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.
October 22nd, 2008
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
October 16th, 2008
This is an abstract from Times of India.
The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) has decided to set up its campus in the city. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to lay foundation stone for the campus soon. This will be the second campus in the country after Mumbai.
TIFR director Mustansir Barma called on chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on October 12 and presented a proposal to set up the campus during the centenary birth year of its founder Dr Homi J Bhabha.
The TIFR, according to official sources, sought about 210 acres of land at the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) for the campus and has projected an investment of over Rs 2,500 crore over a period of 12-15 years.
NOTE: Andhra Pradesh has done excellent in attracting high quality institution of higher learning. Recently it received IIT, WCCU (National University), NIPER, SPA, BITS campus (private), ISM campus (proposed), and now a new TIFR campus with 2500 crore investment. Central University Hyderabad, IICT, CCMB and DRDO research Lab have already mentained a nationally high standard in their respective field. With all these facilties coming over, Hyderabad would emerge as top center for higher education and research in India. Like Chief Minister of AP, Orissa CM should be proactive in attracting independent institution like TIFR, BARC, DRDO, IISc, BITS etc to establish campus in Orissa.
October 15th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from an article in merinews.com.
Hyderabad is an important seat of learning in India. The city is home to three central universities, two deemed universities, and six state universities. Among them is the Osmania University, established in 1917, which is the seventh oldest university in India and the third oldest in South India.
Important institutions for technical education such as
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University,
International Institute of Information Technology are located in this city.
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, a well known educational institution in the field of Agriculture is located on the outskirts of the city.
Important medical institutions such as the Gandhi Medical College, Osmania Medical College and several other private medical colleges such as Deccan College of Medical Sciences are located in Hyderabad.
The Indian School of Business, a top ranking business school which attracts students from all over the world is at Gachibowli, Hyderabad. Hyderabad Central University, National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University and English and Foreign Languages University are other famous universities in the city.
Hyderabad has various research institutes such as the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and ICRISAT. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has research centers in Hyderabad to develop communication and radar systems and for the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Nuclear energy sector has a strong presence with three organisations under the Department of Atomic Energy (India) including the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).
The article does not mention how many engineering colleges and medical colleges are in Hyderabad. In particular, it does not mention the upcoming IIT Hyderabad and the recently started BITS-PIlani Hyderabad campus.
October 15th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in worldsikhnews.com.
“I have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh not to grant central university status to PU,” Badal said on Monday. He said he has revised the decision because of “misgivings in the minds of the intelligentsia,” a shameless euphemism that basically meant that the government had totally misread the people’s sentiments …
Among the Punjab scholars, academicians and public spirited men who opposed the Badal government’s initial decision, said such a move would have adversely affected not only Punjab’s claims overChandigarh but also the university’s commitment to propagation of Punjabi language, culture and tradition.
They said the Punjab Government will no doubt save Rs 16 crore every year but will cause incalculable harm to Punjab.
Some senior academicians and former vice-chancellors formed a ‘Save Panjab University Forum’ and met in Ludhiana’s GGN Khalsa College where former secretary Higher Education, Dr Manmohan Singh, explained the disadvantages of the central takeover of the varsity.
Guru Nanak Dev University former vice-chancellor Dr S.P. Singh said the Panjab University had a closely-knit relationship with Punjabi language, culture and distinct Punjabi identity which would be lost with the Central status.
Punjabi University former vice-chancellor Dr. J.S. Puar averted that Central status to varsity will neither enhance its status nor academic standard. “It would have dwarfed the university by weaning it away from its legitimate heritage.”
Other academicians present were GNDU former pro vice-chancellor Prof Prithipal Singh, Punjab School Education Board secretary Prof J.S. Sidhu and former principals of government colleges and schools. Dr Darshan Singh, aChandigarh based scholar often consulted by the SGPC, also strongly opposed the move.
Some professors from Panjab University tried to gain support of Prof Randhir Singh, the giant among academics in India and a scholar of Marxism, but he refused saying the PU, Chandigarh academics were only interested for their narrow gains of salary and funds, not for any better reason.
As per a report in Indian Express, Punjab would now request the central university to be in Bathinda; the national university is already scheduled to be established in Amritsar.
I think the above has a lesson for Orissa in regards to identifying the location for the announced national university in Bhubaneswar, and whether pushing for an exisiting university in Orissa to become the national university is a good idea or not.
September 3rd, 2008
Earlier we mentioned Bokaro Steel plant agreeing to set up an engineering college and a medical college in Jharkhand. Following is an update on that from a report in Telegraph.
Bokaro Ispat Institute of Medicine at Bokaro General Hospital, which was supposed to start its academic session this year, is still awaiting a nod from the Medical Council of India (MCI).
The college also needs an approval of the board of directors of the Steel authority of India Limited (SAIL) for availing infrastructure of the Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL).
… Health minister Bhanu Pratap Shahi had in 2006 promised that he would clear the project within 24 hours if he received any proposal from BSL for setting up a medical college. He had also assured that the college would become functional by 2008. However, the pace of paperwork for setting up the college has raised doubts on whether the academic session would begin even in 2009.
Sources said that MCI had completed its survey of the general hospital, which would be used for training students. It has surveyed other infrastructure that BSL is willing to extend. However, the council has not given its nod yet. …
After getting the approval of the Jharkhand government in November 2007, the managing director of BSL, V.K. Srivastav, had told The Telegraph that he was anxiously waiting for the MCI team’s survey of the hospital, one of the best in eastern India.
To speed up work, the BSL also constituted the Bokaro Educational Trust headed by its executive director Jivesh Mishra. …
September 2nd, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in indiaedunews.net.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati yesterday inaugurated the new administrative block of the Gautam Buddha University here.
Inaugurating the first session of the varsity’s flagship MBA programme, Mayawati, who is its Chancellor, said the new institute would provide world-class education.
An institute modelled on the Indian Institute of Science (IIS), Bangalore, would be developed in Noida, she declared, adding that a proposal for an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Lucknow was also under consideration.
The University will, initially, have a School of Management which will offer courses in Human Resources, Strategic Management and Marketing & Retail Management.
"The courses have been developed in line with those being offered by leading universities of Europe, US and Canada," said Mayawati.
Schools in Information and Communication Technology, Humanities and Buddhist Studies, Bio-Technology and Law will also be setup in the coming sessions.
"The Gautam Buddha University will be the only institute in the country to offer PhD in vocational studies," added Mayawati.
Vocational courses at the varsity would have subjects on Hospitality and Tourism, Business Administration, Retail & Commercial Services and Media & Designing.
… The varsity, setup at an estimated cost of Rs.300 crores, is dedicated to Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
August 24th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Indian Express.
The Union Cabinet gave a formal approval for the setting up of a National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) in the upcoming Knowledge City in Sector 81. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting in New Delhi on Thursday.
It will be the fourth premier institute in the city after the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and the Indian Institute of Nanotechnology (IIN).
…
Clearing the memorandum moved by the Department of Biotechnology under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, the Union Council of Ministers, approved a budget of Rs 380 crore to be spent on the NABI, during the next five years.
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), meanwhile, has handed over the land to the concerned departments in the Union Government for setting up the national institutes, which will form a part of the Knowledge City.
The GMADA had acquired 381 acres of land in Sector 81, to set up an integrated Knowledge City, last year. The work on this land had been kick-started on September 26 2006, with the laying of the foundation stone by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The work to provide road connectivity to Chilla village, which is presently connected through a road passing across the Knowledge City land, has already begun. According to the concept layout plan prepared for Knowledge City, the area allocated was 160 acres for IISER, including IIN, 35 acres for NABI, 80 acres for Bio-Technology Park, 70 acres for Management Institute and 3 acres for PBTI.
GMADA Chief Administrator Vivek Partap Singh told Newsline, that the land earmarked for the management institute has been handed over to the Punjab Higher Education Department, which will further tie-up with the Union Government to set up an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) here.
August 23rd, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Economic Times.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday formally launched the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and expressed her commitment to make it a world-class institute.
"The government has been giving top priority to promote IT. Setting up of the IIIT in Delhi would give a fillip to acceptability of IT, which has ensured transparency and helped in developing new work culture," Dikshit told a press conference.
… The institute’s board is chaired by Kiran Karnik, a leading IT sector honcho, and it would have Pankaj Jalote, a computer science professor from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, as its founding director.
The board also includes Pheroz Vandrevala, R. Chandrashekar, S. Sadagopan, Ranjit Roy Choudhary and two principal secretaries from the Delhi government.
August 14th, 2008
Following is from the PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=40292.
Whereas the Central Government is empowered under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956 to declare, on the advice of the UGC, an institution of higher learning as a deemed-to-be-university;
2. And whereas, a proposal was received from Department of Space for conferment of status of ‘Deemed-to-be-University’, under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, to ‘Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology’ being set up at that point of time under the aegis of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) near Thiruvananthapuram in the State of Kerala;
3. And whereas, the University Grants Commission has examined the said proposal and vide its communication bearing No.F.27-1/2007 (CPP-I) dated the 2nd January, 2008 has recommended conferment of status of ‘deemed-to-be-university’ to Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram for a period of five years;
4. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, the Central Government, on the advice of the University Grants Commission (UGC), hereby declare that Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IISST) Thiruvanathapuram shall be deemed to be a university, under de novo category, for the purposes of the aforesaid Act, provisionally for a period of five years, with immediate effect, subject to the following conditions:
(i) The functioning of the IISST as well as its performance shall be reviewed annually by the UGC through its Expert Committee. The status conferred upon the IISST will be confirmed after five years on the basis of performance report s of the Expert Review Committee of the UGC and the recommendation of the Commission thereon;
(ii) The Department of Space shall finalise the Memorandum of Association (MoA) and Rules of the IISST in accordance with the model MoA/Rules prescribed by the UGC and in concurrence with the Commission. For this purpose, the Department of Space shall also take into account the variations observed by the UGC in the said MoA & Rules and rectify and amend the relevant provisions in concurrence with the Commission. The IISST may, however, retain the text of the provisions proposed under Clause 20 of its Rules.
5. The declaration as made in para 4 above is further subject to fulfilment of the following conditions :
(i) The objectives of the Trust concerned and ‘Deemed-to-be-University’ institution should confine to educational and related social and charitable activities. The IISST should not undertake or engage in any activities that are of commercial and profit making in nature.
(ii) As and when necessary, IISST shall update or revise or modify its MoA/Rules with the approval of the UGC. Further, specific changes/amendments, if any, suggested by the Ministry of Human Resource Development or/and the UGC shall also be carried out by the deemed-to-be-university institution in its MoA/Rules with the approval of the UGC.
(iii) The accounts of the IISST shall be open to inspection/audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. There shall also be no diversion of assets of the IISST Society without prior permission of the Government of India / UGC.
(iv) The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram shall continue to support the IISST with its infrastructure facilities till the time the IISST has a fully developed and permanent infrastructure of its own at the location near Thiruvananthapuram where such facilities are being developed by the Institute concerned.
(v) The academic programmes being offered or to be offered by IISST shall conform to the norms and standards prescribed by the relevant Statutory Councils such as the UGC and the AICTE. The IISST shall not offer / award, as the case may be, any degree(s) that are not specified by the UGC. It shall also ensure that the nomenclatures of the degrees, etc. to be awarded by it are specified by the UGC under Section 22 of the UGC Act, 1956.
(vi) The IISST shall start new academic courses only as per the norms prescribed by the concerned Statutory Councils such as the UGC, AICTE, etc.
(vii) The IISST shall take all the required steps to get itself rated for valid accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), etc., as the case may be, in terms of instructions issued by the UGC vide its circular No.F.6-1(7)/2006(CPP-I) dated the 12th March, 2007.
(viii) The IISST shall not affiliate any teaching institutions / colleges.
(ix) The IISST shall take immediate steps to start Postgraduate, doctoral and post doctoral programmes in emerging areas of space technology.
(x) The IISST shall not conduct any distance education programme without prior approval of UGC and Distance Education Council (DEC). The guidelines issued by both the DEC and the UGC from time to time in the matter of imparting education through distance mode have to be complied with by it.
(xi) The IISST shall not start and run any study centre / extension centre / off-campus centre / off-shore campus without obtaining the requisite prior approval of the UGC/ Government of India, as the case may be.
(xii) The IISST shall take immediate steps to comply with all the suggestions made by the UGC’s Expert Visiting Committee in its inspection report submitted to the UGC, so as to bring about the recommended improvement.
(xiii) All the prescribed norms and procedures of the relevant Statutory Councils, such as UGC, AICTE, etc. and other authorities concerned in the matter of admission of students, intake capacity of students, starting of new courses / programmes, renewal of approval to the courses, etc. will continue to be in force, and shall be adhered to by the IISST.
(xiv) In all its advertisements, public notices, communications, etc., the IISST shall distinctly mention under its nomenclature by inserting (within brackets) a line, which shall read: “Declared as Deemed-to-be-University’ under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956”.
(xv) The IISST shall abide by all the norms and guidelines as laid down by the UGC and other Statutory Councils such as AICTE, etc. from time to time, as are applicable to institutions notified as ‘Deemed-to-be-Universities’
Deptt. Of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development
PIB, New Delhi/ Dated: Asadha 23, 1030/July 14, 2008
HB/
July 14th, 2008
Leading Corporate Houses like Mitsubishi, TATA, Jindal and Videocon are helping the State Govt. in West Bengal to set up polytechnic colleges and Industrial Training Industrial Training Institutes in districts where their industries are to come up/ are present already.
This is being done with a view to meet the demand for technically trained workforce for the industries of the state.
Source: Times of India, Kolkata edition, 08.07.08
July 8th, 2008
Following are excerpts from a report in The Hindu.
The Central University, Tiruvarur, will begin functioning from this year.
Since the Centre has come forward to commence the operations of the university, the government will identify temporary buildings to locate the university.
This was one of the decisions taken on the first day of the two-day annual District Collectors and police officers’ conference, chaired by Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi here on Thursday.
Mr. Karunanidhi advised Collectors of Perambalur, Villupuram, Tiruvarur and Sivaganga to expedite identification of land for setting up government medical colleges. He wanted them to hand over the lands at the earliest.
At the end of the first day of the conference, in which all the major schemes came up for elaborate discussion in the morning, it was decided that expeditious action would be taken to identify and allot land to the Central University in Coimbatore and the Indian Institute of Management in Tiruchi.
Following is an excerpt from a report in expressindia.com.
With the state government giving its nod to set up the Central university in Dehra sub-division of Kangra district, …
The university would include engineering, medical and other educational institutions to be opened under the umbrella of the Central University.
The Centre would bear the cost of the entire infrastructure. The state government has to provide the land and fulfill other formalities.
Sources said about 800 acres of land is available near Dehra town where the Himachal Road Transport Corporation workshop is situated. Sources said all revenue papers, along with the proposals, have been sent to the HRD Ministry. A team of the HRD Ministry has already visited the site and approved it.
July 2nd, 2008