Tathya.in (see also Pioneer) reports that XIMB (Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar) is contemplating to become or create a university so as to accommodate its expansion plans.
This is a great idea.
As of now, XIM B is the best ranked higher education institution in Orissa. 2008 Outlook ranking has it at number 8 among the management institutions in India and number 3 among the private management institutes (XLRI is number 1 privatre management school in that list ). The next best ranked institute from Orissa is NIT Rourkela which is often ranked in the early thirties among engineering colleges/institutions. The best it has been ranked is 18.
Besides XIMB, the Xavier brandname is well established in India and abroad. In India, XLRI Jamshedpur is higher ranked than XIMB and is a perennial top 10 among management institutions in India. Similarly, XISS (Xavier Institute of Social Sciences) Ranchi is also well thought off. In USA, there are three Xavier Universities: http://www.xavier.edu/ (Cincinnati), http://www.sxu.edu/ (Chicago), and http://www.xula.edu/ (Louisiana) and are all well regarded.
The Xavier institutions are Jesuit institutions and XIMB was established by the Jesuit Society of India. Besides the Xavier institutes the Jesuit society also established the many well known Loyolla colleges in India. In US, there are about 30 Jesuit universities including famous ones like Georgetown University and Boston College. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Jesuit_Colleges_and_Universities for the list.
With such background and past history of establishing and running quality higher educational institutions, a Xavier University in Orissa, which will be the first such university in India, would be a coup for Orissa and the Orissa government should jump at it, expedite this proposal and provide all necessary support.
In this regard, it may be noted that while the Sri Sri organization have a few higher education institutions, none of them appear in any ranking. In case of Vedanta University, they do not have a past track record. They do have very good people, plans and consulting agencies associated with it and one can imagine that they will be top notch.
But in case of Xavier there is no need of any imagination. With XIMB and XLRI they have proven themselves in India and with the Xavier Universities in the US and with Gerorgetwon University they have proven themselves internationally. So this is a great opprtunity for Orissa, which it should not let slip out. Also, it should expedite the process so that the first Xavier University in India is in Orissa. XLRI has contemplated becoming a deemed university. Xavier University in Orissa should be established before that happens. The one that is first has a first-mover’s advantage and that advantage should not be squandered away.
July 25th, 2009
Other reports: Tathya.
Following is from a report in Pioneer.
With the institution of the IIT at Bhubaneswar I can sea a visible change in this region. Bhubaneswar has already earned a place in the list of cities in this country as an educational hub and third in the country so far as the business ambience is concerned.
Very soon there will be more visitors to this city from all over the world for education, business and tourism creating a demand for an international airport and a lot of traffic through sea route,” said IIT Bhubaneswar Director Prof M Chakraborty at its first foundation day function here on Wednesday.
Prof Chakraborty said the day assumes added significance because it is the day, on which the academic programme of the institution began in the city though in a temporary building. Earlier, the classes were going on at IIT Kharagpur. The permanent building of the institute will be established on 936 acres of land at Argul near the city.
“The institute will promote a borderless academic environment, in which distinction between different branches of science and engineering will dissolve. We shall have the concept of schools rather than departments,” Prof Chakraborty said, adding that the institute is planning to open a School of Material and Mineral Engineering, a School of Ocean and Environmental Sciences and a School of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering in the near future. PhD programme is introduced from the current year and steps are being taken to provide Rs 5 lakh to every faculty member to initiate their research programmes.
Besides, there is a proposal to establish a science park with focus on innovations emphasising product design and product creation based global societal needs, he informed.
July 23rd, 2009
Following are some excerpts from that interview.
What are the institute’s immediate campus expansion plans?
We received 936 acres from the Orissa government in Argul. The master plan for the permanent and residential IIT-Bhubaneswar campuses is almost ready. Next we will appoint architects and consultants for project and construction management. IIT-Kharagpur will continue to be the mentor institute for IIT-Bhubaneswar for 2-3 years, beginning 2008. We started at the IIT-KGP campus in July 2008 with 100 students. Now we have moved to a temporary campus of 45,000 sq ft in Bhubaneswar. This space is IIT-KGP’s extension centre and was given to us by IIT-KGP. Currently, we are putting up all our students and faculty in a housing complex where we have hired 60 large flats.
Academically, what are your focus areas?
We started with three courses in July 2008. These were BTech degrees in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering. We plan to start a school of mineral and material engineering, considering the rich resources of Orissa. Also we intend to start studies in ocean sciences, environmental sciences and disaster management. School of chemical and bio-chemical engineering is also another priority area. Our new campus of 936 acres will have a science park where various industries would come and work with students and faculty. This will ensure our students’ exposure to on-job learning.
Also, we will not have separate departments for each discipline. For instance, we will have only one school of basic sciences which will encompass subjects like Physics, Chemistry, bio-science, arts sciences, and others. Similarly, our school of infrastructure management will encompass everything from construction, architecture to building materials, etc. This will ensure multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research and interaction. Our aim is to encourage product designing and product creation based on societal needs, and in order to do that, a student needs to know right from the material selection to manufacturing to production to finished goods. Therefore, each school of learning should address all necessary knowledge required to build a product specific to that industry.
How many students and faculty do you have now, and what is the plan ahead?
When we started from IIT-KGP last year, we had 100 students. This year we have moved to the temporary campus in Bhubaneswar with 94 second-year students. We have 120 first years and 20 preparatory students. … We have 27 faculty members right now taking care of the first and second year students, and the drive is on for recruiting more faculty. Our plan is to have 2,500 students and 280 faculty within 3-4 years. In 15 years from now, we should have 10,000 students, 1,100 faculty and nearly 1,400 supporting staff.
…
Any specific plans to encourage research?
Research is one of our main focus areas and we are encouraging faculty to join us with their own research scholars. Even professors from other institutions would come to IIT-Bhubaneswar with their projects. All these projects are funded by various government departments and agencies, so once the researchers come to IIT-Bhubaneswar, the research funds would get transferred to our institute. We will soon advertise for research scholars to engage them in creating new knowledge, as then publish the findings. …
IIT-Bhubaneswar is also making provision for up to Rs 5 lakh research grant to a faculty. This would help them to invest in necessary infrastructure they require to carry out their research, like softwares, hardwares, books and journals, etc. Student researchers get a grant of Rs 15,000 per month. International exposure for faculty and student researchers and presenting their research papers at international conferences is another priority area.
July 20th, 2009
The following is extracted from http://jee.iitd.ac.in/openclose09.htm.
| Institute |
Open EE (11) |
Close EE (11) |
Open ME (24) |
Close ME (24) |
Last rank |
| IIT Bombay (B) |
8 |
109 |
72 |
494 |
3884 (Chemistry) |
| IIT Delhi (D) |
108 |
241 |
237 |
634 |
2981 (Biochem & Biotech) |
| IIT Madras (M) |
32 |
310 |
275 |
820 |
3500 (Biotechnology) |
| IIT Kanpur (K) |
39 |
416 |
497 |
806 |
4684 (Chemistry) |
| IIT Kharagpur (G) |
596 |
920 |
830 |
1191 |
6327 (Architecture) |
| IIT Roorkee (R) |
848 |
1821 |
927 |
1909 |
5467 (Chemistry) |
| IIT Guwahati (W) |
W16-2043 |
W-16 2489 |
1693 |
2608 |
5748 (Design) |
| IIT Hyderabad (H) |
985 |
2645 |
1812 |
2876 |
2876 (Mech) |
| IIT Gandhinagar (N) |
1939 |
3038 |
1736 |
3317 |
3741 (Chemical Engg) |
| IIT Rajasthan (J) |
2830 |
3555 |
2947 |
3792 |
3792 (Mech) |
| IIT Bhubaneswar (A) |
2585 |
3704 |
3147 |
4025 |
4272 (Civil) |
| IIT Indore (E) |
2502 |
3916 |
3133 |
4060 |
4060 (Mech) |
| IIT Punjab (U) |
3293 |
3847 |
3336 |
4001 |
4001 (Mech) |
| IIT Mandi (C) |
3547 |
4146 |
3185 |
4288 |
4288 (Mech) |
| IIT Patna (P) |
3439 |
4313 |
4097 |
4410 |
4410 (Mech) |
| IT BHU (V) |
2073 |
3782 |
2389 |
4014 |
7117 (Pharmaceutics) |
| ISMU Dhanbad (S) |
4229 |
5611 |
4571 |
5680 |
7063 (Chemistry)
|
(The 2008 open-close ranks are here.)
July 14th, 2009
Following is an excerpt from a report in Expressbuzz.com.
The International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bhubaneswar, is all set to launch B Tech courses in several disciplines from the ensuing academic session.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has granted its approval to the premier institute for intake of 240 students in the disciplines of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Computer Science Engineering and IT. Each discipline would have a seat strength of 60.
The students for the B Tech programme would be taken from the State JEE this year. Plans are to restrict intake from State JEE to between 50 and 60 percent and the rest from AIEE and IIT JEE in the subsequent years. Along with the B Tech courses, the institute will also include Ph.D programmes in its curriculum from this year.
… A proposal would be put up with the UGC for accordance of University status to it once it gets going in full strength. The institute, which is presently conducting M Tech courses in Computer Science and IT with 25 students each from the OCAC building, is expected to shift to its own campus at Gothapatna on the outskirts of the Capital in August this year. The campus would come up as a state-of-the-art facility to provide top standard atmosphere and education to the students. Spanning over 23 acres, the IIIT would then have around 2000 students, Prof Nayak said.
… work has started on establishing a second IIIT at Berhampur. The Government has allotted 100 acres for the proposed institute at Rangeilunda.
July 11th, 2009
Following is from a PIB report.
Rajya Sabha
The Government approved the proposal in 2006 for setting up of six AIIMS-like institutions in the first phase of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
The Design-DPR Consultants selected for preparation of designs and the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have submitted the DPRs for medical college and hospital complex. Project Consultants have also been appointed at all sites and work is expected to start in September, 2009 and get completed by the end of 2011.
The availability of faculty/medical staff is key to efficient running of these institutions. The work of construction of residential complexes has, therefore, been taken up on priority work has started at all 6 Sites and will be completed at all sites by the end of 2010.
In addition, it has also been decided to set up two more new AIIMS-like institutions, one each in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh in the second phase of PMSSY.
This information was given by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
July 10th, 2009
Following is from http://www.iitbbs.ac.in/notice/notice.php?sr_no=7. The application form is at http://www.iitbbs.ac.in/notice/notice.php?sr_no=8. These were posted in the IIT Bhubaneswar electronic Notice Board at http://www.iitbbs.ac.in/notice/index.php.
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BHUBANESWAR
IIT Bhubaneswar invites applications for faculty positions at the level of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in the following disciplines.
Disciplines : Civil Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Humanities & Social Sciences (Economics, English, Psychology)
Minimum Qualification
Ph.D. with first class or equivalent in the preceding degree in appropriate branch and evidence of the ability to pursue independent high quality research.
Experience
Professor : At least 10 years teaching / research / industrial experience of which 5 years should be at the level of Assistant Professor or 3 years as Associate Professor.
Associate Professor : At least 8 years teaching / research / industrial experience of which 3 years should be at the level of Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor : At least 3 years teaching / research / industrial experience.
Scale of Pay
Professor : Rs. 18400-500-22400/-
Associate Professor : Rs. 16400-450-20000/-
Assistant Professor : Rs. 12000-420-18300/-
plus allowances as admissible to Central Government employees.
(Pay and allowances are likely to be revised as per Sixth Central Pay Commission)
Academic reimbursements and other incentives
Full funding for attending national conferences either for presenting a paper or chairing a session as per Institute guidelines.
Financial assistance up to Rs.1.00 lakh once in 3 years for attending International conferences either for presenting a paper or chairing a session as per Institute guidelines.
Reimbursement of 75% of membership fee of one international professional society every year.
Book grant of Rs. 4000/- per annum.
Reimbursement of telephone charges up to Rs.750 per month.
Reimbursement of relocation charges from within India to the faculty members at the time of their joining.
Honorarium of Rs. 15,000/- per month to the teachers who have obtained Bhatnagar Award OR are having fellowship of at least two National Academies. A faculty member is entitled for only one of the two honoraria.
Interested candidates may apply enclosing
• Curriculum Vitae.
• List of Publications (with reprints of important publications).
• Names and Addresses (with e-mail address and fax numbers) of at least three referees.
• Any other details relevant to the candidature.
Notes
• Reservation for SC/ST/OBC/PH as per Government of India rules.
- Minimum requirement of experience may be relaxed in respect of outstanding candidates.
• Mere eligibility will not vest any right on any candidate for being called for interview. The decision of the Institute in all matters will be final. No correspondence will be entertained from the candidates in connection with the process of selection / interview. Canvassing in any manner would entail disqualification of the candidature.
· The Institute reserves the right to call only the requisite number of candidates for interview after shortlisting with reference to the candidate’s qualification, suitability, experience, etc.
· The candidates should be preferably below 35 years of age for the post of Assistant Professor
• The Institute reserves the right to fill or not to fill any or all the posts advertised.
· Candidates possessing the requisite qualification & experience may submit their application on the prescribed form to the Registrar, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Samantapuri, Bhubaneswar – 751013 (email : registrar@iitbbs.ac.in).
· NO INTERIM ENQUIRIES WILL BE ENTERTAINED.
Download Application Form
Application form can be downloaded from the Institute website (www.iitbbs.ac.in). The candidates applying from Government Organizations and Public Sector Undertaking should have their applications duly forwarded by their present employer. Applicants desiring to apply for more than one discipline should send separate application for each discipline.
Last Date for receipt of completed application forms: 31st July 2009.
Registrar
Advt. No.F.5-4/2009-P&A dated 26th June 2009
June 29th, 2009
Following is an excerpt from a report in Indiaeducationdiary.
The Chief Minister of Orissa, Shri. Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the new academic block of the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) this morning. XIMB which has been consistently ranked as one of the finest business schools in India has achieved yet another milestone with this new infrastructural development keeping in mind the future demands of management education. …
Speaking to a gathering of more than 800 people, Shri.Patnaik felt that XIMB as an Institute has a lot to offer and congratulated the leadership at XIMB for ensuring continued success and development for the society through the social developmental activities carried out by XIMB.
This new academic block is a seven storied beautiful building and is adjacent to the Fortune Towers which houses major companies operating in Orissa. Standing tall along side the Fortune Towers, the XIMB’s new academic block also provides a glimpse of the changing industrial scenario of Orissa and points to the development that the state is making with regard to business education, commerce and industry. The new academic block has a built up area of 45,875 square feet and has been constructed at an estimated cost of 6.5 crores. It has 23 Faculty rooms, 6 lecture halls with a seating capacity for 60 students each, 4 lecture halls with a seating capacity for 70 students each and two lecture halls with a seating capacity for 120 students each. Besides these facilities, the new academic block also has a board room, a conference room and an examination hall with a seating capacity for 250 students. …
June 22nd, 2009
There is some progress in the IIIT front. Below is an excerpt from a Business Standard report. (In this regard, Orissa must insist that a new PPP based IIIT be established in Berhampur.)
… Nasscom has proposed that the IIITs be set up with an initial investment of Rs 30 crore, of which the government’s share should not exceed Rs 14.9 crore while the share of partnering companies should not be less than Rs 15.1 crore.
“A series of meetings have been held on the issue of finalising the PPP model for the IIITs. The final decision will be taken within a month’s time after which the institutes will be set up,” a senior HRD ministry official said.
Nasscom has also proposed that salary of faculty be linked to their output and the institutions have provisions of differential salary package.
As per the proposal, the IIITs will be autonomous degree awarding institutions. Each institute will have its own Board of Governors comprising 13 members, including one representative from the government.
The government will give a loan of Rs 100 crore to each institute with five years moratorium period and repayable within ten years time, Nasscom Vice-President Rajdeep Sehrawat said.
… As per the government’s plans, 20 new IIITs will be set up across the country in the Eleventh Plan period. Currently, there are four IIITs in the country. In north-eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir, where there are not enough industries, the government will bear the full establishment cost.
The IIIT, for which land will be provided by the states, will spread over 50 acres of area and have completely integrated campus with science and technology parks, he said.
Each institute will specialise on specific area of Information Technology. Each IIIT will be a centre of excellence in that domain. Nasscom has suggested that the institutes be set up in cities having modern amenities.
The IIITs will offer under-graduate, masters and PhD programmes. Each institute will have an intake capacity of about 1,000 students within a period of six to seven years of their functioning, he said.
June 19th, 2009
Update2: Pioneer reports the Orissa health minister saying that the state has been extremely co-operative on AIIMS and the allegations of Mr. Azad is baseless. The good news is that there has been some progress in the ground and
- Out of the 14 blocks of the AIIMS, the roof works of eight blocks have already been completed.
- An alternative road has already been constructed for the Sijua village and 90 per cent work has already been completed.
- Steps have been taken to remove the high-voltage transmission line.
Following is from Samaja:
Update: TOI reports that Mr. Azad went to the AIIMS site and asked the project manager to work in three shifts and said that he will be monitoring the project every month. The first good news is that there is a project manager and some work is actually going on. 
The Central Cabinet minister of Health Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad is visiting Orissa. His answers on the lack of progress with respect to AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar is shocking. This institute foundation stone was laid by then PM Vajapayee prior to 2004 during the NDA government. Since then many reports have been made and tenders have been floated which we have been tracking here. And now Mr. Azad comes and blames the state government to hide the incompetency of the central Minitry of Health in making any progress. Note that the issue of tardy or zero progress on the AIIMS has been raised multiple times earlier, including many times in the parliament and someone even made a high court case in Bihar and this is the first time the state government is being partially blamed.
This is terrible. Mr. Azad should not play politics on such an importance issue and make sure tha the AIIMS-like institute is constructed as soon as posisble. Following are excerpts from a report in Business Standard which gives indication regarding the politics being played by Mr. Azad.
”I will review the progress in all the new AIIMS projects, including the one proposed to be constructed in Bhubanewar, to ensure these are ready in about three years. I will also speak to the construction agency,” Azad said.
Claiming that the steps taken by the state government for the ambitious Rs 820 crore project were slow and sluggish, Azad added that though the detailed project report for the Orissa AIIMS was ready proper land demarcation was yet to be completed.
The state should take quick steps to remove the high power transmission line at the site along with unauthorised structures and a small village relocated, the minister said.
On its part, the Centre was taking steps to bring momentum to the project, Azad informed adding he had spoken to Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh about the need for clearance to about 90 acres of the proposed AIIMS site here.
”Since Orissa badly needs an AIIMS, we are taking all steps to ensure that the project becomes operational at the earliest,” he said.To improve the health care facilities in Orissa, both the Centre and the state government must initiate steps for early completion of AIIMS here, Azad said.
Following is my email to the PMO and Mr. Azad on this topic.
Dear Esteemed Prime Minister and Health Minister:
Please do not play politics on the AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar.
The foundation stone of this institute in Bhubaneswar was laid in 2003. In between 5 years of UPA government rule has passed in Delhi and nothing visible (beyond a boundary wall) has happened.
For the last 5 years, people of Orissa, representatives of Orissa (both MLAs, MPs), and Orissa CM have raised this issue and of no avail. In response to various parliament questions your ministers have always given one excuse or other for the delay.
And now for the first time Mr. Azad comes to Bhubaneswar and lays blame on the state government. (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/centre-to-setnew-aiims-branches-in-three-years/64962/on ). This is playing politics on peoples lives and their health.
While the UPA government made a lot of progress on many fields (such as starting of classes on the new IITs, RTI, NREGS etc.) it has been grossly incompetent on the AIIMS issue.
To solve a problem, one must first admit that there is a problem. Please admit that your health ministry has been grossly incompetent and start over from there.
Please don’t play politics with people’s lives and their health. Please start the AIIMS-like institute in Bhubaneswar as soon as possible and to compensate for the delay as well as to take care of the backward areas of Orissa please immediately upgrade one of the exisiting medical college in the backward Western or Southern Orissa (one in Behampur or Burla) to the AIIMS level.
In West Bengal your are making a new AIIMS as well as upgrading Calcutta Medical College. In UP you will have a new AIIMS and are upgrading 3 medical colleges to AIIMS level.
In Mahasrashtra, Tamil Nadu, J&K and Andhra Pradesh you are upgrading two medical colleges to the AIIMS level. All these has been compiled from your web sites and PIBs and put together at https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/2111 .
Why not in Orissa? I sincerely hope that it is not because you had or have friendly governments in West Bengal, Mahasrashtra, Tamil Nadu, J&K and Andhra Pradesh and are eyeing UP and don’t really care about Orissa and its people?
Why do some other states get a new AIIMS as well as upgradation of multiple medical colleges to AIIMS level, and some get multiple upgradations to AIIMS level, while in Orissa no progress has happened for 5 years with respect to an announced AIIMS?
Sirs: Please pray tell us if this is not neglecting Orissa, what is?
Sirs: I again beg; Please do not play politics with people’s lives and health. Please expedite the establishment of AIIMS in Bhubaneswar and upgrade an exisiting medical college in the backward region of Orissa to the AIIMS level.
sincerely,
Chitta Baral
June 18th, 2009
