Odisha HRD

A good location suggestion for WCCU Bhubaneswar: letter to Samaja

May 20th, 2008

IIT Gujarat and IIT Odisha may start this year

In regards to IIT Odisha, Prof. Damodar Acharya, who as IIT Kharagpur director will be in charge of IIT Odisha, recently visited and discussed with the CM of Orissa on the IIT issue. I was told that there was a news item in the local edition of Times of India that the IIT in Odisha will start classes this year with 120 students. This news has not appeared in any other place yet.

Following is a newsitem on IIT Gujarat in the indiaedunews.net.

… IIT Bombay, which set up its extension centre at Government Engineering College (GEC), Chandkheda, six months ago, will support the state education department in the entire process of setting up full-fledged IIT here, including faculty recruitment. The IIT will function from GEC Chandkheda- the institute from where IIT Bombay currently conducts 12 short-term courses under its continuing education programme

According to Principal Secretary, education department, Hasmukh Adhia, "After the media came up with its report on the decision to set up an IIT in Gujarat, we received the letter from the union HRD ministry. To which we have expressed the ministry that we consists readymade infrastructure at GEC, Chandkheda, which fulfils all infrastructural requirements as asked by it, so we came to a conclusion to set up IIT".

Pointing out the grey areas Mr. Adhia, "We have the entire required infrastructure in place. But the only thing which is missing here is the hostel facility for students. GCE, Chandkheda has very excellent housing projects in place and the problem of hostel requirement will be easily sorted out".

The HRD ministry’s decision to set up four IITs each in Gujarat, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, comes months after finance minister P Chidambaram declaration during his budget speech about setting up IITs in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. Initially, the three states will kick-start IITs with 120 students each for three undergraduate programmes in Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. IIT-G is to follow the same pattern as well.

May 19th, 2008

Eleventh Plan HRD distribution across states

Following is excerpted and corrected from http://darpg.nic.in/arpg-website/ChiefSectConf/PPT/HRD.ppt. (See also https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=1043.)

 * Not funded by MHRD.

 So Orissa could get 18 colleges (in 18 districts) and 11 polytechnics. Each of these colleges would be supported by GOI by upto Rs. 2.5 Crore or one-third cost with the balance being met by the State Government or Private participation.

May 15th, 2008

Excerpts from “Implementation of Major Initiatives in Higher Education in the XI Plan”: Presentation at the 2008 Chief Secy’s conference

Following is from http://darpg.nic.in/arpg-website/ChiefSectConf/PPT/HRD.ppt.

• 370 new degree colleges
  • 373 districts having GER lower than the national average identified by the UGC.
  • Out of 373 districts, 11 districts have lower than 3% GER, 79 districts have GER between 3.1 to 6% and 143 districts have GER between 6.1 to 9%
  • 140 districts have a GER above 9% but below the national average.
  • 91 districts proposed to be covered on priority as they have less than 4 colleges per 1 lakh of student population.
  • The above 373 districts also have 88 districts having a high minority concentration.
  • Upto Rs. 2.5 Crore or one-third cost is proposed as Central contribution with the balance being met by the State Government or Private participation.
  • Non – central Government share could include share of the state govt. as well as private not – for – profit contribution.
  • HRM has written to the concerned State Governments to identify location and their willingness to arrange for the balance of capital cost (non-recurring), to provide land free of cost and to meet the running and maintenance expenditure on these colleges.
• Helping states expand higher education opportunities 1
  • A new scheme for incentivising State Govts for expansion and starting of new institutions of Higher Education proposed.
  • Under this Centrally Sponsored Scheme, GOI will give one third of the capital cost of establishing new institutions or expansion by the State Govts.
  • Rs. 7000 crore provided in XI Plan for this scheme.
• Helping states expand higher education opportunities 2
  • UGC coverage of  over 8000 degree colleges and over 170 Universities, which are not receiving UGC grant at present.
  • 50% sharing basis – to be strengthened to get eligibility for 12B recognition under UGC Act.
  • Scheme of construction of Women hostels in Colleges/ Universities with 100% UGC grant is being given impetus.   
• New IITs
  • States to propose 2/3 alternative locations of 500 to 600 acres of land free of cost with good air, rail and road connectivity.
  • Also to offer accommodation on temporary basis for starting the courses.
  • Also proposed to make the existing IITs act as mentor institutions for new IITs.
  • It is proposed that the Director of the Mentor  IIT, will act as Director of the new IIT for 3 years, with a separate campus Director / or Associate Director.
  • Efforts will be made to have common Chairman and  many common members in the BoGs of  the Mentor IIT and the new IIT.
• New IIITs
  • 4 IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology)  at present at Allahabad, Jabalpur, Gwalior and Kanchipuram.
  • XI Plan envisages 20 new IIITs – as far as possible in the PPP mode.
  • A model DPR being proposed by NASSCOM, is expected to be available by end of April 2008.
  • Proposed model
    • Centre,  State and Industry to contribute Rs. 15 Cr. each
    • Remaining capital cost [about Rs. 80 Cr. ] – to be either given as interest free Government loan on ITI pattern
      or otherwise interest subsidy to be given for the loans as may be taken.
  • Recurring expenses to be met out of fees and internal accruals.
  • Some of the new IIITs proposed to be set up in Govt. Sector in States where PPP mode does not work out.
• Polytechnics
  • Ratio of Diploma to Degree level seats in India – roughly 1:2,  while it should be 3:1 or even higher.
  • Unlike Engineering Colleges, only about 15 to 20% of Polytechnics in Private Sector.
  • XI Plan envisages establishment of one Polytechnic in each of the 200 Districts not having one at present.
  • Ministry has proposed at least 1000 Polytechnics in XI Plan:  300  in Govt. Sector;   300 in PPP;   400 in Private Sector
  • Existing Govt. Polytechnics will be strengthened.
  • Support will be given for construction  of Women’s Hostels in Polytechnics.
  • Introduction of  Diploma Courses in the existing Engineering Institutions as well as running of 2nd shifts in existing polytechnics to augment intake capacity.
• Internet Connectivity
  • Network each department of 398 university level institutions and each of 18000 colleges through broadband connectivity.
  • 100 premier institutions working as Knowledge hubs to be connected with 1 Gbps bandwidth.
  • Make available high quality e-text books, e-reference books, e-research papers and e-content in different languages from KG to PG, free of cost to genuine learners.
  • State Governments to share 30% of the cost of providing broadband connectivity.

May 15th, 2008

Maharashtra plans for giving autonomy to 100 colleges

Following is an excerpt from a news report in Hindustan Times.

… the State Department for Higher Education decided to recommend up to 100 colleges in the state for academic autonomy; in other words, freedom from the university prescribed curricula. Autonomy would enable a college to introduce internationally accepted semester system and grading for students used in foreign institutions.

It is going to ask 58 colleges which have got ‘A’ grade and above from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council to submit proposals for autonomy. Of these 58, about 20 are Mumbai colleges.

Besides, pleas of 42 colleges that have already applied for autonomy years ago, including Mumbai’s St Xavier’s and the Government Law College, will be looked into.

“Academic autonomy will allow colleges to not just design their own courses, but also have contact with professionals from whom they can take industry inputs. Our department will ask colleges to prepare a proposal for academic autonomy. The proposal will then be submitted to the university to be forwarded to the state government with its recommendations,” said K.M. Kulkarni, director for higher education.

“With the government nod, the proposal will then be forwarded to the University Grants Commission (UGC) who in turn will send a committee for college inspection.”

With the possibility of foreign universities setting shop in India soon, autonomy would allow colleges to collaborate with these universities. The process for granting autonomy, if followed up seriously, can take about an year.

“Autonomous colleges will have industry professionals on their governing board, and there could be tailor-made courses to create skilled professionals for the industry,” said Kulkarni.

Maharashtra has only eight autonomous colleges — dismal compared with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh with 85, 31, 34 and 27 respectively. “It is good for colleges that want to innovate. The UGC would like to see at least 50 colleges in the state getting academic autonomy in the next three years,” said UGC Deputy Secretary for Western Region G. Srinivas.

Students graduating from autonomous colleges will be awarded degrees from the parent university with the name of the college mentioned. “This would give the colleges more credibility as well.

May 13th, 2008

Four year BS instead of 3 yr BSc

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

The three-year Bachelor of Science course could soon be phased out across the country and replaced by a four-year BS course based on the American model.

In the new course, students in the first year will study core science subjects.

From the second year they will specialise and choose their electives.

The Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institutes of Technology could be the first ones to introduce the four-year programme.

…
The proposal is the brainchild of the National Knowledge Commission, which is headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

May 13th, 2008

Three to four new national labs coming up in West Bengal

Following is an excerpt from a news report in Indian Express.

These are the National Institute of Medical Genetics, funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, the National Institute of Nanoscience and Technology, funded by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Institute of Mangrove and Coastal Studies, funded by the Department of Environment.

“The institutes for medical genetics and nanoscience technology are coming up at Baruipur. About 25 acres of land have been identified for the purpose and the government had approved it last year,” …

Efforts are on to develop Baruipur as the new educational hub where infrastructure for educational institutes will be developed, added Majumdar. “The Coastal Research Centre will cater to the entire coastline of the country and will come up near Sunderbans,” he said. The National Institute of Translation Research is also likely to be constructed here and discussions are on with CSIR for funding the project.

The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, which promotes basic sciences, has started its functioning in the city in 2006. … and will soon have its own campus at Haringhata. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research which has been holding its classes at the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology will also have a campus of its own soon, said officials.

1 comment May 12th, 2008

CM promises to write Delhi about central university in Kalahandi

Following is from a report in New Indian Express.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has assured a delegation from Kalahandi district that he will pressurise the Centre to set up a central university in Kalahandi district.

A 25-member delegation led by Minister of State for Law and Employment Pradipta Kumar Nayak met the Chief Minister at the Secretariat on Tuesday. The delegation impressed upon the Chief Minister about the need for establishment of a central university in Kalahandi district as it is educationally backward.

The district has all infrastructure facilities for establishment of a central university and the demand has been pending since 1988, the delegation comprising former ministers Balabhadra Majhi, Himansu Sekhar Meher and legislator Pushpendra Singhdeo said.

After hearing from the delegation, Naveen assured that he will write a letter to Human Resources Development (HRD) ministry about setting up the varsity in Kalahandi.

3 comments May 8th, 2008

Ph.D production at IIT Delhi; Job opportunities for Ph.Ds

Following is an excerpt from a report in indiaedunews.

As per the last year records, 140 PhDs were awarded to engineering graduates by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) highlighting the increasing trend of students opting for research.

To further encourage Research and Development, IIT-D has also come up with scholarships up to Rs.20,000/- per month for research students. Furthermore, accommodation and in-house facilities are also being provided to research scholars.

According to Mr. M. Balakrishnan, Dean, Post Graduate Studies and Research at IIT-Delhi, "Industrial Research and Development (R&D) in India, is getting bigger day by day. Today, the private sector employs PhDs in all disciplines- Automobiles, Energy, Environment, Materials."

Mr. Balakrishnan, while disagreeing to the fact that salaries are a constraint for PhD-holders, pointed out, "A PhD done by a researcher in any of the engineering field today is paid anywhere between Rs.8 lakh to Rs.16 lakh per annum."

He further added that, the companies involved in the technology establishment pay the highest amount, "Companies such as Google and Yahoo, who work with new technologies, pay the highest amount to the researchers."

May 8th, 2008

PIB: Educational Complex in Low Literacy Pocket for Development of Women Literacy in Tribal Areas

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38541.

Rajya Sabha 

  No project has been sanctioned in the last three years (2005-06 to 2007-08) in districts other than identified low literacy districts and areas having Primitive Tribal Groups (PTG) girls population under the scheme “Educational Complex in Low Literacy Pocket for Development of Women Literacy in Tribal Areas”, revised and renamed as “Strengthening education among ST girls in low literacy districts” in 2007-08.

            The details of identified districts under the scheme “Educational Complex in Low Literacy Pockets for Development of Women Literacy in Tribal Areas” in which the projects were sanctioned during the last three years is annexed.

            The Government is implementing the Literacy Programmes of National Literacy Mission in 597 districts of the country with special focus on female literacy, a targeted scheme of strengthening education among Scheduled Tribe girls in low literacy districts, as well as, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan with specific components to improve girls education in all districts of the country.

            This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Shri M.A.A. Fatmi in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

…..

HB/ SB/PB

Annexure

May 7th, 2008

Andhra Pradesh to have a world class university in Kadapa: Orissa should have one in Rourkela

Update 1: It looks like my assumption below that the university at Kadapa is a state one was wrong. As per Times of India, the AP government just decided to change the venue of the world class central university from Vizag to Kadapa.

Update 2: Later reports mention that the AP government did not ask the center before making the Kadapa announcement and the central govt. may not agree to shift the location from Vizag to Kadapa.

Initial post:

Following is an excerpt from newpostindia.com.

The meeting also decided to set up a world-class university in Kadapa, the home district of the chief minister, for which the government will allot 700 acres of land.

In this regard, one may note that the central government had announced that it will establish a world class central university in Vizag. I assume the Andhra Pradesh Government is talking about a different university (state funded) for Kadapa.

The Orissa government should follow Andhra’s example and besides the central govt. funded world class university in Bhubaneswar and another central university in KBK, the Orissa government should establish a world class university in Rourkela via state funds or PPP.

5 comments May 5th, 2008

Cabinet approves establishment of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38385.

The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for establishment of Indian Institute of Corporate affairs with an outlay of Rs. 211.00 crores during 11th Plan. The institute would provide a Think-tank, Capacity building and Service Delivery support in various initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Earlier news reported that it will be located in Maneswar, near Gurgaon.

May 1st, 2008

Cabinet approves establishment of National Police University

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38388.

The Union Cabinet today gave its, in principle, approval to establish a National Police University (NPU) for quality education, research and other related academic activities in police related subjects, including competence in the areas of the physical and social sciences.

May 1st, 2008

ICAR Foot and mouth disease (FMD) lab to be established in Jatni near Bhubaneswar

Following is an excerpt from a report in New Indian Express. (See https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=1103 for other ICAR labs/institutes in Orissa and India.)

The International and National centre on FMD would be set up by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at Jatni about 25 kms from here. The State Government has already identified 116.325 acre of land for the Rs 400 crore Central Government sponsored project.

The state-of-the art facility with Bio Safety level (3+) standardisation will work for control and containment of virulent, pathogenic and mutagenic FMD virus. The disease in endemic to India and manifests itself across regions round the year.

The lab would receive samples from the country as well as abroad for identification, characterisation of the biological pathogens that caused the disease. It will also act as a repository for various serotypes.

Telegraph also reports on this.

2 comments April 26th, 2008

ICAR institutes, project directorates and national research centers

Following is from http://www.icar.org.in/icar7.htm.

Institutes/ Bureaues

National Bureaus

Following is from http://www.icar.org.in/icar7b.htm.

Project Directorates

Following is from http://www.icar.org.in/icar7a.htm.

ICAR National Research Centres (NRC)

8 comments April 26th, 2008

Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) to come up in Bhubaneswar?

Following is from a news report in Pioneer.

A unit of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) will be set up at Bhubaneswar. A decision to this effect was taken at a joint high-level meeting between the CM Naveen Patnaik and Chairman of the Foundation Srinath Reddy at the State Secretariat on Thursday. Government will provide all the basic infrastructures for institution.

PHFI aims to influence public health education, research, and policy. The goal is to establish at least five world-class Indian Institutes of Public Health. These Institutes will initially train 1,000-plus professionals a year, with the goal of producing as many as 10,000 graduates. The Association of Schools of Public Health of the U.S. will offer educational and technical assistance.

The Foundation will bolster existing schools of public health by creating a pool of permanent faculty and establishing an accreditation agency that will standardise public health education. India currently graduates some 375 students each year from its schools of public health and institutions-compared to the 10,000 needed annually.

With the setting up this unit, Orissa will become a leader in the entire eastern region.

From the above news item it is not clear what is meant by a unit of PHFI. Is it an IIPH or something else?

Update: Following is Samaja’s report on it.

Update: Following is Sambada’s report on it.

5 comments April 25th, 2008