Odisha HRD

Ad for 2011-12 admission at the Regional Institute of Education Bhubaneswar

3 comments May 11th, 2011

Seat availavility to study architecture in Odisha (via Odisha JEE 2011)

The following is extracted from the Odisha JEE 2011 brochure. Thanks to a post in rourkelacity.com for the pointer.

May 8th, 2011

Excerpts from TOI interview with the new Utkal University VC Dr. Prashant Kumar Sahu

The interview is at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Student-unrest-wont-occur-in-my-tenure-Prof-Sahu/articleshow/8171439.cms. Following are some excerpts.

Q-The University is often in the news for the wrong reasons like mismanagement, student unrest, etc. What is your plan to bring Utkal University back on track?

A-I want Utkal University to be a centre of excellence and lead centre in research and consultancy works both at the national and international-levels. I studied here. I also taught here. I have a vision. I will try my best in making positive contribution towards achieving the goal during my tenure.

Q-How?

A-Actually we have to develop inter-disciplinary teaching and research. There is a need to restructure the post-graduate programme. One person cannot do this. Hence, I stress upon team work. In other words, different departments ought to sit together, discuss what is being taught to students and their relevance and, if required, redesign them. The changing scenario also warrants the university to reorient its focus, to be collaborative with industries which will eventually benefit the students and the institution as well.

Q-Any specific plan?

A-Professional and job-oriented courses are the need of the time. I have plans to open such programmes like fashion technology, geo-informatics and environment science. I will discuss with my colleagues and explore possibilities of opening other relevant courses.

Q-But Utkal University already has a number of such courses. Don’t you think before going for new ones those already there need to be reviewed to find out the net benefits they are giving to the students?

A-Sure, I agree the course module has to be so designed that students taking admission must not feel they are wasting their time and that they become truly employable. We have a lot of self-financing courses. I will review the course curriculum through experts and go for changes wherever necessary.

Q-Any move for foreign tie-up?

A-That is very much there in my mind. I will explore the possibility of Utkal University undertaking research or launching new course programmes in collaboration with foreign universities. The university has to have linkages with industries. This will go a long way in helping students. I will try to set up some school of studies. For example, management, economics, commerce and personnel management and industrial relations (PMIR) could jointly become a school of studies for the purpose of research and other academic activities.

… I am also a product of the IIM-Ahmedabad. I know management. Utkal University requires a professional and qualified vice-chancellor. I fit the bill.

…

Q-A good library has always been the most attractive place for students. Do you believe the Parija Library meets expectations?

A-A library is the mirror of any educational institution. I have taken it as my priority to improve the quality of the library in the campus. I will try to equip it with latest technology so that students could use it round-the-clock. I have already had a word with the chief librarian. I have sought for a wish list, to be submitted to me soon. Accordingly, we will proceed.

Q-There are also allegations of financial irregularities against the university. What are you going to do with that?

A-I am a professor of finance. I will streamline it.

Q-What about modernizing the administrative apparatus?

A-That is going to happen. There will be an academic calendar, to be followed religiously. The examination system will be completely computerized. On the whole, there will be greater use of information technology in the functioning of the university. Times have changed. We have to tune ourselves so as not to fall behind.

Q-Just buildings or computers do not foster the right kind of academic atmosphere in a university. That is why many educational institutions in India and abroad give stress on creating greenery in their campuses. Utkal University campus pathetically looks desolate.

A-Yes, that is a point no one should forget. I am taking steps. There will be a change.

I will add my thoughts on this soon. Please add your thoughts in the comments section. Please be polite.

My thoughts:

• I disagree with the statement that "Professional and job-oriented courses are the need of the time". It was a few years back. Now, with so many new universities and colleges opening up, there is plenty of job opportunity in academic settings.
• Thus, Utkal University should focus on improving the quality of its programs, its faculty, its research and its graduates and focus on research and producing top-notch Ph.Ds who go into academia all over India.
• With the easy availability of data and information on publications, citations and various benchmarks based on that, many future decisions at MHRD, UGC, DST, etc. will be based on those data. If Utkal University does not focus on those benchmarks it will lose out and as a result Odisha will lose out.
• It should aim to have the best group in some small number of fields, say 3-4. In other words, in those fields, Utkal University should be the best in India and among the top in the world.

7 comments May 6th, 2011

Recruiting for various positions at the AIIMS-like institutes

The page http://mohfw.nic.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=0&linkid=37&lid=46  lists the progress with respect to recruitment for the new AIIMS-like institutions. Following are some links and excerpts.

Advertisement for the post of Director at each of the six AIIMS-like institutions being set up under PMSSY: Last Date of Application : 15th December, 2010

Excerpts: If you think you rate among the best, carry vision, dynamism, enterprise and intellectual integrity, and harbour a passion for establishing and heading India’s most premium healthcare institution, this could be the opportunity you have longed for. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is setting up six autonomous medical institutions in different parts of country (Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur, and Rishikesh) on the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. You could head one of these premier medical institutions, if you possess the right credentials.

You would lead a team of highly qualified medical professionals and teachers in different specialties, drive policy-making with innovative and best practice norms, facilitate first-rate patient care, clinical research, and academics, and create a facility of which the country can be proud. You will train the best of medical graduate and post graduate to generate much needed teaching faculty for the country.

If you think you fit the requirements, write to us.

The applications that were received are listed at: http://mohfw.nic.in/Director%20NIC.doc. (A new link is at Application received for the post of Director (AIIMS) like institutions under PMSSY Projects  (PDF, 75 KB). There are 100 applications, many from people with Odia sounding last names.

Two other ads that are listed in this page are:

• Vacancies at AIIMS like institutions under PMSSY (PDF, 92 KB).
• Filling up of various posts in Project Cell of six AIIMS-like institutions being set up under PMSSY dated 30th March, 2011
• Filling up the post of Deputy Director (Admn) in AIIMS like institution – under Min of Health & FW

69 comments May 5th, 2011

Center to set up two national institutes for specialised studies on coastal eco-system and turtles and a technical institute on plumbing and coir industries

Following is from a PTI report in ibnlive.com.

Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today said the Centre would set up two national institutes for specialised studies on coastal eco-system and turtles in Orissa at an investment of Rs 50 crore. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) would help set up these two institutes which would include a National Centre for Wetland and Coastal Eco-system Studies at a cost of Rs 40 crore, Ramesh told reporters here. The amount would be spent over the next five years and the centres would operate from Bhubaneswar and Chilika. Similarly a Centre for Turtles and Bio-diversity Studies would be established at an investment of Rs 10 crore and the state government would decide on its location, the environment minister said. …  The announcement came a day after the Union Minister said that a technical institute would be set up in Bhitarkanika National Park area in Kendrapara district to train local youths in plumbing and coir industries.

Thanks to Minister Ramesh for these. But they don’t compensate the harm that Ramesh and his ministry have done by stopping the construction of Vedanta University.

May 1st, 2011

2011-12 Ph.D admission at NISER and IIT Bhubaneswar

Following is from http://www.niser.ac.in/phd-advt-jul2011.php.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (NISER),
Institute Of Physics Campus,
PO- Sainik School, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar,
Ph- 0674-2304000, Fax- 0674-2304070, E-mail- aoacad@niser.ac.in, web:- http://www.niser.ac.in
Advt.No:NISER/ACAD/Ph.D/2011‐12(1)

Notice for Admission to Ph.D. Program for 2011-12 (Odd semester)

Applications are invited from Indian citizens for admission to Ph.D Program scheduled to commence from July 2011 in the following schools of basic sciences at NISER Bhubaneswar:

1. School of Biological Sciences
2. School of Chemical Sciences
3. School of Mathematical Sciences
4. School of Physical Sciences

The students should have qualified the CSIR-NET/GATE/JEST/NBHM or equivalent examination valid for the current year in the relevant area of research. UGC-CSIR JRF qualified candidates can avail the fellowship directly from UGC or CSIR, whereas, students selected for Ph.D program based on GATE scores, are eligible for Fellowship from NISER as prevailing in DAE.

NISER provides Rs.16,000/- as fellowship for Selected Candidates who opt for DAE Fellowship. The application form is available free of cost and can be downloaded along with the guidelines. Else, the form can be obtained by post, or in person, from the academic section, NISER Bhubaneswar. There is no application/entrance fee. To and Fro single 2nd sleeper Class railway fare will be provided to those candidates who are called for the test/interview.

The last dates: For postal requests for application Forms : April 25, 2011
To submit the filled-in application form : May 2,2011

For more details regarding Eligibility, Selection procedure, How to apply and other important details, download the guidelines ( http://www.niser.ac.in/phd-advt-jul2011.php ) and if needed consult the websites of different schools of NISER.

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER(III) ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Following is from http://iitbbs.gov.in/phd_admission.php?type=fnews2.

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BHUBANESWAR
BHUBANESWAR – 751013
No: IIT/Acad/Ph.D/Admn./2011-2012
ADMISSION TO Ph.D. PROGRAMME

Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar invites application for admission to Ph.D. Programmes in the following categories.

a. Regular full-time scholars with Institute fellowship.
b. Research scholars sponsored by and employed in industry/orgainsation having R & D facilities.

Schools and fields of Research

1) School of Basic Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) :

Physics : Fiber Sensors, Surface Plasmon, Nano & Bio-Photonics, Infrared & Terahertz Sensing, Spectrocopy and Imaging, Solar cell, Waveguide & Interferometer, Electron and ToF spectroscopy of biomolecules, clusters and atoms, Ion solid interactions, nanomaterials, Soft condensed matter physics, Nanostructured Materials, Functionilized Nanostructure and Devices, Optical Spectroscopy and Transport Properties, Multiferroics, Superconductivity, Quantum magnetism in low dimensional system, Geometrically frustrated system, Magnetic nanostructures and thin films.

Chemistry : Organometallic Chemistry; Homogeneous Catalysis; Supramolecular Chemistry; Crystal Engineering; Organic Solid State Chemistry; Nanomaterials; Polymorphism; Coordination Chemistry; Materials Chemistry; Molecular Modelling; Magnetochemistry; Synthesis of natural products and modified nucleic acids; Spectroscopy; Bio and Protein Chemistry; Theoretical Chemistry (Statistical Mechanics), Organometallic Chemistry, Catalysis for Fine Chemicals, Biophysical chemistry.

Mathematics: Functional Analysis, Artificial Neural Network, Geometric Programming, Queuing Theory, Applied Probability models and Stochastic models in the theory of queues, mathematical finance, Dynamical systems, Complex Dynamics, Fractals, Optimization Techniques.

2) School of Earth, Ocean & Climate Sciences : Environmental Earth Science, Hydro Geochemistry, Water – rock interaction, Biogeochemistry.

3) School of Electrical Sciences (Electrical Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering): Digital Signal Processing, Soft and Evolutionary Computing, Sensor Network, Intelligent Instrumentation, Digital/Image/Distributed Signal Processing, Opto Electronics and Optical Communication, Computational Electromagnetics and Antenna Design, Metamaterials, RFID, Satellite Communication, Power system protection, Smart grids, Electric drives and Control, Power quality, custom power devices, renewable energy sources (wind and solar).

4) School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management: Indian English Literature, Commonwealth studies, Indian Diaspora Literature, Autobiographical Travel Literature and Memoirs, international and interregional trade, Rural development and planning, Banking and Finance, Labour economics, Consumer Psychology, Psychology of Personality, E-Commerce, Clinical Psychology, Environmental Economics and Natural Resource Management, Valuation of Natural Resources.

5) School of Infrastructure (Civil Engineering): Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Water Resource Engineering, Transportation Engineering Structural Dynamics, Earthquake Engineering, Disaster Mitigation Engineering, Concrete.

6) School of Mechanical Sciences (Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical & Materials Engineering) : Conjugate Heat Transfer, Thermal Engineering, Radiation Modelling, CFD/HT, Transport Phenomena in Material Processing, Ultrafast Radiation Heat Transfer, Technical Acoustics, Noise and Vibration, Industrial Noise control, Composite Materials, Finite Element method, Probabilistic Mechanics, Deterministic & Random Vibration, Sandwich structures, Solid mechanics, Smart composite structures, IC engine, Heat transfer, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Industrial Engineering, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Quality Control, Production Planning and Control, Optimisation Techniques.

Eligibility:

PhD (Engineering): 60% marks or 6.75 CGPA in M. Tech/M.E with consistently good academic record OR B.Tech/B.E with 70% or 7.5 CGPA with valid GATE Score (Very Good) and consistently good academic record

PhD (Science): 1st class in M.Sc./ M. Tech with consistently good academic record (equivalent CGPA) and valid GATE/NET CSIR/UGC score

PhD (HSS): 55% marks or equivalent CGPA in Master degree with UGC/NET score OR M. Phil degree

How to Apply: Application form, downloadable from www.iitbbs.ac.in, should be sent to Assistant Registrar (A&E), IIT Bhubaneswar, Samantapuri, Bhubaneswar, Orissa – 751013 along with a Demand Draft of Rs.200/- (Rs.100/- for SC/ST candidates) drawn in favour of "IIT Bhubaneswar" on any nationalized bank payable at Bhubaneswar. Please superscribe ‘Application for Admission to PhD programme’ on the envelope. Application form may also be obtained from the Academic Section, IIT Bhubaneswar against a demand draft on every working day.

Important Dates : Application forms can be submitted throughout the year. Last date for submitting application form for Autumn 2011-12: 13th May 2011.

3 comments April 25th, 2011

A snapshot of Utkal University: departments, faculty and offerings

The following is compiled from various pages of http://www.utkal-university.org/.

The self finance courses (marked by SF above) that are offered and links to them are as follows:

The total number of faculty listed below is around 155 (without double counting faculty that are listed both in the Business Administration department and the Center for Agribusiness.) In February 2008, Utkal had a faculty of 169. In March 2008, it was mentioned in Samaja that in Utkal University only 187 out of 340 faculty positions were filled. I wonder if Utkal still has 340 positions or if the government reduced or increased that number.

April 17th, 2011

IMS (part of SOA) and KIMS (part of KIIT) to start PG medical programs in 6 and 7 subjects respectively

1 comment April 15th, 2011

Ravenshaw status report by its VC in the first edition of “The Ravenshaw Times”, its monthly newsletter

Since January 2011 Ravenshaw has started publishing a monthly newsletter. These are available at http://ravenshawuniversity.ac.in/website/ravenshaw-times-(newsletter).htm. Following is an article written by its VC from  the first newsletter at http://ravenshawuniversity.ac.in/File/The%20Ravenshaw%20Times%20-%20January%202011.pdf.

Ravenshaw University was set up by the Ravenshaw University Act, 2005. The draft statutes of the University have been pending with the Government for approval. Pending that, the University is referring to the Orissa Universities First Statutes (OUFS), 1990 on the basis of which its own statute has been drafted.

The Ravenshaw University inherited 25 Departments in the disciplines of Science , Commerce and Humanities. In order to upgrade Ravenshaw like the single campus JNU, the University created 11 Schools out of the existing Departments. The Schools are headed by Deans. It takes time for a new structure to be grounded. Therefore academic reforms envisaged are vitally dependent on the faculty. The situation in Ravenshaw was queer. The Government created posts for new faculty only in August 2008, although the University was set up in 2006. For administrative reasons, the Government could not withdraw the old faculty till September 2010. Despite this mismatch, the syllabi in almost all Departments have been revised to cope with contemporary demands. While setting up the University, the Government had not provided adequate faculty to meet the UGC teacher-student ratio of 1:15. The current teacher – student ratio is about 1:50. In order to make it 1:30, which are twice the UGC/ AICTE norms, the University will require 106 new faculty positions. The demand of the University is pending with Government. Ravenshaw has envisioned incorporating all subjects from microbiology to geophysics in its growth. The University has accomplished only a few. The new faculty is still half formed. Many positions for recruitment have been hit by court cases and reservations. It is easy to set up a greenfield institution. It is difficult to deal with old baggage in an institution like Ravenshaw, where the expectations are high and resources low.

Ravenshaw had an identity like none other. In last 50 years it has become fairly pedestrian. When it became a University, it was caught like any other educational institution in the strangle hold of a predicament that is now fairly common. Every educational institution now faces the demand to expand by incorporating vocational elements. MBA, before it was hit by the economic meltdown, was regarded as the flagship course. Ravenshaw, therefore, introduced MBA and set up the Ravenshaw Management Centre, to mark its transition to a University. The Government does not give anything more than the salary grant and some money for infrastructure to the new University. The responsibility of earning by introducing new courses is on the University itself . The Government, in fact had advised in a meeting to consider winding up subjects like Philosophy, Hindi etc. and opening of technology and management courses.

Research in Ravenshaw has been almost nonexistent for many decades, for multipl e reasons. It is believed that given the research achievements of the new faculty, on the basis of which most have been recruited, particularly in science , Ravenshaw will reacquire its earlier fame in scientific research. The new faculty is still in the formative stage.

The Kanika Library wa s indeed the saddest place when the University started. The Library claimed that it had nearly two lakh books in its roll and numerous precious journals but they were thoroughly disorganised. By a hand count, it was found that only 1.12 lakh are available on the shelves. Of the entire lot, only 60,000 have been digitally entered. Precious journals were kept in gunny bags and piled up it some corner. ‘The Ravenshavian’ issues of an entire decade , which were almost falling off like debris , have now been scanned and made available in our website. The antique books of invaluable worth were rotting in a mezzanine floor to which there was no easy access. The only transaction with the students was for some textbooks. Due to lack of grant, and more than that, of involved interest, there was no accretion. The University has started renovation of the Kanika Library and the Centenary Library, which houses the textbooks on a massive scale. The renovation comprises conservation of the heritage structure, redesigning of utility areas and digitalisation with e-library. Already some beginning of the e-library has been made by storing about 80,000 PDF books and one lakh music files in the library server. In brief, the old Kanika Library is emerging now a s the new Ravenshaw Knowledge Centre (RKC) with other such auxiliary activities that a knowledge centre entails.

As for hostel accommodation, Ravenshaw has a low satisfaction of 23%. All its dilapidated hostels with leaking roofs, and their infrastructure falling apart have been renovated, if not fully. Only the West and East Hostels have been specially renovated. The University has spent nearly R s 8 crore of its precious money on the repair and renovation of hostels. Besides, a projection has been worked out to raise the level of satisfaction by another 25%, through construction of six new girls’ hostels and three new boys’ hostels at a tentative cost of Rs 27 crore.

There is a difference between beautification and restoration. Beautification is optional but  restoration is always expensive, if it is done with quality. A historic institution like Ravenshaw, whose infrastructure has greatly decayed, due to years of negligence, requires extensive restoration. The restoration of Ravenshaw College Hall, which once housed the Odisha State Assembly, was expensive. The restoration of Kanika Library is going to be expensive. Such expenditure is unavoidable if they are restored with quality. Many visitors, including the Chief Minister, who have seen the restoration of the Heritage Hall have admired it.

Desecration of statues had started long before the University was founded. Front area of the college was congested with growth of wild bushes, half masonry walls, dividers, broken tennis courts with potholes, and littered garbage. All the three statues were installed on pedestals in that nearly abandoned front area, with plasters peeling off them, and all discoloured. They were left open to the vagaries of both nature and men. The University decided to renovate the front area with a huge green lawn and wrought iron gates and boundaries, making the view of the majestic college building visible to the road. While clearing all impediments to the view, the statues too were removed. While removing them the University had discussed with their donors, and assured them that they will be reinstalled either in the front porch or in the Kanika Library building after they are renovated. The renovation work is in process.

The backbone of a University is its faculty. The old faculty was highly underexposed. The new faculties, chosen on the basis of an open competition and global advertisement, have brought tidings from other shores. I am sure they would gradually settle down and also incorporate the best practices they have experienced. When I was a student at Ravenshaw four decades before, we had tutorials. There is none now. The high teacher-student ratio makes it impossible for any exclusive supervision. Besides, the culture had so deteriorated tha t even after it be c ame a University, most of its faculty, particularly those who stayed at Bhubaneswar would leave the campus before early afternoon. I hope the new faculty does not fall into the same rot.

Ravenshaw University shall continue to be a blend of the old and new. For over a century it had been the home of classical studies. In its new version, it will now cope not only with new theories but more so with applications. Ours is a knowledge economy. But the creation of economic wealth must not be at the expense of cultural wealth and insight.

The Ravenshaw University has been in existence for some years. It should have incorporated a few best practices of the best universities of the world. I would like to believe that the University is about intellect. The intellect of a University is the sum total of intellect of its faculty and students. I trust the new faculty. I trust the students of Ravenshaw.

In the faculty recruitment front, the newsletter had the following to say: 

After receiving Government’s approval for creating 153 faculty positions comprising 17 posts of Professors, 45 posts of Readers and 91 posts of Lecturers, Ravenshaw University took up this mammoth recruitment enterprise by global advertisement for the faculty positions and received more than 7,000 applications.

It lists 75 new faculty that have been hired.  With respect to the quality of the new faculty its goes on to say the following:

The university now boasts of faculty members who have joined the university with their successful research and teaching career in universities abroad. As a Humboldt Fellow, Pradipta Mohapatra, a leading botanist of the country with his focus of research on toxicity of insecticides on algae and cyanobacteria has worked in Rostock and Duesseldorf Universities in Germany. Similarly, the two other botanists, S.K. Naik and N.R. Singh have done their postdoctoral research in the Universities of Kentucky, US, and Stellenbosch in South Africa respectively. Rupashree Shyama Roy, a young scientist with research in molecular modeling and computational chemistry has worked in the Universities of Munich and Leipzig, Germany. Another young scientist, Kumar Siddhartha Kesav Varadwaj with his research interest in nanoscience and technology has been associated with Hokkaido university, Japan and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Yet another young faculty of chemistry, Sabita Nayak has worked on the design and development of cardiovascular drugs as part of her postdoctoral research in the University of Texas. Apart from teaching and research on contemporary economic issues, the department of economics has started addressing the problems of rural Orissa. Economist Dr. Mamata Swain, with a Ph.D. from London, is the lead in this regard. Nachiketa Das with a dual citizenship status of India and Australia and being a permanent resident of Japan now heads the department of Geology. With a postdoctoral degree from Harvard, he has been associated with universities of Glasgow, Melbourne and Hiroshima in several academic capacities. Dipti Ranjan Patnaik, who has been both a Fulbright Fellow at Ohio State University, Columbia and an Indo-Canadian Fellow, and has recently received the prestigious Erikson Scholar-in-Residence Position, has already spelt out the roadmap for his department of English. The list goes on. The idea here is not to undermine the achievements of individual faculty members of other different departments by citing a few cases at hand. What needs to be stressed here is the clinical precision which has gone into the process of selection of the core faculty of the university. As one traverses through the departments cutting across humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, the possibilities of having an engagement with ‘ignited minds’ who seek to question meta narratives, becomes absolutely inescapable. In fact, this core faculty of the university in many ways than one is going to shape the texture of academic discourse not only for the university but also for the society at large.

The Ravenshaw website at http://ravenshawuniversity.ac.in/common/faculties.htm has the latest list of the faculty with their short biographies and their phone numbers. I also noticed that some of the faculty have foreign post-doctoral experiences, a couple have Ph.D from abroad, some have experience outside Odisha, some with Ph.Ds from IITs, and many with good publication record.

So it seems like a decent start. Having only one Mathematics faculty is worrisome though. If that can be strengthened and more Physics faculty is hired then Ravenshaw could develop good science programs, such as a 5-yr program in collaboration with NISER.

3 comments April 14th, 2011

Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar and Chandigarh+Mohali among the top destinations of additional campuses of existing top management schools

Following are excerpts from a report in mbauniverse.com.

… The Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur has decided to set up its second campus in Hyderabad. An XLRI delegation had met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister in this regard. The government has agreed to allot 75 acre for the project near Jawahar Nagar, on the outskirts of the city and near the BITS Pilani campus.

The AP government had extended an invitation to the management institute to set up its campus in the state three years ago. The Chief Minister renewed the efforts by writing to XLRI. The XLRI governing board took the decision on September 4, 2010.

Nearly 1,00,000 students appear for the entrance examination of XLRI, which has just 240 seats to offer. With the proposed Hyderabad campus, the institute would augment the intake of students.

XLRI’s expansion in Hyderabad will be its first move toward expansion in India. Internationally, the institute already has a presence in Dubai and Singapore.

… IMT Hyderabad, the new B-school under the IMT umbrella, is all set to commence its first academic session in June 2011. This is the third B-school of the IMT Group in the country. The other B-schools under the IMT Group of Institutions are IMT Ghaziabad, IMT Nagpur, and IMT Dubai.

…Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai is counted amongst the top B-schools of the country. NMIMS is now setting up its new campus in Hyderabad on a 90-acre plot at Jadcherla by 2013. The institute is expected to build the first of its campus structures covering over 50,000 sq ft with 14 classrooms, library, computer and communication labs by mid 2013. The full time management, engineering and pharmacy programmes of the institute will start from the campus in the academic year 2014-15.

NMIMS has already laid the foundation stone of its Chandigarh Campus on October 12, 2009. The planned infrastructure would be taking shape at Saranpur Institutional Area, near Chandigarh.

… Ms. Savita Mahajan, Chief Executive, ISB Mohali, informed MBAUniverse.com that the work on the physical infrastructure of upcoming ISB Mohali is in progress. “The work on the new campus is in full force and we are expecting the campus to be ready by April 2012.”

Punjab Chief Minister, Sardar Parkash Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone for the new campus of the ISB in Mohali (Punjab) on August 11, 2010 marking the start of construction of the ISBs’ first campus outside Hyderabad.

The ISB campus at Mohali will house four institutes focusing on areas critical to India’s development, viz. Max India Institute of Healthcare Management, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, BML Munjal Hero Honda Institute of Manufacturing Excellence and Innovation, and Punj Lloyd Institute of Physical Infrastructure Management.

… Both IMI Kolkata & IMI Bhubaneswar campuses are ready. And if all goes well the IMI authorities expect to be in a position to run regular PGDM programme from July 2011 after formal approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), which is expected in May 2011.

… Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), a leading B-school under the management of the B K Birla Group, has started construction work for setting up its new campus at Bhubaneswar. The Foundation Stone Laying ceremony for the new campus was organized on 5 April, 2011 at the IDCO institutional site at Gothapatna Area where institutions like IIIT, IMI and Nalco R&D Centre are already established. The new campus will become operational by June 2012 and will cater to the manpower needs of entire eastern India.

It can be clearly seen that the B-schools of the country are having a renewed focus on the emerging cities of the country, which includes Bhubaneswar, Mohali, Chandigarh, Hyderabad etc.

April 12th, 2011

40,000 from Odisha appear in IIT JEE in 2011??

Following is an excerpt from a report on Times of India regarding increase in the number of students appearing in IIT JEE from Odisha.

The number of IIT aspirants in Orissa saw a steady rise with nearly 40,000 students appearing for the joint entrance examination ( JEE) for the country’s premier institute on Sunday, officials said.

Registrar of IIT-Bhubaneswar Bata Kishore Ray said, "The number of aspirants from Orissa has gone up in the last couple of years, especially after IIT-B started operating from the city. …

… About 30,000 aspirants appeared from the state last year, he added.

… In the capital city alone, over 5,000 students appeared in 12 centres for one of the toughest competitive examinations in the country.

… Director of a city-based coaching centre Jyoti Ranjan Tripathy said good coaching facilities and number of successful students increasing every year has been motivating others to go for IIT. "In terms of coaching facilities, Bhubaneswar can be called the Kota of eastern India. Orissa has created some top rankers in IIT-JEE in the last few years and this has motivated more students."

As per a report in Economic Times, the total number of applicants for IIT JEE is 4,85,262.

Following is obtained from a Deccan Chronicle report, a TOI report and another TOI report:

• Total: 4,85,262 out of which 1,13,942 were girl applicants.
  • SC – 47,479; ST – 19,305; OBC – 1,42,387 (TOI)
• Madras zone (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala): about 68,500 out of which 20,546 were girls. (last year 65,650)
• Mumbai zone: about 85,260/68,735*
  
• Kanpur zone: around 80,400/63,661* (16,770 girls)
• Guwahati zone (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya and West Bengal): about 58,700.
• Kharagpur zone:??
• Delhi Zone: 71,353 (16,877 girls)
  
• Roorkee Zone: 16,976 girls

* Two newspapers give different numbers. 

Assuming the numbers for Odisha are correct, it is a significant development in that 8.25% of the total applicants will be from Odisha. Note that Odisha’s population is 3.47% of the total population of the country. 

Ofcourse, a more important aspect is the success in the exam, but significant increase in the applications is a good starting point. Some of the reason behind this increase are:

• More awareness due to IIT Bhubaneswar.
• The significant increase in the availability of coaching, including many nationally known coaching institutes opening their centers in Odisha, especially in Bhubaneswar. These include Careerpoint, FIITJEE, Narayana, Resonance and Vidya Mandir.
• The significant increase in the number of private +2 colleges across the state, some of which have ties with coaching classes.

Now lets hope a good number from Odisha succeed in IIT JEE. Currently Hyderabad and Kota are the places with the highest number of successful candidates. Following is an excerpt from a TOI report on that.

If JEE-2010 results are pored over, the maximum number of candidates to clear the exam was from Andhra Pradesh (AP).

The state dominated the merit list. Seven of the top ten rankers were from there, the share of Kota (which is in Rajasthan) starting only after rank 15. While in 2006, 938 candidates from AP and 1,004 from Rajasthan made it to the IITs, a year later the tables had turned, with 1,384 from AP clearing JEE and 1,344 from Rajasthan. It has been a close race since. In 2009, for example, 1,862 students from AP and 1,898 from Rajasthan cleared JEE.

There are reports from other cities and states, but many have contradictory reports. Following are data from some of these reports.

• Karnataka: 5,400 (Expressbuzz)
• Bangalore: 4,125 (Expressbuzz)
• Nagpur: 4,800 (TOI)
• Mumbai: 8,500 (DNA)
• Maharashtra: 21,000 (DNA), 21,700 (DNA)
• Lucknow: 15,000 (TOI)
• Varanasi: 8,000 (TOI)
• UP: 83,139 (TOI)
• Jaipur: 38,000 (TOI)
• Delhi: 37,411 (TOI
• Andhra Pradesh: 50,000 (Deccan Chronicle), Over 1 lakh (TOI).
• Chennai: 5,000 (Expressbuzz), 5,329 (TOI)
• Bhubaneswar: 5,000 (Times of India)
• Odisha: 40,000 (Times of India)  [I doubt this number.]

3 comments April 11th, 2011

Update on the Yoga and Naturopathy hospital and research center in Bhubaneswar (Central Research Institute in Yoga and Naturopathy??)

We earlier wrote in https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/5748  that the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) was negotiating with Odisha government for a 25 Crore Central Research Institute for Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences. Following is an update on that from a report in Times of India.

The Union government will build a 100-bed yoga and naturopathy hospital in the city soon, official sources said. The state government has identified a 20-acre plot of land for the project at Binjhagiri near Chandaka on the outskirts of the city.

The director of Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy in New Delhi, Dr B T Chidananda Murthy, told TOI over the phone that the proposed hospital would come up at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore. There will be 50 general ward beds and 25 each special and deluxe beds in the hospital for indoor patients. Besides, there will be daily outdoor clinics, he said. The hospital will also have a state-of-the art yoga hall and a research laboratory for chronic diseases.

Murthy said the state government wrote to the council recently, confirming the land allotment. "A central team will come to Orissa in the first week of May to finalise the plan. After taking possession of the land, the construction will start in less than six months," he said.

Murthy said the council wants to have at least six such premier branches across the country for which the Central government has already given its go ahead. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, cancer, pain management and age-related problems will be the main focus here. Preventive care will be a focus area of the hospital, which will cater to all sections of the society, Murthy said.

It will be the third such project in the country. Work for similar hospitals has already commenced in Karnataka and Haryana. The council, an autonomous body under the department of AYUSH, ministry of health and family welfare, is also keen to establish similar institutions in Bihar and Assam. "We are waiting for land allotment in those states," Murthy said.

Through the regional research hospitals, the council will undertake education, training and research programmes in fundamentals and applied aspects of yoga and naturotherapy, the council director said.

Most likely, this will be called Central Research Institute in Yoga and Naturopathy. (See http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=60830 where this name is mentioned in the context of the institutes in Haryana and Karnataka.)

Note that this is a seprate initiative from the planned central government take over of the Govt. Dr. AC Homoeopathy Medical College in Bhubaneshwar.

Another thing that should be done is that a branch of this, perhaps focsuing on pharmaceutical aspects, should be established in the foothills of the Gandhamardan Hills. See https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/3421 for a nicely written essay advocating this.

April 9th, 2011

IMI Bhubaneswar admission information

IMI Bhubaneswar web page is at http://www.imibh.edu.in/. However, it is still work in progress and does not have admission information. IMI Bhubaneswar and IMI Kolkata have a joint facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/IMIBhubaneswarandKolkata.

The following youtube video dated 5th March shows that the facilities are almost ready and would be ready by the time classes start.

 (One may also check out the Feb 22nd video here.)

Admission information is available in the pagalguy forum. Following are some excerpts:

 Eligibility

All students applying should have attained:

• 1st Division in Class X and XII
• Minimum of 55% in graduation (Those graduating in 2011 may also apply) AND
• Who have appeared in CAT 2010

Selection criterion:

• Applicants will be short-listed based on academic performance and performance in CAT
• Applicants with consistent academic performance will have better chance for being called for interview
• Short-listed candidates will be called for interview

Final selection will be based on the performance in the interview and academic track record.

How to apply
We are accepting applications online. Please log on to http://admission.imi.edu to fill the application form.

There is no application fee.

On filling the complete application form, short listed candidates will be called for in-person interview. The dates for first round of in-person interview will be shared shortly.

Admission Process:

We are following a rolling admissions process. The following are the important dates:
Last dates of Application:

Batch 1: 10th April
Batch 2: 25th April
Batch 3: 11th May

Interview Dates:

Batch 1: 25th April – 27th April
Batch 2: 9th May – 11th May
Batch 3: 23rd May – 25th May
——————————————–
The websites for the schools are:

… IMI International Management Institute Kolkata …
IMI Bhubaneswar – Homepage

Thank you for your interest in IMI K & B. Please refer to the following link for course fee … IMI International Management Institute Kolkata … 

The Admissions Committee for IMI Kolkata & Bhubaneswar has decided to give a higher emphasis on the academic performance during College and consistency in academic performance. For this reason the college cut-off (as an eligibility criterion) has been kept at 55%.

Please do refer to the following link for reasons to consider IMI K & B … IMI International Management Institute Kolkata …

We would strongly urge you to apply. There is no application fee and the application can be done online. Once you go through the selections process, meet our team, etc. you will be in a position to take a more informed decision.

We have not decided on the CAT cutt-offs for calling applicants for interviews. If you are meeting the academic eligibility criterion (55% in graduation+60% in 12th and 10th standard) you should consider applying to the two programmes.

FAQ-9. Is it a residential programme?

A hostel with 250 well-furnished, residential rooms for students (including a separate facility for women) is available within the campus. A stay in the hostel is not compulsory. However students are encouraged to stay in the hostel in the second year of the programme to take advantage of out-side the class room learning through participation in group work and other extra-curricular activities.

FAQ-21. What will be the cost of living in hostel?

Hostel rent will be Rs. 60,000 per annum. Mess charge will be based on actual cost of providing food to students. Indicative mess charge is Rs. 2,000 per month

We are following a rolling admissions process. The following are the important dates:

Last dates of Application:

Batch 1: 10th April
Batch 2: 25th April
Batch 3: 11th May

Interview Dates:

Batch 1: 25th April – 27th April
Batch 2: 9th May – 11th May
Batch 3: 23rd May – 25th May

The interviews will be held in more that two locations.

We will be starting with a batch size of 120 for IMI K and 60 for IMI B.

hello
can u giv us an idea about yhe expected cat cutoffs?i m asking dat bcoz mt acads r pretty decent but my cat score is on the lesser side.
Xth-85
XIIth-86
graduation-70%
cat score-80.7%ile
wid dis low cat score will i get a call?????????????

===

You do have good academic scores. You should be applying to both the campuses.

Thank you for your interest in IMI K & B. Both the campuses are awaiting the final AICTE approval.

April 8th, 2011

BIMTECH starts construction of its Bhubaneswar campus; plans to have programs in law, design and social sciences (besides management) and to become a university or autonomous institution

Following is from a report in mbauniverse.com.

Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), a leading B-school under the management of the B K Birla Group, has started construction work for setting up its new campus at Bhubaneswar. 

The Foundation Stone Laying ceremony for the new campus was organized on 5 April, 2011 at the IDCO institutional site at Gothapatna Area where institutions like IIIT, IMI and Nalco R&D Centre are already established.

The Foundation Stone for the 30 acre campus of BIMTECH was laid by Smt. Jayashree Mohta, Vice Chairperson of Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata and Director, Jay Shree Tea Ltd.
 
On this occasion, addressing the gathering and mediapersons, Smt. Mohta said, “The Bhubaneswar Campus of BIMTECH will provide post-graduate and doctoral education in management, design, social sciences and law. The new campus will become operational by June 2012 and will cater to the manpower needs of entire eastern India viz. Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Bihar”.
 
Addressing the audience, Dr H Chaturvedi, Director, BIMTECH Greater Noida said, “Our campus at Bhubaneswar will be one of the state-of-the-art campuses and it has been designed by Mr Hafeez Contractor, the renowned architect from Mumbai.  It will be our endeavour to make this campus an ideal destination for education and corporate training in management, design, technology and humanities.  We shall approach both the Union Government and the State Government for getting the status of either private university or autonomous institution for our Bhubaneswar unit”.

BIMTECH Greater Noida, the first B-school under the BK Birla Group, is counted amongst the top 10 B-schools of the country. 

If indeed BIMTECH wants to offer courses in design, social sciences, and law other than management, then the state government should give it more land and offer it to make a state university. 

I have a feeling that both IMI and BIMTECH in Bhubaneswar will be huge boon for us.

Along those lines I hope the Odisha government approaches a few other top private management institutions to establish their branches in Odisha, perhaps in some other locations. Some of the institutes that should be approached are:

• SP Jain Institute of Management. (Only has 4 acres in Mumbai.)
• MDI Gurgaon. (37 acres campus; Prof. Arun Rath of MDI, an Odia, used to be a Jharkhand cadre IAS.)
• Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad. (Has 14 acres in Ghaziabad.)

April 6th, 2011

National Law University Orissa Cuttack plans to have its new buildings ready by Fall 2011

Following are from their 2011-12 prospectus.

The schools, centers and degrees that are currently available are:

2 comments April 4th, 2011

IMI Bhubaneswar launches its web page

Update on 5th April 2011: There is now a press release at http://www.businesswireindia.com/PressRelease.asp?b2mid=26418. Following are some excerpts from that release.

Good news is in store for B-school aspirants from Eastern India. With two new International Management Institute (IMI) campuses ready for admissions in Bhubaneswar, Orissa and Kolkata, West Bengal— students from the Eastern region will be able to receive international-quality management education – virtually at their door steps and will not have to travel to other parts of the country in search of quality education. All this is in keeping with IMI’s aspiration to scale new heights as one of the top-notch business school in the Asia-Pacific region.

… As the new feathers in IMI’s cap – IMI Bhubaneswar and IMI Kolkata will be offering best international-standard management education. Both the institutes would be offering PGDM programs based on Industry-oriented curriculum. The overall aim is to groom students for immediate employability as well as develop cutting-edge course curriculum and specialized research programmes and other activities of the Institute in collaboration with Industry partners. Both the institutions would like to be known as international-level centres of excellence in learning – focusing on teaching and research in the field of management in sync with the fast changing interconnected world.

Both IMI Kolkata & IMI Bhubaneswar campuses are ready. And if all goes well the IMI authorities expect to be in a position to run regular PGDM programme from July 2011 after formal approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), which is expected in May 2011. Meanwhile applications have started pouring in from prospective candidates.

… IMI Bhubaneswar, located in one of the fastest growing metropolis of Eastern India, with its 16 acre Campus, promises to write its own saga of excellence. It has by far the largest campus in the IMI family. The IMI Kolkata campus has an area of 3 acres. The IMI Delhi campus also has an area of 3 acres.

Both the campuses have world-class facilities that stimulate interactive learning with separate academic and residential blocks. The academic block features lecture theatres, faculty offices, administrative offices, meeting rooms and auditoriums that can house up to 300 students. The residential blocks are equipped with wi-fi and can accommodate about 400 students in the campus.

Both IMI-B and IMI-K have completed recruitment of the first batch of faculty members.

Once selected, finances should not be a problem for the IMI students as tie-ups for bank loans will be available.

Each of the new IMIs will have independent directors with the board of governors having a number of common members including the Chairman, Mr. Sanjiv Goenka. In terms of governance, these schools will be independent b-schools.

Its web page is http://www.imibh.edu.in. Following are some excerpts from its "About Us" page.

In keeping with the ideology, IMI Bhubaneswar has applied for AICTE approval to start Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) – A two year full-time programme approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and has been recognized by the Association of India Universities (AIU) as equivalent to MBA

In addition, the institute offers a full range of custom-made in-company programs, and Management Development Programs (MDPs), all geared to enrich creativity and ability to manage in a dynamic global environment.

The Management programs are being designed to enable a selective number of young professionals who have been judged to have high potential, to reach responsible positions in industry. The programs at IMI foster integrative capabilities with cross-functional program modules that synthesize a number of specialized disciplines into unified learning experience.

April 1st, 2011