Odisha HRD

OUAT also Offers MCA, MBA (Agri-Business Management), M.Sc (Bioinformatics) and M.Sc (Microbiology): Ad in Samaja

1 comment June 23rd, 2009

Tradewings Bhubaneswar: Offers Diploma in Airlines and Toursim Management (Ad. in Dharitri)

June 22nd, 2009

XIM Bhubaneswar unveils a new 7 story academic block next to Fortune Tower

Following is an excerpt from a report in Indiaeducationdiary.

The Chief Minister of Orissa, Shri. Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the new academic block of the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) this morning. XIMB which has been consistently ranked as one of the finest business schools in India has achieved yet another milestone with this new infrastructural development keeping in mind the future demands of management education. …

Speaking to a gathering of more than 800 people, Shri.Patnaik felt that XIMB as an Institute has a lot to offer and congratulated the leadership at XIMB for ensuring continued success and development for the society through the social developmental activities carried out by XIMB.

This new academic block is a seven storied beautiful building and is adjacent to the Fortune Towers which houses major companies operating in Orissa. Standing tall along side the Fortune Towers, the XIMB’s new academic block also provides a glimpse of the changing industrial scenario of Orissa and points to the development that the state is making with regard to business education, commerce and industry. The new academic block has a built up area of 45,875 square feet and has been constructed at an estimated cost of 6.5 crores. It has 23 Faculty rooms, 6 lecture halls with a seating capacity for 60 students each, 4 lecture halls with a seating capacity for 70 students each and two lecture halls with a seating capacity for 120 students each. Besides these facilities, the new academic block also has a board room, a conference room and an examination hall with a seating capacity for 250 students. …

2 comments June 22nd, 2009

Institute of Mathematics & Applications (Bhubaneswar) advertises for 5 faculty positions

June 21st, 2009

NKC member and JNU Professor Amitabh Mattoo mentions the idea of creation of five knowledge cities in India

Following is an excerpt from his article in Telegraph.

Finally, of course, the HRD ministry must think in terms of a few grand projects which can become models to be emulated in the years to come. The possibility of creating five knowledge cities in different parts of the country in the next five years must be seriously examined. While those would need a private-public partnership, and even the creation of a special purpose vehicle, the HRD ministry could invite state governments to become partners and provide real incentives. Education and skill development, as the prime minister has repeatedly said, can be India’s global opportunity. The time has come now to translate that opportunity into reality, within the term of this government.

The author, a former vice-chancellor and member of the National Knowledge Commission, is professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Orissa should lobby hard for Bhubaneswar to be one of those cities.  The pages http://iitbbsr.orissalinks.com/bbsr.htm and http://iitbbsr.orissalinks.com/future.htm have the arguments that the Orissa government can use.

1 comment June 20th, 2009

Proposed Jagadguru Kripalu University for Spiritual Sciences (Naraj-Banki Rd) – recent progress

Update: I am now told that the location is two km after CISF Mundali, towards Banki on the Cuttack-Banki road. The postal location is Mouza Banara, Tahasil Dumpada, District Cuttack. From Chandni Chowk, Cuttack it is 13 km. And from Oberoi Hotel, BBSR, it is 29 km.

It now has its own web page. The web page has some nice drawings and overview of the university.  We copy them here.

Introduction

A unique University that will train highly qualified Spiritual and Yog teachers for spreading the true and ancient science of "Yog" around the world will be built in the state of Orissa. The project will be a part of a spiritual community that will include a Gurukul, a Yog & Naturopathy Health Care Center, a Yogashram, a Charitable Hospital, and Organic cultivation farms.

The proposed university will be developed at Banki, near Cuttack, Orissa, in multiple stages. In the first stage, 110 acres of land has been finalised, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Trust and the Government of Orissa.

Objectives of the Proposed University

• To Prepare Qualified teachers, who can then go to schools, colleges and industrial houses to teach the sciences of Spirituality, Yog and Mind management. At present, everyone realizes the imbalance in the education system, due to lack of spiritual education.

• Introduction of moral education in all educational institutions. The creation of a qualified class of spiritual teachers will enable the introduction of spiritual education in society.

• To give the spiritually-minded youth a chance to make a career in spirituality, by enabling them to earn a degree, and utilize it for teaching jobs.

• To enable character building through higher education.

• To reinforce ethics and morals so that the students may pass these on to the society at large.

• For the upliftment of the underprivileged segments of society, free education and financial support will be given to 25 percent students from such segments of society.

• The Proposed University will set a role model for the Universities of the country, in building the moral character of the people.

Courses Offered at the Proposed University

• Bachelors and Masters in Yogic Sciences.

• Bachelors and Masters in Vedic Sciences.

• Teachers, Professors and Principals re-orientation programmes, with special emphasis on Morals and Ethics.

• Bachelors and Masters in Naturopathy.

• Bachelors and Masters in Bhakti Yog, in accordance with the philosophy of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj.

• Research work – Doctorate – in Naturopathy, Vedic Sciences, Bhakti and Yogic Sciences.

• One year diploma courses in all the above.

• One month introductory courses in all the above.  

• One month Yog instructors course.

• Karm-kand training courses for priests for temples in India and abroad.

• Orientation programmes for Doctors in Yog Therapy.

Secular Courses- The students will also get an opportunity to do non-spiritual courses that offer the maximum job opportunities in the modern world, such as Information Technology and Business Management. This will enable them to get excellent careers in secular fields, if they so desire.

Related Projects:

Yoga Therapy and Naturopathy Healthcare Centre.  It will attract outdoor patients from nearby towns and also neighboring villages. Also, indoor patients desirous of benefiting from yog therapy.

Gurukul. Will train children from childhood in the life of purity, charity, austerity, and spiritual knowledge.

Yogashram. Yoga shibirs will be conducted for the general public, for members, and for industrial houses.  Such shibirs will be of 3 days duration, one week duration, two weeks duration and four weeks duration.

Old-age home. Devotionally minded people, who are leading a retired life, will be invited to come and stay in a spiritual environment.  They will also be given an opportunity to lend voluntary seva in the above projects, and will form the manpower base for the project.

Hospital.  The villagers of the nearby Banara village have demanded a hospital for them.  Such a hospital, equipped with modern facilities will be built, to provide medical aid to everyone residing within 10 kilometers of the ashram.

4 comments June 19th, 2009

No politics on AIIMS (like institute) Bhubaneswar please!

Update2: Pioneer reports the Orissa health minister saying that the state has been extremely co-operative on AIIMS and the allegations of Mr. Azad is baseless. The good news is that there has been some progress in the ground and

• Out of the 14 blocks of the AIIMS, the roof works of eight blocks have already been completed.
• An alternative road has already been constructed for the Sijua village and 90 per cent work has already been completed.
• Steps have been taken to remove the high-voltage transmission line.

Following is from Samaja:

Update: TOI reports that Mr. Azad went to the AIIMS site and asked the project manager to  work in three shifts and said that he will be monitoring the project every month. The first good news is that there is a project manager and some work is actually going on.

The Central Cabinet minister of Health Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad is visiting Orissa. His answers on the lack of progress with respect to  AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar is shocking. This institute foundation stone was laid by then PM Vajapayee prior to 2004 during the NDA government. Since then many reports have been made and tenders have been floated which we have been tracking here. And now Mr. Azad comes and blames the state government to hide the incompetency of the central Minitry of Health in making any progress. Note that the issue of tardy or zero progress on the AIIMS has been raised multiple times earlier, including many times in the parliament and someone even made a high court case in Bihar and this is the first time the state government is being partially blamed.

This is terrible. Mr. Azad should not play politics on such an importance issue and make sure tha the AIIMS-like institute is constructed as soon as posisble. Following are excerpts from a report in Business Standard which gives indication regarding the politics being played by Mr. Azad.

”I will review the progress in all the new AIIMS projects, including the one proposed to be constructed in Bhubanewar, to ensure these are ready in about three years. I will also speak to the construction agency,” Azad said.     

Claiming that the steps taken by the state government for the ambitious Rs 820 crore project were slow and sluggish, Azad added that though the detailed project report for the Orissa AIIMS was ready proper land demarcation was yet to be completed.     

The state should take quick steps to remove the high power transmission line at the site along with unauthorised structures and a small village relocated, the minister said.     

On its part, the Centre was taking steps to bring momentum to the project, Azad informed adding he had spoken to Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh about the need for clearance to about 90 acres of the proposed AIIMS site here.     

”Since Orissa badly needs an AIIMS, we are taking all steps to ensure that the project becomes operational at the earliest,” he said.To improve the health care facilities in Orissa, both the Centre and the state government must initiate steps for early completion of AIIMS here, Azad said.    

Following is my email to the PMO and Mr. Azad on this topic.

Dear Esteemed Prime Minister and Health Minister:

Please do not play politics on the AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar.

The foundation stone of this institute in Bhubaneswar was laid in 2003. In between 5 years of UPA government rule has passed in Delhi and nothing visible (beyond a boundary wall) has happened.

For the last 5 years, people of Orissa, representatives of Orissa (both MLAs, MPs), and Orissa CM have raised this issue and of no avail. In response to various parliament questions your ministers have always given one excuse or other for the delay.

And now for the first time Mr. Azad comes to Bhubaneswar and lays blame on the state government. (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/centre-to-setnew-aiims-branches-in-three-years/64962/on ). This is playing politics on peoples lives and their health.

While the UPA government made a lot of progress on many fields (such as starting of classes on the new IITs, RTI, NREGS etc.) it has been grossly incompetent on the AIIMS issue.

To solve a problem, one must first admit that there is a problem. Please admit that your health ministry has been grossly incompetent and start over from there.

Please don’t play politics with people’s lives and their health. Please start the AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar as soon as possible and to compensate for the delay as well as to take care of the backward areas of Orissa please immediately upgrade one of the exisiting medical college in the backward Western or Southern Orissa (one in Behampur or Burla) to the AIIMS level.

In West Bengal your are making a new AIIMS as well as upgrading Calcutta Medical College. In UP you will have a new AIIMS and are upgrading 3 medical colleges to AIIMS level.

In Mahasrashtra, Tamil Nadu, J&K and Andhra Pradesh you are upgrading two medical colleges to the AIIMS level. All these has been compiled from your web sites and PIBs and put together at https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/2111 .

Why not in Orissa? I sincerely hope that it is not because you had or have friendly governments in West Bengal, Mahasrashtra, Tamil Nadu, J&K and Andhra Pradesh and are eyeing UP and don’t really care about Orissa and its people?

Why do some other states get a new AIIMS as well as upgradation of multiple medical colleges to AIIMS level, and some get multiple upgradations to AIIMS level, while in Orissa no progress has happened for 5 years with respect to an announced AIIMS?

Sirs: Please pray tell us if this is not neglecting Orissa, what is?

Sirs: I again beg; Please do not play politics with people’s lives and health. Please expedite the establishment of AIIMS in Bhubaneswar and upgrade an exisiting medical college in the backward region of Orissa to the AIIMS level.

sincerely,

Chitta Baral

9 comments June 18th, 2009

Dharitri says that the Abhinna Chandra Homeopathy medical college in Bhubaneswar is to have AIIMS like facilities

Update: A tathya.in article says the following:

With setting up of an All India Institute of Homeopathic Science(AIIHS) in Orissa, Minister Health & Family Welfare is hoping to make this system of medicine will be more popular among the people. Mr.Achrya revealed here on 26 June that the State Government has posed for this institution to the Centre. Recently we have sent a proposal to the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), revealed Mr.Achrya. AYUSH is setting up All India institutions of Ayurveda and Homeopathy in various parts of the country. Keeping this in view, Orissa has sent the proposal entailing an investment of Rs.60-70 crores for the institution, said the Minister.

Note that in January 2008 the cabinet took decision to establish an All India Institute of Aurveda in New Delhi. See also this report in Hindu and this report in thaiindian.

Dharitri below mentions that it is one of the 5 such institutions that have been picked.  On the other hand the site http://www.indianmedicine.nic.in/national-institute.asp lists the existing national institutes under the Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy). They are:

• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AYURVEDA (NIA) JAIPUR.
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SIDDHA (NIS), CHENNAI
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HOMOEOPATHY, KOLKATA
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NATUROPATHY, PUNE
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF UNANI MEDICINE, BANGALORE
• INSTITUTE OF POST GRADUATE TEACHING & RESEARCH IN AYURVEDA, JAMNAGAR (GUJARAT)
• RASHTRIYA AYURVED VIDYAPEETH, NEW DELHI
• Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi
  

Following is the report from Dharitri.

June 17th, 2009

Great job being done by the Institute of Mathematics & Applications

Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.

About 124 students of rural schools were felicitated by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday for their brilliant performance at the National Math Olympiad.

Shradha Ranjan Grahacharya, a Class IX student at Kanakpur in Jagatsighpur district, wants to be a scientist and do research in her favourite subject, algebra. Although mathematics as always been her favourite, she began to take greater interest in the field after she was selected for the Rural Mathematics Olympiad (RMO) in 2006 when she was in Class VI.

"After I was picked for the RMO camp, I started liking the subject even more. At the camp, teachers taught us some easy methods to solving difficult mathematical problems," said Shradha, who stood first in the Junior Mathematics Olympiad, 2008.

According to IMA director Swadhinananda Pattanaik, there is a lack of interest in mathematics among parents and teachers, especially in government schools in villages. Hence, the IMA has decided to make teaching of mathematics an interesting and fun-filled activity.

"In most classrooms, there is little opportunity to understand maths beyond the level of solving equations. Typically, students just memorize mathematical facts without actually understanding the subject," he said.

Encouraging the young mathematicians, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, "The IMA’s efforts are commendable, especially the special programmes to prepare students for premier institutes like IIT and NISER. This is the only institute of its kind in the country. I hope it will spread its wings globally very soon".

Besides the 124 young students, 33 senior students who performed well in the Regional and National Mathematics Olympiad were also felicitated. IMA is also conducting summer camps for undergraduate and post-graduate students.

1 comment June 15th, 2009

Express Healthcare writes about Vedanta University Hospital

Following are some excerpts from that article.

…  The university hospital, which will be built near the Puri-Konark Marine Drive, will be distinctive with its world-class facilities and infrastructure. The hospital will place equal emphasis on patient care, research, and teaching. It will be staffed by renowned doctors from India and abroad. …

Commending this initiative, eminent Indian cardiologist Dr KP Misra, said, "The hospital will serve as a regional hub for critical specialties including cardiology and diabetology. As a teaching and research hospital, it will attract leading researchers and specialists in medical science from around the globe. The university’s research agenda will prioritise public health solutions that address the most prevalent medical issues in the region."

On the occasion of the launch of the Vedanta University hospital project, a national seminar on ‘Optimum Medical Education and Ethics in Clinical Practice’ was organised at Bhubaneswar. The national conference was addressed by leaders in medical science of international repute, including Padma Vibhushan Professor MS Valiathan and Padma Bhushan Professor NK Ganguly.

The conceptual planning and design of the hospital has been prepared by the leading US-based hospital design firm Perkins + Will, which has previously designed state-of-the-art teaching and research hospitals at institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and the University of California at Los Angeles.

"The 500-bed multi-specialty hospital will commence during the first phase of the University. Orders for construction have already been placed with Larsen & Toubro Limited," added Sanjeev Anand Zutshi, Director of the project. The university has already initiated research programmes with local relevance. Dr Dipika Mohanty, a recipient of the Biju Patnaik award for Excellence in Science and Technology, has begun a Vedanta University-sponsored research project on interventions that can address the disproportionate prevalence of anemia in infants and children of Orissa.

The Vedanta University Hospital is a cornerstone of the institution’s larger commitment to serving public needs. Students and faculty across disciplines will be encouraged to engage with local challenges, search for solutions that contribute to the development of Orissa, and pursue research priorities that have real impact on the lives of people. In addition to initiatives in medicine, the first phase of the University will include schools of education, arts & sciences, engineering, management, and nursing. The hospital and initial academic programs will begin in 2011.

1 comment June 12th, 2009

Rajasthan uses a balanced approach in choosing locations for its national institutions

Update on 27th April 2011: The Central University location has been changed to Bander Sindri near Ajmer and only 80 kms from Jaipur. The Innovation University (previsouly referred to as National University) aiming for world class is now pushed for Jaipur. [Times of India]

The panel set up by the CM of Rajsthan has picked the following places to recommend to the central government for the various national institutes and universities coming up in Rajasthan. (From a Times of India report and another Times of India report)

• IIT : Jodhpur
• IIM: Udaipur
• National University aiming for world-class: Ajmer 
• Central university: Bikaner.

The committee also recommended:

• a "futuristic" heritage conservation and museology centre in Jaipur
• an institute of Food Technology in Hadoti region of Kota

Currently the following national institutions exisit or are being made in the following places in Rajasthan:

• NIT: Jaipur
• LNMIT (private but top-notch): Jaipur
• National law School: Jodhpur
• AIIMS-like institution (being made): Jodhpur

The institutions are nicely distributed between various cities of Rajsthan, although people of Jaipur and Kota are not happy. The population of these locations are:

• Jaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 3.1 million (has inetrnational air connectivity)
• Jodhpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 988K  – (332 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
• Udaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 457K – (400 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
• Ajmer (World Gazetteer 2009):  604.7K – (131 kms from Jaipur)
• Bikaner (World Gazetteer 2009): 624.6K – (321 kms from Jaipur)
• Kota (World Gazetteer 2009): 823 K (242 kms from Jaipur)

In contrast in Orissa the distribution of national institutions are more Bhubaneswar centric. Following is the status:

• IIT: Bhubaneswar
• NISER: Bhubaneswar
• AIIMS-like (being made) : Bhubaneswar
• National Law University: Cuttack (part of Bhubaneswar metroplex)
• IIIT (state-funded) : Bhubaneswar
• National University aiming to be world class: Bhubaneswar
• Vedanta University (private): Puri
• NIT: Rourkela
• Central University: Koraput
• IIIT (centrally funded): state wants it in Berhampur; center has identified as Bhubaneswar

Unfortunately, one of the reason given behind the above selection is the lack of connectivity and the size of places. Following is some information on that.

• Bhubaneswar (World Gazetteer 2009): 1.67 million  (has airport but no inetrnational connectivity)
• Rourkela (World Gazetteer 2009): 551 K  (no air connections) – 334 kms from Bhubaneswar
• Berhampur (World Gazetteer 2009): 403 K (no air connections) – 160 kms from Bhubaneswar
• Koraput-Jeypore-Sunabeda: 200K+ (no air connections) – 499 kms from bhubaneswar
• Puri (World Gazetteer 2009): 185K – 60 kms from Bhubaneswar 
• Sambalpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 258 K (no air connections)  – 321 kms from Bhubaneswar
• Jharsuguda-Belpahar-Brajarajnagar: 200 K (no air connections) – 374 kms from Bhubaneswar; 50 kms from Sambalpur

For the future, following are some of the steps that Orissa government needs to urgently take regarding developing more larger urban areas and having the national institutions more evenly distributed:

• Make sure the centrally funded IIIT is established in Berhampur
• Establish functioing airports in Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Koraput at the earliest
• Push for international flights to Bhubaneswar
• Push for upgradation of UCE Burla (Sambalpur area) to an IIEST (Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology)
• Push for the establishment of a branch of IGNTU (Indira Gandhi National Tribal University) in Phulbani
• Push for the establishment of IIM outside of the Bhubaneswar area
• Push for the establishment of a centrally funded KBK Inst of Engineering and Technology (along the lines of SLIET and ABAGKIET) in Kalahandi or Balangir.
• Push for upgrading another medical college (Berhampur or Sambalpur) to AIIMS level.
• Push for establishing NID in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
• Push for establishing NIPER in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
• Push for a BITS Pilani campus in a location outside of Bhubaneswar

9 comments June 12th, 2009

NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE Mumbai NEST 2009 important notice

Following is from http://nest.niser.ac.in/nest09impnotice.html.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR THE SHORT LISTED CANDIDATES
OF
NEST 2009 EXAMINATION

All the short listed candidates whose names appear in the list have been sent an email asking for the preference to join NISER on or before 30th June, 2009. Alternatively, candidates whose name appears in the list can also download attached consent form and fill it up and send it to NISER on or before 30th June, 2009. If we do not receive the filled consent form from the short listed candidates before 30th June, 2009 it will be assumed that they are not interested in joining NISER or CBS.

The list of selected candidates based on the rank will be announced on the website of NISER on 2nd July, 2009. Selected candidates are requested to deposit the fee (Rs 19650 for General & OBC candidates and Rs 12150 for SC/ST candidates) in terms of a demand draft drawn in favor of "Director NISER" payable at Bhubaneswar before 10th July, 2009. If we do not receive the demand draft before 10th July, 2009, the admission stands cancelled and seat will be allotted to the lower rank candidates in the merit list.

Students claiming admission under reservation (OBC, SC, ST) should produce authentic certificates at the time of admission. Candidates without authentic certificates will not be admitted.

Please note that NISER has only 52 seats (Gen – 31, OBC – 9, SC – 8, ST – 4)

The consent form can be sent by any of the 3 methods given below.

1. direcly fill the online consent form. (will be available shortly)
2. download, fill and send it as mail-attachment to admissions@niser.ac.in or director@niser.ac.in
3. download, fill and FAX it to 0674-2302436

Choose whichever suits you. No need to send repeatedly.

Sd/-
DIRECTOR

1 comment June 12th, 2009

NISER’s plans

Following are some excerpts from the news report in expressbuzz.com.

• The National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, is set to start PhD programmes from December this year.
• … It would be followed by an integrated PhD programme that would commence from August next year.
• … it plans to introduce new streams like Earth and Planetary Sciences, Environment Science and Computer Science by 2013.
• … the institution would move to its own campus at Jatni by 2013
• …. With the campus complete, the NISER would have about 1,000 UG and 700 PhD students along with 250 faculty members and 500 staff.
• … In the next two years, the intake would be 80 which would further go up to 200 in each wing by 2013.
• … Plans are also afoot to introduce a national combined entrance examination for NISER along with IISERs at Trivandrum, Bhopal, Mohali, Kolkata and Pune on the lines of IIT. At present, the IISERs are taking students from the extended merit list of IIT entrance examinations.
• NISER would also, from the next year, adopt one CBSE pattern school in the State to train its students to be absorbed in it for higher studies  

Following is an excerpt from a report in Orissadiary.

• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to lay the foundation stone for the new campus of the prestigious National Institute for Science Education and Research (NISER) near here next month. Though the exact date is yet to be finalised, the foundation stone for our own campus is likely to be laid by the Prime Minister by the second week of July, NISER director Prof T K Chandrasekhar told the media persons.

Following are excerpts from a report in Business Standard.

• The total cost of setting up the new campus is Rs 770 crore. Construction work on the new campus is expected to commence by February 2010.
• In the beginning NISER would be affiliated to Homi Bhabha National Institute, a deemed university within the Department of Atomic Energy, for the award of degrees. At a later stage it will seek UGC approval to get the status of a deemed university for awarding degrees on its own.

1 comment June 12th, 2009

KIIT hires 75 IIT graduates as faculty; hope it nurtures them and keeps most of them

Following is from a news item in Pioneer.

… 75 candidates passing out from seven IITs in the country have joined its ranks as faculties.

In an independent recruitment drive, these BTech, MTech and PhD candidates from the IITs were appointed as faculties in different courses of KIIT. About half of the selected candidates have already joined and the remaining will be joining by the end of this month.

… Besides the IITians, more than 20 competent professors from different reputed universities across the country have also joined KIIT. Further, five law academicians of national and international repute have joined the KIIT Law School.

Faculty quality, especially in its engineering departments has been an issue for critics of KIIT. (This criticism is true for most private colleges and universities in Orissa.) I hope KIIT is able to nurture the abovementioned faculty, especially push the ones without a Ph.D to pursue and get a Ph.D. It should also clearly list its faculty and their qualification in its web pages so that visitors to its web pages are able to correct any misconception regarding KIIT’s faculty quality.

2 comments June 11th, 2009

Orissa JEE 2009 results are declared; some new and recent good private colleges

JEE-2009 RESULTS AVAILABLE: http://www.jeeorissa.com/jee_result.asp

ALTERNATE LINK FOR RESULTS: http://results.jeeorissa.com

By checking randomly I have found that people have gotton ranks beyond 39,000. No official word yet about the total number of qualified candidates for B.Engg and total number of seats.

In 2007, there were 43 colleges that took students based on Orissa JEE and ranks were initially given till 34835 and after the initial counseling there was another JEE to fill leftover seats and in two additional colleges (Indus and Templecity). In 2008 there were 18 more colleges and ITER became a deemed university, taking the total number of colleges taking students from JEE to 43+2+18-1=62. This year (2009) 25-30 new coleges are expected. We will post the details as they become available.

For students wanting to know what they can get based on their, a very very rough idea can be obtained by looking at the 2007 data at https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/1185. However, there were several new colleges in 2008 which were much better than the earlier colleges. Some of those are:

• Apex (run by the same people who run NIST Berhampur)
• Centurion (run by the same people who run JITM, Parlakhemundi)

(By the way, JITM Parlakhemundi is a good college and run by good people. Check their web page. The location is also beautiful. I visited it. For some reason students overlook it. Later this year or early next year there will be direct train to Parlakhemundi.)

Also, Templecity (two of its cofounders were the cofounders of KIIT) and Indus (its founder, an IIT Kharagur graduate and with a Ph.D from Houston USA, was instrumental in making NIST Berhampur a top college)  that were established in 2007 but were not in the initial list are both good colleges.

This year couple of new colleges that are expected to be very good are:

• Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology (Note their promoters. It includes several top notch professors from the US)
• Silicon Institute of Technology Sambalpur (This is being made and will be run by the same people who made and run the top-notch Silicon School in Bhubaneswar)
• IIIT Bhubaneswar (It is aiming to start B. Tech programs this year and may take students through Orissa JEE)

230 comments June 10th, 2009

Nomenclature of Vedanta University gates and some of its landmarks

Tathya.in has a nice article about the 243 page book on Vedanta University master plan. One of the pictures in that article shows the names of the various gates. Following is an enlargement of that picture.

The name of the outer gates in anti-clockwise order are:

• Vedanta gate
• Konark gate
• Kolkata gate
• Bhubaneswar gate
• Nuanai gate
• Puri gate

The name of the inner gates are:

• The gates on the right
  • Brahmaputra gate
  • Ganges gate
  • Godavari gate
  • Narmada gate
  • Sun gate (?)
  • Kaveri gate
  • Mahanadi gate
  • Saraswati gate
  • Yamuna gate
• The gates on the left
  • Library gate
  • North Canal gate
  • Orissa gate
  • New Delhi gate
  • West Canal gate
  • Mumbai gate
  • Hyderabad gate
  • South Canal gate
  • Theatre gate

Some of the other landmarks that are labeled are:

• Gandhi oval
• Crescent maidan
• Nehru square
• Tagore chowk

June 8th, 2009