Odisha HRD

Specs for AIIMS like institutes

Following is from http://www.mohfw.nic.in/PMR.htm.

Continue Reading 1 comment December 4th, 2008

Feedback on NISER academic and residential township specs

Going through the NISER call for tenders for providing consultancy for the academic and residential townships, available at http://www.dcsem.gov.in/Page/Tender.htm, I have the following suggestions to the advisory specs mentioned in that document.

1. The whole campus should be universally accessible. (For too long public spaces are designed in India without taking into account people with disabilities.)

2. Research labs in NISER should have the space to accommodate all students in the 4th and 5th year of their integrated M.Sc program. In other words, when students are in their 4th and 5th year they should be required to be part of a research lab, and thus the research labs should have space to accommodate them.

3. Instead of just a cafeteria, most US universities have a "Student Union" which has multiple eating places, bank (with ATM), post office, book store, entertainment options (such as chess, pool, etc.), etc. Some even have a movie theater. The student union should be a one stop place where students (and faculty) can not only eat but also transact other necessary businesses.

4. There should be plan for designing the landscape of the campus as a combination of a botanical garden (with trees labeled with their botanical name and their place of origin) and science based sculptures. Local industries may be approached for sponsoring part of this.

5. Finally the whole design should be such that there is room to expand. Otherwise 20-30 yrs down the road, NISER will suffer the same problem that IISc is facing now in terms of lack of room to grow.

December 3rd, 2008

NISER residential township specs

(Following is from http://www.dcsem.gov.in/page/pcdtbrp3.pdf)

RESIDENTIAL TOWNSHIP

December 3rd, 2008

NISER academic township and Sports complex specs

(From http://www.dcsem.gov.in/page/pcdtb1.pdf.)

ACADEMIC TOWNSHIP & SPORTS COM PLEX

1             for Integrated 5-yr M.Sc course (1000 students in full fledged operation): double room w/o attached toilet for first three years. Single room w/o attached toilet for the last two years;

2             for integrated M.Sc + PhD course (300 students total): Single room w/o attached toilet for the first two years (like other M.Sc. students), single occupancy with attached toilet for PhD part;

3             PhD students : total 300 (other than from (2)) : same as other PhD students;

4             Post-doc fellows (150 max.) : flatlets.

Classroom complex (service area is included in the bulk): .

(A) School adm inistration (for  six schools)

School chairman’s offices (100 sq.m .*6) 600 sq ms

Meeting rooms (small, two each, 50sq.m X2*6)) 600

Seminar halls (one each, 150 sq.m . *5) 750

Committee rooms (one each, 120 sq.m . *5) 600

School libraries and outreach halls (200 sq.m .*6) 1200

Total 3750

(B) Faculty and Research Scholaroffices

Each faculty office will be standard size (5.5m X 3.6m ≈20 sq.m .). There will be 200 such offices, senior faculty (150) being given independent offices, and junior faculty (100) sharing two each. Post-Doctoral Fellows (PDFs), associates and visiting faculty will share (double) a normal faculty office. Since visiting faculty will be both short and long-term type, it is assumed that 50 rooms, seating 100 people, may be adequate. Office space for PhD scholars will be provided by sharing three scholars in one room. A good proportion of scholars are usually accommodated in research labs. However sitting space is provided for about 500.

Faculty offices (200 X 20) 4000

Visitingfaculty(50 X 20) 1000

PDF(150atanygiventime),150X10 1500

PhD scholars 3250

Total 9750

Total 6500

Total 20000

Note: The area mentioned above are indicative. However the Consultant may change the same as per planning requirement

December 3rd, 2008

NISER call for tenders for Providing Consultancy Services for Construction of Residential and Academic Townships

Following is excerpted from http://www.dcsem.gov.in/Page/Tender.htm. The cost estimates are:

• Residential Township : Rs 160 crores
• Academic Township & Sports Complex: Rs 130 crores

(As per http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=31118 each IISER construction budget is 241  crores.)

December 3rd, 2008

Walk-in interview during Dec 8-13 for 50 research positions at IMMT (Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology) Bhubaneswar

1 comment December 2nd, 2008

Orissa government to pay for infrastructure costs beyond land for IIT Bhubaneswar

Following are excerpts from a report in Business Standard.

The Orissa government has geared up to meet the requirement of external infrastructure facilities for the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) near Bhubaneswar.

Apart from providing road communication facilities, the government will also supply water and electricity to the site at Arugul mouza in Jatni Tehsil.

The Centre had asked the Orissa government to provide free land and develop external infrastructure for the proposed institute.

The state industry department has drawn a three-year development plan for the IIT. According to preliminary estimates, the investment will be about Rs 50 crore.

While providing water supply from Naraj to the IIT site is estimated to cost Rs 24 crore, another Rs 20 crore will be spent on supplying electricity at the project location. Besides, a flyover will have to be constructed and roads inside the campus need to be redesigned to bypass the railway line running through the site.

The state government has selected 891 acres in Arugul mouza for setting up the IIT. There is a patch of 20 acres of private land in the identified 891 acres and the state government will acquire it.

… The industry department is in talks with other departments like IT, urban development and science and technology for integrating the water supply system of the IIT with that of Infocity-II, Khurda-Jatni townships and National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), coming up in the same area.

If this comes through, the cost of supplying water to the IIT campus will be relatively low, sources added.

Similarly, the electricity requirement of the IIT campus is estimated at 20 Mw. While the cost of 132 KV transmission line will be constructed by OPTCL, the required 33 KV/11KV line will be laid by power utility Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU).

Meanwhile, the visit of the Site Selection Committee (SSC) for the IIT in Orissa has been delayed. …

November 28th, 2008

IITs may become real universities and have more non-technical programs

Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India. (Thanks to Prof. Ratan Ghosh for the pointer.)

In the coming years, the IIT palette will have on offer a range of shades beyond the cut-and-dry coding courses. A bunch of doctors, historians, perhaps policy makers too, could boast of IIT degrees.

… the XIth five-year committee for higher education is working with these centres of excellence to expand their charts. The committee, headed by educationist Yash Pal, that is meeting IIT heads on Friday will discuss how the tech schools can change their character and, like American universities, enlarge their menu.

"Currently, the IITs are premier undergraduate engineering schools doing some postgraduation and research work. Now, we want to give them a bigger role," Yash Pal told TOI. The noted scientist said that he had discussed his suggestions with some IIT directors and that a clearer picture would emerge after this week’s meeting.

While the IITs will be given more oxygen in terms of starting courses of their choice, it’s difficult to predict whether the new subjects offered will compare in excellence with the engineering departments, or be relegated to the sidelines, like the IITs’ management schools. However, Yash Pal said, "All great universities around the world offer a range of undergraduate courses. Our IITs can’t be great unless they think in that direction."

The committee is looking at the Big Daddy of engineering colleges for inspiration. "If MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) or Caltech (California Institute of Technology) can offer a wider range of programmes that are well-known, why not the IITs? Our IITs have produced wonderful engineers for the country. It’s time they looked at offering more," he added.

Former Indian Institute of Science director Govardhan Mehta, who’s also on the committee, said that the country was currently at a stage where an institute running one programme was also being termed a university. "However, a university, as defined in the ninth century, is an institution with a confluence of many disciplines where research and teaching are carried out. While expansion of courses in the IITs is what our committee is thinking of, Friday’s meeting will give us a chance to know what’s in the IIT heads’ minds," he said.

 … IIT-Guwahati director Gautam Barua said, "There has been some suggestion that the IITs start programmes in areas other than science and technology. I do not have a problem with doing that if our focus is clearly defined."

… Educationist and former director of IIT-Chennai P V Indiresan, who has spent a large part of his life in the IIT system, said the institutes had been synonymous with excellence and they must not start any programmes unless they got very good faculty for the same.

How the IITs will rise to the challenge remains to be seen. What’s certain, however, is that the flow charts on their lush campuses are set to be redrawn.

November 20th, 2008

IIT JEE 2009: Students passing qualifying exam before Oct 1 2007 are not eleigible

The eligibility criteria has been made to discourage multi-year preparation for IIT JEE. To be eligible for IIT JEE 2009 students must NOT have passed their qualifying exam before Oct 1, 2007 and must not have taken admission to an IIT/IT-BHU/ISMU in the past by paying full fees. They must also have secured at least 60% in their qualifying exam. See details at the IIT JEE 2009 sites such as at IIT Guwahati.

3 comments November 10th, 2008

Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri to have 25 universities

The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri area will have 25 universities. Following is a slide on it from my presentation at the Invest India Symposium.

The color coding in the above slides is as follows:

• Red – Central govt funded universities/institutes
• Navy Blue: State govt. funded universities
• Light blue: PPP
• Green: Privately created universities and deemed universities
• Orange: Mention about colleges that are part of various universities

To compare this with the universities in the major metropolitan areas of the US and the state of California, please see: 

• Boston: 18 four year colleges and universities in the city and  24 in the surrounding areas, some listed twice as they have campuses in the city as well as in the surrounding areas.
• New York:83 colleges and universities in New York City, not counting the 22 individual colleges of CUNY.
• Los Angeles:
• Chicago: 43 colleges and universities
• California
  

The reason we use California as a reference point is that the population of California (34,600,463 in 2001) is close to the population of Orissa (2001: 36,804,660).

November 8th, 2008

XIM Bhubaneswar’s plans and status report

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

…XIMB had sought 60 acres of land from the Orissa government in Bhubaneswar for developing its second campus but the B-school’s plans was marred by inordinate delay on the part of the state government in allotment of land.

“We have already taken up the issue of allotment of land with the state chief minister, industries secretary and other relevant officials. However, we are yet to receive any communication from the state government on allotment of land”, Joseph clarified.

The institute was open to set up its second campus in alternative locations of the state like Cuttack and Khurda if land was unavailable in the city.

Meanwhile, it had also started scouting for private land in Cuttack and Khurda apart from within the city owing to delay in allotment of land by the state government and the B-school was aiming to take possession of the land by the end of this year.

The institute aimed to make its second campus operational by 2012 to mark the 25th year of formation of XIMB.

In another development, XIMB is set to roll out the part-time doctoral programme in management in its existing campus from the next academic session.

This programme is being designed for those work executives who cannot pursue full-time doctoral course in management.

…  At present, XIMB offers Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) with an intake of 15 participants every year.

…  XIMB had recently entered into a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the US-based Eastern Michigan University for offering dual degree programmes to its students.

According to the MoU, the students of XIMB will spend two semesters at the Eastern Michigan University and they will be awarded certificates in post graduate programmes like MS degree in Information Systems and MS in Organisational Behaviour apart from the conventional MBA course.

XIMB is awaiting the approval of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for offering the dual degree programmes to its students.

With an annual intake of over 1,000 students, XIMB currently has tie-ups with ten overseas B-schools in Germany, France and Spain.

Talking to some people who are in the know, the govt. is trying to give 60 acres of land to XIMB for its second campus. The delay is due to several reasons, but the govt. is definitely trying. The possible location of this is near Naraj Mundali in the area called Ramdaspur. This is within a km or two of the Sri Sri University location. That area is slowly becoming a knowledge hub with the following proposed institutions:

• Sri Sri University, Govindpur (near Arilo), Naraj side
• National law school, Brajabiharipur, Cuttack side
• XIM Second campus, Ramdaspur, Naraj side
• Ravenshaw University second campus, Bidanasi, Cuttack side

3 comments November 4th, 2008

Orissa govt. ready to give land, water, road and electricity for free and wants IIT Bhubaneswar construction to start as soon as possible: Sambada

November 2nd, 2008

IIT JEE 2009

From the various IIT sites, such as http://www.iitg.ernet.in/jee/.

October 30th, 2008

Health Minister’s status report in the Lok Sabha on the AIIMS-like institutes

Following is from http://164.100.24.209/newls/textofdebatedetail.aspx?sdate=10/23/2008.

श्री राम कृपाल यादव (पटना)  :  उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं आपके माध्यम से माननीय स्वास्थ्य मंत्री जी का ध्यान आकर्षित करना चाहता हूं। पूरे देश में छह अखिल भारतीय अनुसंधान संस्थान (एम्स) खोलने की बात हुई थी। मेरे संसदीय क्षेत्र पटना में भी एम्स खोलने की बात कही गई थी। दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण स्थिति है कि लगभग पांच साल पहले इसका काम शुरू हुआ था, लेकिन आज तक केवल चाहरदीवारी का ही निर्माण हुआ है। शिलान्यास के समय एम्स को कार्यरूप में शुरू करने के लिए वर्ष 2009 तक का समय रखा गया था। बिहार में कोई भी उत्कृष्ठ अस्पताल नहीं है। इस कारण दिल्ली के एम्स अस्पताल में 60 परसेंट बिहार के लोग अपना इलाज करवाने आते हैं। बिहार में गरीबी है, फटेहाली है इस कारण कई लोग इलाज कराने के लिए दिल्ली आ भी नहीं पाते हैं। बिहार के लोगों को स्वास्थ्य लाभ लेने के लिए बहुत दिक्कतों का सामना करना पड़ता है। अगर बिहार में एम्स अस्पताल खुल जाएगा, तो न सिर्फ बिहार के लोगों को, बल्कि बिहार से सटे नेपाल, असम तथा आसपास के इलाकों के लोग भी लाभांवित हो सकेंगे। कई बार हमने सदन के माध्यम से माननीय मंत्री जी का ध्यान आकर्षित कराया है। आश्वासन मिलने के बावजूद भी आज तक इस बारे में तेज रफ्तार से काम नहीं हो रहा है। पता नहीं यह काम कितने वर्षों में पूरा होगा।

उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : आपने अपनी बात कह दी है। अब आप समाप्त कीजिए।  You are now repeating the same thing.

श्री राम कृपाल यादव (पटना)  : कई लोगों के पास दिल्ली इलाज के लिए आने के लिए भाड़े के पैसे नहीं होते हैं। मंत्री जी यहां बैठे हैं, मैं आपके माध्यम से माननीय मंत्री जी से कहना चाहता हूं कि वे इस बारे में उत्तर दें कि कब से काम शुरू होगा और कब काम खत्म होगा। बिहार जैसे गरीब देश में लोगों को इलाज कराने में बहुत परेशानी होती है।

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Sir, hon. Minister is here.  He should reply not only to the hon. Member’s question but other questions also.  I have asked a number of questions.

MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: I cannot compel the Minister to reply.

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS): Sir, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana the Government of India intends to start six new AIIMS like institutions in States like  Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.  The CCA had given approval only in 2006.  Since then we have been going through a lot of process.  One tender was un-responsive.  Another tender was a single bidder.  We had to go through the project management consultants.  In all we have to go through a lot of process and there was a delay.  I accept the responsibility for delay on part of my Ministry.  Nevertheless, I had again asked them to quicken the process.  Finally, I could say that the construction work has started in five out of six AIIMS like institutions, including Bihar, Orissa and Rajasthan.  Except Bhopal, work at other five sites has already begun and at Bhopal the work will start in the beginning of November.

          I categorically assure that the work has started and the entire construction work will be over in another two-and-a-half to three years and it will be fully functional.  Not only that, we also want to upgrade some more institutions in Northern part of the country.  We have added some more institutions, which again after getting the approval we will inform the hon. House.

SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID (PERIYAKULAM): Sir, since the hon. Minister belongs to Tamil Nadu, he should see to it that Tamil Nadu also has such an institution.

SHRI P.S. GADHAVI (KUTCH): Sir, I would like to raise a very important issue concerning my constituency regarding the development of Jakhau Fishery Harbour Project.… (Interruptions)

श्री राम कृपाल यादव (पटना)  : महोदय, मैं स्वास्थ्य मंत्री जी को तमाम राज्य के लोगों की तरफ से धन्यवाद देना चाहता हूं, जिनको इन्होंने उपहार देने का काम किया है। स्वाईं जी आप भी मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद दे दीजिए।

श्री खारबेल स्वाईं (बालासोर)  : मैं कई बार मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद दे चुका हूं।

Orissa should push for the upgradation of MKCG Medical college to the level of an AIIMS.

1 comment October 25th, 2008

Japan to help IIT Hyderabad in graduate programs and in developing a management program

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

A new Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) coming up in Hyderabad will see close Japanese partnership at the post-graduate level in key areas, including setting up of a Japanese-style business management course, and increased funding for purchase of technical and research equipment to make it into an institution of excellence.A working group that has submitted its report for establishing such an institution with Japanese-Indian collaboration said environment and energy, digital communication, design and manufacturing, nano-technology and nano-science, and civil engineering would be fields that would given a fresh thrust.

Former prime minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had set up a working group in August last year to zero in on a new IIT that would see Japanese assistance.

… In addition courses on Japanese-style business management, a key strength of the country’s industry, will also be introduced. While faculty and student exchanges will happen regularly, the premier institute will also set up a Japanese language course for students that could help them find jobs in Japan in the future.

…  "Collaboration on the new IIT will be implemented with a long term perspective in mind based on human exchange an joint work. This will be viewed possibly as a ten-year programme,” said a senior official.

2 comments October 22nd, 2008

IIT Hyderabad takes the lead in starting Ph.D programs

Among the new IITs, IIT Hyderabad has advertised to admit Ph.D students  and will start its  Ph.D program in 2009.  Following is from its announcement at http://www.iith.ac.in/index-curr.php?p=2008Admissions_PhD_Announcement.

Admission to the PhD Programs

Advertisement No.: IITH/2008/Admissions/1

 

Applications are invited for the session commencing from January 2009 for admission to the Doctor Philosophy (PhD) programs in

(a) Engineering: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Material Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering;

(b) Sciences: Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics; and

(c) Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS): Languages, Psychology, Economics, and Management.

 

Minimum Qualifications

(a) Engineering: M.Tech./M.E./M.Sc.(Engineering) degree with first class or equivalent in the respective or allied areas. Candidates with Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology or Master’s degree in Sciences in an allied area with exceptional academic record and possessing a valid GATE score may also apply.

(b) Sciences & HSS: M.Sc./M.A. degree with first class or equivalent in respective or allied areas with a valid GATE/UGC Net/CSIR JRF/NBHM score.

 

General Information

Financial support (Assistantship/Scholarship) will be provided to all students, who are Indian citizens, enrolled in the Ph.D. program and who do not receive any other form of financial assistance. Sponsored candidates from Government of India R&D Laboratories shall also be considered for Ph.D. Programs; sponsored candidates do not require GATE qualification and will not be paid any scholarship.

 

Reservation

Reservations will be 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST and 27% for OBC. Also, up to 3% reservation shall apply as per Government of India rules for persons with disability (PD) in each category.

 

Application form in Pdf Format can be downloaded here.
Application form in Microsoft Word Format can be downloaded here.

PhD Reference Letter form in Pdf click here.

PhD Reference Letter form in Microsoft word click here.
Candidates desirous of applying for more than one program must send separate applications for each program. Applications should be sent on or before 30 October 2008 to:

 

          Professor C.V.R.Murty

Co-Chair, IIT Hyderabad Task Force

          Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad

          Ordnance Factory Campus

          Yeddumailaram 502205

          Andhra Pradesh, India

eMail: dac@iitm.ac.in or iith@iitm.ac.in

18 comments October 16th, 2008