Odisha HRD

BPNSI (Biju Patnaik National Steel Institute) admission ad in Samaja

November 16th, 2007

Block grant scheme of funding for new NIFTs; New NIFT center in Rae Bareli, UP

The following is from the PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=32492.

The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for introduction of the Block Grant Scheme of funding on the lines of IITs, IIMs, etc., for NIFT.

This will provide further functional / financial autonomy to the institute and will encourage it to generate more internal resources, promote innovation and result in an overall improvement in the standard of education and research.

The base year for the Block Grant Scheme shall be 2006-07 and the scheme will come into effect from 2007-08.

Currently there are NIFTs centers at New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai and a new one has just been announced for Rae Bareli.  Earlier, the central minister from Orissa had said that he had requested and received positive indication regarding an NIFT in Orissa.  See https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=304 and https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=178. I wonder what happened to that.

November 8th, 2007

XIM’s admission ad in Samaja

October 28th, 2007

More news on the 1 lakh/year scholarship for science students

Following is an excerpt from an Economic Times report on this.

If you figure in the list of meritorious 1 lakh students, you will get Rs 1 lakh annually for pursuing university education in science stream and the amount may continue up to five years. The government is planning to institute scholarships to encourage education in science and technology. While modalities of selecting meritorious students are yet to be worked out, it is proposed that the future scientists would be caught young in the 12th class itself.

The financial assistance would be given to such students while pursuing BSc and MSc courses. “We have proposed to give adequate financial support to sufficient number of students to foster talent in scientific research. The government is considering to award 1 lakh scholarships of Rs 1 lakh each.

Meritorious students pursuing university education in science stream would be eligible for the award. The proposal is expected to be incorporated in the 11th Five-Year Plan, and expected to be announced in the forthcoming National Development Council (NDC) meeting,” a source in the government said.

It is understood that the proposed scholarship would be modelled on the line of INSPIRE programme mooted by the department of science & technology (DST).

INSPIRE stands for innovations in science pursuit for inspired research. The programme aims at reaching out to the young talent and help them to pursue their interest in science.

“It is also an intervention devised to redress low entry of students into science and technology streams,” a DST source said. After the programme would get a formal approval, the selection procedure for the meritorious students would be announced.

… It is expected that the budget allocation of scientific departments would be enhanced significantly in the 11th Plan. The plan allocation has been doubled from about Rs 12,000 crore in the 9th Plan to about Rs 25,000 crore in the 10 Plan and it is planned to increased it approximately four fold in the 11th Plan, official sources said.

10 comments October 26th, 2007

IMMT (formerly RRL) two day program on youth for leadership in Science

October 26th, 2007

NISER Bhubaneswar: Tender Watch

Following are the latest tender related documents from http://www.dcsem.gov.in/Page/Tender.htm.

Earlier tender related news is at https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=214. Some of the links from that page do not work any more.

October 21st, 2007

AIIMS clones in Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Raipur, Patna, Rishikesh and Jodhpur: Tender watch

Latest from http://www.mohfw.nic.in/tenders.html:

• http://www.mohfw.nic.in/EoI_FOR_PC.htm. (EOI for project consultants – August 2007)
• Space Requirement for Six AIIMS Institutes
• Query and addendum of Design DPR for 6 AIIMS like Institutes
• Query and their reply with addendum of EPC Developer for 6 AIIMS like Institutes

Some earlier documents:

• RFP for EPC contractor for Housing Complex for Six AIIMS like Institutes
  • Volume 1 (a) Notice Inviting Bid (b)Instructions to Bidders (c) Terms of Reference (d) Evaluation Process and criteria.
  • Volume 2 (a)Conditions of contract.
  • Volume 3 (a) Client’s Requirement (b) Surveyed Site Plan (available with HLL)
• RFP for Design DPR Consultants for Six AIIMS like Institutes
  • Volume 1 (a) Notice Inviting Bid (b) Instructions to Bidders (c) Terms of Reference (d) Evaluation Process and criteria.
  • Volume 2 (a) Conditions of contract.
  • Volume 3 (a) Client’s Requirement (b) Surveyed Site Plan (available with HLL) (c) Geotechnical investigation report (available with HLL) (d) Zoning Plan. (available with HLL)
• Addendum / Clarification for EOI for design consultancy for 6 AIIMS like Institutes

Even earlier documents: (Reported in https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=93)

• EOI for providing comprehensive consultancy for 6 AIIMS like institutions (February 2007)
• EOI for setting up housing complexes at Bhubaneswar, …(February 2007)

Much earlier: (Reported in https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=79 )

• RFP for providing Consultancy Services for setting up 6 AIIMS like Apex Healthcare institutes
• Issue of RFP for Architectural Competition for six AIIMS under PMSSY Project (Drawing 1/Drawing 2/Drawing 3/RFP Document/Architects’ Brief) / Reply to Bidders’ Query / Amendment to RFP)

1 comment October 20th, 2007

Arjun Singh at odds with the PM, Planning Commission and the Knowledge Commission?

Our earlier report https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=746 supports this to some extent. Following is  from an article in merinews.com written by Ashok K. Jha.

This government, …, had constituted a knowledge commission under Sam Pitroda who, encouraged by Rajiv Gandhi, had set up Centre for Developments of Telematics and C-Dot in the early eighties, which proved a catalyst for the Telecommunication Revolution that we are witnessing today. Many prominent personalities are also the members of this commission. After months of brainstorming and research the commission recommended its suggestions to the government.

 

But there are some politicians in our country who accord their personal ego and interests above country’s welfare and progress. Many analysts feel that there are some ministers in this government who embody that description.

 

Human Resource Minister, Arjun Singh kept ignoring the recommendations of the commission for reasons best known to him only. But recently, the minister hesitatingly met the Knowledge Commission Chairman, Sam Pitroda for a few minutes and heard him out. It is speculated that the minister might have been asked to mend his ways and cooperate with the Commission.

 

Arjun Singh was not impressed by the recommendatation of the commission and deliberately chose to ignore the suggestions of the commission until the Prime Minister himself took up the matter and declared the road map that his government intended to follow in accordance with the recommendations. Prime Minister had announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort that very soon every state would have a central university and the number of premier engineering and management institutes would be increased. He also said that in order to impart technical training at the grassroot level, thousands of technical institutes would be opened and the private sector will also be encouraged to participate.

 

But the fact is that there is a shortage of technical professionals and the situation will continue to look grim unless some drastic measures are implemented speedily. Manpower has become an asset for India and this will play a greater role in the future as the world population is ageing whereas the youth constitute greater percentage of India’s population.

 

The world has become a global village now and if India is not able to match its pace with the rest of the world, then, very soon it will be another story of opportunity missed.

 

Arjun Singh does not seem to care a bit and is not willing to act unless it results in some kind of a political dividend for him.

 

It might sound amusing as he might himself not remember when he won any election last. In fact, in spite of being beaten in elections repeatedly, he became a minister only for his consistent loyalty to the Gandhi family. He should have realised his limitations and spent his energy in keeping his benefactors in good humour. Strangly, he became ambitious and started tinkering in everything like his predecessor, Murli Manohar Joshi used to do.

 

Whatever developmental strides India is making now is due to its ‘knowledge workforce’ and to gain the much aspired momentum, our education system needs to be drastically changed. But what would be the result if the minister himself starts obstructing all such initiatives on the ground that any such move would not yield any political dividends for him? The Prime Minister should act firmly now otherwise there are many politicians who can’t foresee beyond personal interests. They must be made to realise and mend their follies in the larger interest of the public they are elected to serve.

1 comment October 20th, 2007

Business India B-School ranking

The following is from http://www.mbauniverse.com/innerPage.php?id=ne&pageId=660. 

78 comments October 20th, 2007

NISER ad for teaching assistant in Biology

The following is from http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/NISER-Advt16-10-07.pdf.

National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) is looking for bright young people as teaching assistants in biology to help in teaching and carryout supervised research. The candidates are also expected to maintain laboratory and mentor undergraduate students. There will be opportunity to register for Ph.D. degree for those who perform exceptionally. The maximum duration of the position is five years subject to yearly evaluation. The candidates must have a 1^st Class M.Sc./M.Phil. degree.

The interested candidates may send an application in plain paper with their ’Resume’ along with two letters of reference from their former teachers/supervisors and a statement of career goal to Director, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar-751 005. 

2 comments October 17th, 2007

RMTS2007 Test on 11th Nov.; Last date of application extended to 25th October

Institute of Mathematics and Applications in Bhubaneswar has extended the last date of application for RMTS 2007 to 25th of October. The test date is not changed and stays on Nov 11.

Update: The application form is available at http://www.rmtsorissa.org/text/aplication.zip.

3 comments October 10th, 2007

Health minister promises to start work on AIIMS clone in Bhubaneswar from Jan 2008: Press release of Govt. of Orissa

Following is the press release.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met the Union Health Minister Shri A. Ramdoss today and impressed upon him to start work on the AIIMS Bhubaneswar campus without further delay. The Government of Orissa has already made available land to Government of India for this purpose. The Union Health Minister assured the CM that work would begin latest by January 2008.

Discussion was also held on wide ranging issues in the Health Sector. The Chief Minister requested the Union Health Minister for opening of a Paediatric Centre at Berhampur for treatment of children affected by HIV/ AIDS. He also pursued the request made by the State Government for installation of CD-4 machines in the 3 Medical Colleges at Cuttack, Berhampur and Sambalpur for detection of HIV/ AIDS. The Chief Minister, Orissa requested the Union Health Minister to sanction state-of-the art machines such as Linear Accelerator for the Cancer Hospital at Cuttack. The Union Health Minister assured the CM that all support will be extended for this purpose.

The CM, Orissa pleaded for increase of intake capacity in Dental Surgery (BDS) from 20 to 50. He further suggested opening of MDS course for which necessary posts of doctors have been sanctioned by Government of Orissa. The Union Health Minister promised to consider the proposal favourably.

Discussions were also held for opening new Nursing Colleges in different parts of Orissa in PPP mode. Government of Orissa will take steps to open such colleges shortly.

In related news a Times of India report outlines the progress with respect to the AIIMS clone in Patna. The time line described in that report will most likely also hold for the one in Bhubaneswar.

The bidding for selection of consultant would be opened on October 3, 2007. "The project management committee had approved the expression of interest (EOI) for selection of project management consultants for construction of six AIIMS-like medical college and hospitals in the country," the affidavit stated.

The project management consultants would be selected by December, 2007, and detailed project report would be submitted by April-May, 2008. Civil construction of the hospital and medical college building may be started by early 2008 and completed by 2010. Simultaneously, the manpower requirement for the AIIMS-like institution is being assessed by a separate committee, the affidavit added.

1 comment September 29th, 2007

Updates on the AIIMS-like institutes

Following are excerpts from a report in livemint.com.

Tenders open in Oct for Rs 1,500 cr AIIMS-like hospitals in six cities

C.H. Unnikrishnan

An ambitious Rs 10,000 crore project, led by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, to set up over a dozen multi-speciality hospitals and medical education institutions across the country, under the so-called National Rural Health Mission, will kick off in the first week of October with the opening of architecture and design tenders for six hospital projects.

The six medical institutions —being modelled on New Delhi-based All India Institute of Medical Sciences—at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh costing Rs1,500 crore are expected to be completed in 2009. Other phases of the National Rural Health Mission, including super-speciality hospitals and medical institutions in 11 states, will be finalized soon.

This is the first major government investment for health care infrastructure in the country, even as private players such as Fortis Healthcare Ltd, Max Helathcare Ltd, Hinduja Group, Apollo Hospitals Ltd, and Wockhardt Hospitals Ltd, among others, have earmarked between Rs10,000 crore and Rs15,000 crore for new hospitals and expansion of existing ones.

According to an official at the state-owned Hindustan Latex Ltd’s procurement and consultancy division, which has been appointed a consultant to the first phase of the project, the government has received 14 “expressions of interest for the design and architecture of the six AIIMS-like medical institutions proposed in the project.”

IVRCL Infrastructure & Projects Ltd, RITES Ltd, HSCC India Ltd, Hospitech Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd, Technicalia Consultants Ltd, Kotari Associates Ltd, and Borg Lor Associates Ltd are among those that have bid for architecture contracts.

The proposed institutes will be equipped to handle multiple diseases and disorders with 800 hospital beds along with intensive care units and trauma care centres. They will have medical colleges with annual intake of 100 students and will also offer doctoral courses.

The following phases of the National Rural Health Mission, which include upgradation of seven medical institutions in six other states, and setting up of super-speciality medical institutions and research centres in another five states through the public-private partnership model, are also being finalised. The government is also planning upgradation of about 700 hospitals in rural areas especially in underserved states.

The emphasis on health care infrastructure under the five-year, Rs40,000 crore National Rural Health Mission of the government comes in the wake of strong criticism from non-governmental organizations and national healthcare action groups.

September 19th, 2007

NISER Bhubaneswar instructions for the second list of candidates

The following is from a NISER announecment.

The admission process for the second list will begin on 17th September, 2007 at
10.00 a.m. The classes have been going on since 12th September, 2007. It is therefore desired that the students should take admission at the earliest and begin their academic activity without delay. The admission process will come to close on 27th September, 2007.

Students have been allotted the stream of their first choice provisionally. The final allotment of streams will be done at the end of the first year based on their overall academic performance in semester I and semester II.

Students will receive scholarship at the rate of Rs. 3,000/-per month.

All the students will have to register for all the courses which are to be credited by all the entrants to NISER’s 5-year integrated M.Sc. programme. The details of course descriptions are being posted in the webpage of NISER.

All the students are required to bring with them at the time of admission the originals of the following documents:

                    (a) Class X and Class XII Mark Sheets,

                    (b) Class X certificate,

                    (c) Caste / Tribe certificate (in case of SC/ST candidates).

In addition they should also bring four passport size photographs and two stamp size photographs and a Demand Draft for Rs. 13,000/= (Rs. 7,000/-for SC/ST students) towards payment of tuition fee, caution money and mess advance. The DD should be drawn in favour of NISER, payable at Bhubaneswar.
Hostel accommodation

All the students will be provided hostel accommodation. They are expected to register for the hostel accommodation at the time of admission. Details about the availability of hostel accommodation for boys and girls will be posted on the web soon.

September 17th, 2007

NISER Bhubaneswar has a second and final list of candidates

The following list is from NISER’s web page.

September 15th, 2007

Some numbers related to IIT Kharagpur : a reference point to NISER

Update on April 14, 2008:  IIM Kozhikode has a faculty of 17 against the sanctioned strength of 40 members, IIM Calcutta has 70 against a sanctioned strength of 88; IIM Bangalore has 74 as against the sanctioned strength of 89.

Update on Oct 16, 2007: IIT Delhi has a sanctioned faculty of 583, with 130 vacancies.

Update on Oct 2, 2007: IIT Bombay has a faculty strength of 420, with 100 vacancies.

Frontline has a nice article on IIT Kharagpur.  Following are some excerpts.

it has 19 departments, eight multidisciplinary centres and schools and 13 schools of excellence besides laboratories and central research facilities. It employs 1,600 employees, including 460 faculty members, and has 7,000 students on a sprawling, green campus of over 2,100 acres…

In comparison, according to various reports NISER (New Indian Express, Kalinga Times) would have 250 faculty, 2000 students, 761 employees and will be built in 300 acres with a project cost of 823.19 crores. Thus, in terms of faculty size and employee size it is envisaged to be about half the size of IIT Kharagpur.

Some information on IISER as was given in a recent PIB is as follows:

The Government of India has set up three Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), at Pune, Kolkata and Mohali. Two more IISERs are being set up at Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram. These Institutes have been/are being set up on th3 recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (SAC-PM). The total estimated project cost of each IISER is Rs. 500.00 crores which includes Rs. 241.00 crores fro construction of building and other infrastructural facilities and Rs. 259.00 crores as recurring expenditure, spread over a period of 7 years.

2 comments September 12th, 2007