Rakhal Chandra I.T.C, Mayurbhanj Regional ITC, Puruna Baripada Rimtech ITC, Rairangpur , Mayurbhanj Seemanta I.T.C. , Mayurbhanj Shreekshetra ITC, Mayurbhanj Siridi Sai ITC, Bahalda, Mayurbhanj T.T.I., Manida, Mayurbhanj T.T.I., Takatpur, Mayurbhanj Udayanath ITC, Mayurbhanj

23. NAWARANGPUR (3; 10 blocks)

I.T.I., (W), Umarkote, Nawarangpur Nabarangpur ITC, Nabarangpur Sahid Laxman Nayak ITC, Umerkote, Nawarangpur

24. NAYAGARH (4; 8 blocks)

I.T.C., Komand, Nayagarh Narayanee ITC, Nayagarh Nayagarh ITC, Nayagarh Samanta Chandrasekhar ITC, Daspalla

25. NUAPADA (3; 5 blocks)

I.T.I., Khariar Road, Nuapada Maharaja Agrasen I.T.C, Nuapada Swami Premananda ITC, Nuapada

26. PURI (9; 11 blocks)

Dharamapada ITC, Kakatpur, Puri I.T.I., Puri Indian Institute Of Adv. Stud, Puri ITC, Dayavihar, Kanas, Puri KHETRA MOHAN I.T.C, PIPLI, Puri Mukti Institute Of Skills (ITC), Puri Panchasakha ITC, Puri Puri Institute Of Technology, Puri Sailabala Memorial I.T.C., Nimapara, Puri

27. RAYAGADA  (6; 11 blocks)

Basantadevi Institue of Industrial Training, Padampur, Rayagada Maa Banadurga I.T.C., Hukumtola, Rayagada Maa Majhighariani ITC, Rayagada Rayagada I.T.C., Rayagada Therubali I.T.C., Rayagada VITC Amalabhatta, Jk Pur, Rayagada

28. SAMBALPUR (8; 9 blocks)

Biswakarma ITC, Sambalpur I.T.I., Hirakud Maa Samaleswari I.T.C., Sambalpur Mahabeer Dham ITC, Bamra, Sambalpur Satyanarayan ITC, Burla Shreeram ITC, Larpank Remed, Sambalpur V.S.S ITC, RENGALI, Sambalpur Veer Surendra Sai ITC, Rengali, Sambalpur

29. SONEPUR (1; 6 blocks)

Arati ITC, Sonepur

30. SUNDERGARH (19; 17 blocks)

Banwarilal Memorial I.T.C. , Sundergarh Bramhani I.T.C., Balughat, Panposh, Sundergarh Budhuvir I.T.C., Bartoli, Sundergarh Chhend I.T.C., Chhend, Rourkela Chinmaya Technical Academy, Sundergarh Dalmia I.T.C., Rajgangpur , Sundergarh Donbosco I.T.C., Kuarmunda, Sundergarh Dr. Ambedkar Memorial I.T.C., Jagada, Rourkela Global ITC, Rourkela Hrudananda Dani ITC, Sundergarh I.T.C., Bargaon, Sundergarh I.T.C., Kirei, Sundargarh I.T.C., R.N. Palli, Rourkela I.T.I., Rourkela IB ITC, Balijori Chhak, Sundargarh Imarat Umar Tech. Training Centre , Sundergarh Indira Memorial I.T.C., Jhirpani , Sundergarh Institute Of C.S., Rourkela, Beldih Ispat ITC, Dadposh, Rourkela Jalda I.T.C., Jalda, Rourkela Kalinga I.T.C., Lathikata, Sundergarh Koel I.T.C., Jagda, Rourkela M.I.T.C., Panposh, Rourkela R.I.T.E., Bondamunda, Rourkela Rajgangpur ITC, Rajgangpur Rourkela I.T.C., Bastia, Rourkela Shivam ITC, Sundargarh Shivani Institute Of Technology, Sundergarh ST. Marys Vocational Training, Sundergarh Utkal I.T.C., Jagda, Rourkela

17 comments March 29th, 2010

List of Diploma Colleges (Polytechnics) in Odisha

The following list is obtained from http://sctevtorissa.in/collegedetail.aspx?Cid=2.

Following is a districtwise list obtained from the page http://sctevtorissa.in/CollegeCode.aspx.The meaning of the code is as follows. 0109201 decodes to:

• 01 – district number
• 09 – the block number in that district
• 2 – means private (1 denotes government)
• 01 – the ITI number in that block

 The above site also has the list of ITIs. One can browse them in the page http://sctevtorissa.in/ITI/ResultMain.aspx.

1 comment March 29th, 2010

IIT Kharagpur offers 3 yr weekend and after hours M.Tech in Bhubaneswar and Kolkata for faculty

The deadline for the coming year is past. But one can get the details for future years from http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/downloads/mtech_new1.pdf. Following is information from that page.

The following two M. Tech programmes will be offered for faculty members of AICTE-recognized programmes of Engineering Colleges:

1. M. Tech in Electrical Engineering
2. M. Tech in Electronics & Communication Engineering

The programmes will be offered from January 2010.

Programme Features

The features of these programmes and the mode of delivery are elucidated below.

• Each programme will be of three-year duration.

• These programmes will be offered in the holidays and beyond office hours on weekdays to facilitate the teachers employed in the engineering colleges to attend the classes.

• The programme may be offered during summer vacation.

• Since the potential student base for these programmes exist in Kolkata and Bhubaneswar, these programmes will be offered in the Extension Centers of the Institute at Kolkata and Bhubaneswar.

• A mixed mode of teaching through video-conferencing and face-to-face interaction will be adopted in these programmes.

• A faculty will deliver a lecture at any of the locations (primarily Kharagpur) and the students at Kolkata and Bhubaneswar will be able to attend the lecture and interact with the faculty through video-conferencing.

• The tutorials, seminars, and comprehensive viva-voce examinations will be conducted also in the above-stated mode, as and when required.

• The recorded lectures, tutorials, and interactions will be recorded in the two Extension Centres and will be stored at the library of each extension center. They will be available to the students for study during specified hours.

• Students cannot copy these recorded lectures.

• The recorded lectures, tutorials, and interactions will not be used in subsequent semesters as a substitute for live presentations.

• Laboratory classes will be conducted in one weekend of every month at IIT Kharagpur campus at Kharagpur.

• Laboratory classes may also be conducted at the respective extension centers in virtual mode, depending on the availability of the required facilities.

• Projects and supervisors will be assigned to the students by the Programme Coordinator after the completion of first two semesters.

• Students will carry out their project work at their institutions and have to be in constant touch with their supervisors. The sponsoring organizations are required to provide laboratory facilities to the students to carry out their M.Tech project works.

• There will be two class tests in every subject. The class tests will be conducted at Kharagpur when the students come to the Institute during the last weekend of a month for the laboratory class.

• Mid-Semester and End-semester examinations will be conducted at the respective Extension Centers with faculty members as invigilators.

• Comprehensive Viva-Voce will be conducted through video-conferencing.

Number of Students to be Admitted

• Twenty-five in each programme at each Extension Center.

Programme Fee

• Fee for each programme is Rs.2 lakh for each student to be paid in two instalments – the first instalment of Rs.1 lakh to be paid at the time of admission and the second instalment of Rs.1 lakh to be paid one year after the admission. The programme fee includes the tuition fee and the examination fee.

Eligibility for Admission :

• Faculty members associated with the AICTE-recognized programmes of engineering colleges are eligible for admission into the programmes.

• An applicant must have passed B. Tech in appropriate branch with a minimum of 60% marks in the final qualifying examinations (for SC/ST candidates it is 55%).

Application Fee

• The Application Fee of Rs. 2,000.00 for general candidates and Rs. 1,000.00 for SC/ST candidates should be payable by Demand Draft drawn in favour of ‘IIT Kharagpur’ on any nationalized bank payable at Kharagpur.

Undertaking from the Sponsoring Institution

The sponsoring engineering college must give an undertaking that the college will upgrade its own facility (such as laboratories, computer facilities, and library) to enable the sponsored student to carry out his/her M. Tech thesis work in that college.

Selection of Candidates

The candidates will be asked to appear at a written test and an interview to be held at each Extension Center.

Some time back we had suggested something similar. See https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/501. Even with the IIT Kharagpur’s program there is need for more such programs. Perhaps IIIT Bhubaneswar and BPUT can make efforts in this direction.

1 comment March 29th, 2010

National Center for Animation, Gaming and Visual effects to come up in Pune

Following is an excerpt from a report in mydigitalfc.

Government is planning to set up a national centre for animation, gaming  and visual effects to meet shortage of skilled professionals in the field.

A sum of Rs 52 crore has been set aside by the Planning Commission for the purpose.

Sources in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the proposed centre would promote technical talent in the entertainment sector through specific courses such as animation, digitisation and visual effects.

The centre, which could come up at Pune, where the Film and Television Institute of India is situated, is being set up for meeting the shortage of skilled professionals in the field.

… With the Indian animation and gaming industry expected to grow, the I&B ministry is said to have engaged a consultant to prepare a report on the human resource requirement in this sector.

… Although there are several private animation-training institutes, apart from a few government-run colleges having animation curriculum, India, as of today, has only a handful of institutes teaching high-end animation techniques, sources say.

1 comment March 28th, 2010

Center plans upgrading medical colleges in capital cities and seting up 250 nursing schools

Following is an excerpt from a report in Deccan Herald.

… the Centre will spend Rs 1,300 cr in upgrading the infrastructure and student accommodation capacity of government medical colleges in state capitals and Rs 1,200 cr in setting up 250 nursing schools, Health Minister Ghulam Nabui Azad said here at a Planning Commission meeting on infrastructure development.

Nursing training will be a key constituent of the government’s health scheme. At the moment, more than nine lakh nurses are registered with the Nursing Council of India. 

March 28th, 2010

New NIDs (National Institutes of Design) at Hyderabad, Jorhat, Gwalior/Bhopal and a location in North India

Update: As per a sify report, the location in the North will be in Haryana.

Since we last reported on the NIDs, some of the new locations have been firmed up and a new controversy has started. Hyderabad and Jorhat have been announced among the new locations. There is no decision on the Northern India location yet. Controversy has arisen because the central government recently told the Madhya Pradesh government, that the NID will be in Gwalior (from where the state minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, comes from) instead of Bhopal which was announced earlier and the state had already allocated land there. This has led to a big controversy.

In any case, from Odihsa’s perspective the chance of getting an NID during the 11th plan is bleak. Of course, nothing is impossible; but I don’t see any effort to push the issue. The previous central minister of commerce and Industry (Mr. Kamal Nath) had almost promised (see here and here)  that one NID would be in Odisha. So Odisha could and should make an issue of it and the CM should pursue it. If efforts continue, then if not during  the 11th plan, Odisha could get one during the 12th plan, which begins only 2 years away. Moreover one can argue that Jorhat is in the north east and there needs to be an NID in the east; in Odisha.

1 comment March 27th, 2010

Tourism and Higher Education minister Shri Debi Mishra proposes establishment of hotel management schools in Balangir and Rourkela

Update on May 9th 2010: Following is from a report in Daily Pioneer.

The Food Craft Institute, Balangir, has been awarded as the best food craft institute all over India for its excellent all-round performance. Established jointly by the Union Ministry of Tourism and State Department of Tourism, this institute offers diploma courses in Food Production, Food and Beverages Service, Front Office Operation and House Keeping Operation. … The institute is going to be upgraded as a State Institute of Hotel Management. Recently, a Central inspection team visited the campus.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

… the state government has sought the conversion of the status of Food Craft Institute at Bolangir into an Indian Institute of Health Hotel Management (IIHM). The state government would provide additional land for it. Besides, the government has also urged the Centre to set up a IIHM at Rourkela, Mishra added.

Note that the Institute of Hotel Management in Bhubaneswar started as a Food Craft Institute in 1973. It became a centrally funded Institute of Hotel Management in 1984.

March 27th, 2010