I was just talking to one of the Deans at IIT Kharagpur (mentor institution of IIT Bhubaneswar) about the arrangements for the first batch students of IIT Bhubaneswar. He said that as their plan stands now, during the first year
- IIT Bhubaneswar students will be staying in the hostels (called Halls in KGP) together with IIT Kharagpur students
- IIT Bhubaneswar students will be taught by IIT Kharagpur faculty; it will be like adding one (or more) sections to their first batch.
- More on IIT Bhubaneswar at the unofficial IIT Bhubaneswar web site.
In comparison,
- As per IIT Gujarat FAQ, IIT Gujarat students will be having classes at Vishwakarma Government Engineering College at Chandkheda, Gandhinagar – 382424 and thus may not have the chance to know first hand about the customs and culture of an established IIT.
- The FAQ has the following to say about the teaching: The Institute is being set up with a lead time of just two months. In spite of that, IIT Bombay has ensured that there is competent and adequate number of faculty to teach the first year, which primarily consists of science and humanities courses. Some of the faculty has been hired directly; some are on the rolls of IIT Bombay while a few are retired but very reputed teachers from IIT Bombay. In the second semester, there is one course known as Departmental Introductory Course. As we are unlikely to have engineering faculty by that time, these courses will be taught by adjunct faculty from nearby Institutes (viz. Dhirubahai Ambani Institute on Information and Communication Technology and D.U. Institute of Petroleum, both of which are headed by former senior faculty of IIT Bombay.) Arrangements have also been made for the drawing and workshop. IIT Bombay is setting up an urgent recruitment process to ensure that quality engineering faculty is there before the second year starts.
- As per IIT Rajasthan website:
- IIT Rajasthan students will have class in IIT Kanpur for the first one or two semesters.
- They will be staying separate (in apartments converted to hostel like accommodation) from the IIT Kanpur students.
- They may be taught by some IIT Kanpur faculty and scientists (depending on who volunteers) and IIT Kanpur will be trying to recruit new faculty as well as availing the service of some retired faculty.
- IIT Hyderabad will have classes in rented space near their ultimate location.
- IIT Patna. mentored by IIT Guwahati, will start classes in a polytechnique in Patna.
- IIT Punjab will have classes in IIT Delhi.
June 14th, 2008
The following news at in Business Standard says that NTPC will establish a world class IIIT in Chhatisgarh. (Earlier news mention the cost of IIITs at 100 crores. See https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/1146.)
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh said that the Chhattisgarh government would provide land for the Institute while NPTC would bear the entire cost of the project for setting up world-class IIIT in the state. "The state chief minister, Raman Singh, will select the site for the project," Ramesh said.
The experts who had set up IIITs in Hyderabad and Bangalore would be consulted for the Chhattisgarh project, the minister said. The proposal would be given final shape and the site would be finalised on June 30. Ramesh is scheduled to visit Chhattisgarh on the month-end and meet the chief minister to give final shape to the project.
One should compare this with today’s news at http://tathya.in/story.asp?sno=1888 which says NALCO will contribute 1.4 crores towards a police barrack. Few weeks back various news reports mentioned that NALCO has spent (https://www.orissalinks.com/orissagrowth/archives/1333) 100 crores in CSR so far over its 20 years of existence. If its CMD had any shame and any pride on Orissa he would not have touted this number as something great. But it makes sense; if Orissa is a beggar then 100 crore is a big amount to give to a beggar in 20 years.
It is unfortunate that companies like NALCO, Arcelor-Mittal, Tats Steel, etc. treat Orissa this way. But its not all their fault. Our government also acts that way.
Our government is happy with one ITI or ITC and that seems to be the trend in terms of what they ask.
When will Orissa government learn from its neighbors Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh?
Just to recap:
(i) NTPC will make a 100 crore world class IIIT in Chhatisgrah.
(ii) Bokaro Steel Plant has agreed to set up an engineering college and a medical college in Jharkhand
(iii) Central Coalfields has also agreed to set up an engineering college in Jharkhand http://www.business-standard.com/general/storypage_test.php?&autono=284016
(iv) Orissa gets a 1.4 crore police barrack for 1.4 crores from NALCO
(v) Orissa will get a few crore ITI from Arcelor Mittal
(vi) Orissa gets a 12 crore Math institute building from Tata Steel
(vi) A few good signs: MCL’s plan for a medical college in Talcher and Vedanta’s university plan: but who knows if they will happen and when.
I wonder if NTPC can make a 100 crore world class IIIT in Jharkhand Chhatisgarh why can not it have a similar investment in Orissa where its plants might have significantly contributed in making Talcher a hot oven.
Why can not our CM, our industry secretary, our Chief Secretary, say in no uncertain terms that Orissa is no beggar. These industries (NALCO,SAIL, NTPC, CIL, Arcelor-Mittal, POSCO, Tata Steel, etc.) that take and use (or plan to take and use) our minerals at throw away prices must stop thinking Orissa as a beggar to throw a few crore ITI/ITC, a 1.5 crore barrack, a 50 paisa safety pin for Orissa, etc. and start making IIITs, medical colleges, engineering colleges, establishing multiple ITI/ITCs, etc.
Why can not central minister of state Mr. Chandrasekhar Sahu go and talk to his colleague, the power minister Mr. Ramesh who announced the IIIT for Chhatisgarh to do a similar one in Orissa?
Why can not he talk to the other ministers to put pressure on NALCO and SAIL?
How come NTPC can make a IIIT in Chhatisgarh but not one in Orissa?
How come SAIL Bokaro can promise an engineering college and a medical college in Jharkhand and SAIL Raurkela can not do a similar one in Orissa?
ps — Just as an example of how the mineral processing companies have benefited one needs to note that in the last five years the iron ore price has increased more than the price of crude oil. But has Orissa received any benefit from that?
From http://www.econstats.com/rt_ironore.htm and http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080521/jsp/business/story_9299173.jsp the iron ore prices in the last few years were as follows: 2004- $37.20/metric tonne; 2005 – $64.00; 2006 -$76.20; 2007- $83:40 ; 2008- $132.20 and now: $200.
As per as per http://www.econstats.com/fut/xeiad_em1.htm the Crude oil prices over the last five years are: Jan 2004 -$33.16/barrel; Jan 2005- $48.25; Jan 2006- $67.86; Jan 2007- $58.17; Jan 2008- $91.67 and April 2008: $115.67.
June 1st, 2008
The recent recommendation of NASSCOM for 20 new IIITs did not include a location in Chhatisgarh. However, as per a recent report in Economic Times Minister of State Mr. Jairam Ramesh has announced the establishment of a IIIT in Chhatisgarh. Following is an excerpt from that report.
"The state government thanks Minister of State for Power and Commerce Jairam Ramesh for announcing at a function held Friday at Sipat in Bilaspur district to set up an IIIT in Chhattisgarh," a government press statement said.
"The state government will soon provide the location for the new IIIT as the announcement was made by the central minister as per the initiatives taken by Chief Minister Raman Singh April 20 when they had a meeting in Raipur," the statement read.
Officials said that the state government may offer a massive plot for the IIIT in Naya Raipur where the government is presently developing a new satellite town that will replace Raipur as the new state capital of Chhattisgarh, probably by 2011.
Naya Raipur, about 20 km east of here and located between national highways 6 and 43, will be spread out over 8,000 hectares.
Regardless of the NASSCOM recommendation the Orissa government and Minister of state Mr. Chandrasekhar Sahu must push for a IIIT in Berhampur, the third largest metropolitan area of Orissa. (The other two, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, have other national institutions.)
June 1st, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Financial express.
A National Textile University is on the cards to churn out skilled manpower pool to meet the demand for human resource for the diversified products in the export and domestic market. The proposed institute will be set up under the public-private partnership mode and the ministries of rural development, textiles and the state governments would chip in Rs 500 crore, Rs 250 crore and Rs 500 crore each respectively.
… the institute will have a revamped syllabus, an independent certification and accreditation system which will help meet the supply-demand gap for skilled workforce. The syllabus will mainly focus on latest technology, software designing and CAD structure. Intellectual property rights, development of managerial skill at the middle and lower level in marketing, fabric development and creating an understanding of global trends in the apparel industry have been identified as other areas demanding urgent attention, a senior official in textile ministry told FE . The institute is the outcome of recommendations made by an expert group set up by the Prime Minister to identify areas where skills are needed to be developed to conform to changing scenario in view of the increased demand for new range of products in the textile industry.
… Under the programme, three centres of excellence to meet requirements at managerial and technical level will also be created at Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. These centres will be set up on the lines of IITs. The University will finance the capital expenditure on textile and apparel training centres. Operating cost of these centres will be met by self-generated income. The initiative is part of the government strategy to train 65 lakh persons with sound understanding of fashion lifestyle. Business integrated design, technology and management in diverse areas during the 11 th Plan period. The institute would also have 365 training centres called Neighborhood Apparel and Textiles Training Institutes for Job Assurance for semi skilled and skilled persons. These centers will impart training to 20 lakh persons at grass root level also. For this a pyramid structure will be incorporated for looking at the needs of human resource development. It will have a council for policy formation which will work as a nodal agency and have at least 10 resource centres spread region wise for coordination of activities.
Similarly, the capacity of managerial and technical level at National Institutes of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and other such types of fashion institutes will be increased significantly.
A council will work as a nodal agency and have 10 national resource centres spread region wise for coordinating and control of activities. The council will finance the activities of textile and apparel training centres. Operating cost of these centres will be met through internally generated income.
May 24th, 2008
Following is extracted from a report in New Indian Express.
- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would lay the foundation stone of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and Indian Institute of Space Technology (IIST).
- The Central University sanctioned by the IHRD Ministry will be started in Kasargod district.
- The Centre has also sanctioned another Central university with world class standards.
- An Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)
- Upgradation of CUSAT into Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST).
- A sub centre of Aligarh Muslim University will be established in Malappuram
- A sub centre of Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages University will be started at Kollam.
- A proposal for establishing a Centre of Engineering Research in Engineering to coordinate research in engineering.
May 23rd, 2008
Following is excerpted and corrected from http://darpg.nic.in/arpg-website/ChiefSectConf/PPT/HRD.ppt. (See also https://www.orissalinks.com/?p=1043.)
Eleventh Plan HRD distribution across states
| State |
Higher and Technical institutes in the 11th Plan |
Educationally backward districts |
Districts not having any polytechnic |
| Jammu & Kashmir |
IIM, CU |
11 |
18 |
| Punjab |
IIT, IISER, CU, WCCU |
13 |
0 |
| Haryana |
IIM, CU |
7 |
0 |
| Himachal Pradesh |
IIT, CU |
4 |
5 |
| NCT of Delhi |
South Asian University under SAARC likely to come up |
0 |
3 |
| Uttar Pradesh |
IIT, WCCU |
39 |
13 |
| Uttarakhand |
IIM, CU |
2 |
0 |
| Rajasthan |
IIT, NIT, CU, WCCU |
30 |
1 |
| Gujarat |
IIT, CU, WCCU |
20 |
4 |
| Maharashtra |
IISER, WCCU |
7 |
4 |
| Madhya Pradesh |
IISER, SPA, 2 CU (including IGNTU), WCCU, IIT |
39 |
12 |
| Chhatisgarh |
IIM, CU |
15 |
9 |
| Goa |
CU |
0 |
0 |
| Dadra & NH |
– |
3 |
0 |
| Andhra Pradesh |
IIT, WCCU, SPA |
11 |
0 |
| Karnataka |
CU, WCCU |
21 |
0 |
| Tamil Nadu |
IIM, CU, WCCU |
27 |
0 |
| Kerala |
IISER, CU, WCCU, NIT (IIEST) |
20 |
0 |
| Pudducherry |
– |
1 |
0 |
| Andaman & Nicober |
– |
2 |
2 |
| Laksadweep |
– |
1 |
0 |
| Bihar |
IIT, CU, WCCU |
25 |
27 |
| Jharkhand |
IIM, CU |
12 |
11 |
| Orissa |
NISER*, IIT, CU, WCCU
|
18 |
11 |
| West Bengal |
IISER, WCCU, NIT (IIEST) |
17 |
2 |
| Assam |
WCCU |
12 |
13 |
| Meghalaya |
IIM |
5 |
4 |
| Mizoram |
– |
7 |
6 |
| Manipur |
– |
0 |
2 |
| Tripura |
– |
2 |
3 |
| Nagaland |
– |
1 |
8 |
| Arunachal Pradesh |
– |
12 |
14 |
| Sikkim |
– |
4 |
2 |
| TOTAL |
9 IITs, 5 IISERs, 16 CUs, 14 WCCUs, 3 NITs, 1 NISER, 2 SPAs, 7 IIMs |
388 |
174 |
* Not funded by MHRD.
So Orissa could get 18 colleges (in 18 districts) and 11 polytechnics. Each of these colleges would be supported by GOI by upto Rs. 2.5 Crore or one-third cost with the balance being met by the State Government or Private participation.
May 15th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a news report in Hindustan Times.
… the State Department for Higher Education decided to recommend up to 100 colleges in the state for academic autonomy; in other words, freedom from the university prescribed curricula. Autonomy would enable a college to introduce internationally accepted semester system and grading for students used in foreign institutions.
It is going to ask 58 colleges which have got ‘A’ grade and above from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council to submit proposals for autonomy. Of these 58, about 20 are Mumbai colleges.
Besides, pleas of 42 colleges that have already applied for autonomy years ago, including Mumbai’s St Xavier’s and the Government Law College, will be looked into.
“Academic autonomy will allow colleges to not just design their own courses, but also have contact with professionals from whom they can take industry inputs. Our department will ask colleges to prepare a proposal for academic autonomy. The proposal will then be submitted to the university to be forwarded to the state government with its recommendations,” said K.M. Kulkarni, director for higher education.
“With the government nod, the proposal will then be forwarded to the University Grants Commission (UGC) who in turn will send a committee for college inspection.”
With the possibility of foreign universities setting shop in India soon, autonomy would allow colleges to collaborate with these universities. The process for granting autonomy, if followed up seriously, can take about an year.
“Autonomous colleges will have industry professionals on their governing board, and there could be tailor-made courses to create skilled professionals for the industry,” said Kulkarni.
Maharashtra has only eight autonomous colleges — dismal compared with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh with 85, 31, 34 and 27 respectively. “It is good for colleges that want to innovate. The UGC would like to see at least 50 colleges in the state getting academic autonomy in the next three years,” said UGC Deputy Secretary for Western Region G. Srinivas.
Students graduating from autonomous colleges will be awarded degrees from the parent university with the name of the college mentioned. “This would give the colleges more credibility as well.
May 13th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in ibnlive.com.
The three-year Bachelor of Science course could soon be phased out across the country and replaced by a four-year BS course based on the American model.
In the new course, students in the first year will study core science subjects.
From the second year they will specialise and choose their electives.
The Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institutes of Technology could be the first ones to introduce the four-year programme.
…
The proposal is the brainchild of the National Knowledge Commission, which is headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
May 13th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a news report in Indian Express.
These are the National Institute of Medical Genetics, funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, the National Institute of Nanoscience and Technology, funded by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Institute of Mangrove and Coastal Studies, funded by the Department of Environment.
“The institutes for medical genetics and nanoscience technology are coming up at Baruipur. About 25 acres of land have been identified for the purpose and the government had approved it last year,” …
Efforts are on to develop Baruipur as the new educational hub where infrastructure for educational institutes will be developed, added Majumdar. “The Coastal Research Centre will cater to the entire coastline of the country and will come up near Sunderbans,” he said. The National Institute of Translation Research is also likely to be constructed here and discussions are on with CSIR for funding the project.
The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, which promotes basic sciences, has started its functioning in the city in 2006. … and will soon have its own campus at Haringhata. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research which has been holding its classes at the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology will also have a campus of its own soon, said officials.
May 12th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=442287&sid=REG.
The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Saturday gave its approval to set up two institutes of the level of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) under public-private partnership basis.
According to the cabinet decision, the proposed institutes would be set up with an estimated investment of Rs 500 crore each.
An official release issued here said that the cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Mayawati also decided to set up two engineering colleges with private participation in the backward eastern region of Ambedkar Nagar and Azamgarh.
An investment of Rs 200 crore is expected on them.
As many as 50 polytechnics would also be set up in public-private partnership costing Rs 20 crore each.
There is also a proposal to set up 250 ITIs in as many development blocks with an investment of Rs two crore each.
Besides, private investment would also be open for Upgrading facilities in existing polytechnics and ITIs, the release said.
A decision was also taken to bring the Lucknow Institute of Engineering and Technology into the ambit of the UP Technical University (UPTU) as an associate degree college.
The cabinet also decided to include the Lucknow College of Architecture as one of the faculties of UPTU.
It also decided to introduce English from class I.
May 11th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in chennaionline.com.
Tamil Nadu Government proposed to establish as many as ten Universities, including the World Class University, sanctioned by the Centre during this year, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi announced in the state assembly today.
Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for his department, he said all the ten universities, including three sanctioned by the centre, would be established during this year itself, which was a record in the history of education in the country. …
The World Class University would be established in Coimbatore, he said, adding apart from this, the centre has also sanctioned a Management University, to be established in Tiruchirapalli and Central University in Mr Karunanidhi’s home town, Tiruvarur, he said.
The minister said after the National Knowlege Commission presented its report, suggesting that the number of Universities in the country should be raised to atleast 1,500 in the coming years, Tamil Nadu took the cue and decided to establish seven Universities this year.
Accordingly, the 168-year-old Presidency College, which produced scholars like Sir C V Raman, S Chandrasekar and Mathematician Srinivasa Varadan, would start functioning as unitary type University from the academic year 2008-09.
The other unitary type Universities to come up are the Kumbakonam Men’s Arts College, which was described as the Cambridge of South India along with Kumbakonam Women’s college, the 156-year-old Coimbatore Government Arts College, along with Women’s Arts college and Queen Mary’s college, the first college to be established for women, he said.
So it looks like the IIM in Tamil Nadu will be in Trichy.
May 6th, 2008
Update 1: It looks like my assumption below that the university at Kadapa is a state one was wrong. As per Times of India, the AP government just decided to change the venue of the world class central university from Vizag to Kadapa.
Update 2: Later reports mention that the AP government did not ask the center before making the Kadapa announcement and the central govt. may not agree to shift the location from Vizag to Kadapa.
Initial post:
Following is an excerpt from newpostindia.com.
The meeting also decided to set up a world-class university in Kadapa, the home district of the chief minister, for which the government will allot 700 acres of land.
In this regard, one may note that the central government had announced that it will establish a world class central university in Vizag. I assume the Andhra Pradesh Government is talking about a different university (state funded) for Kadapa.
The Orissa government should follow Andhra’s example and besides the central govt. funded world class university in Bhubaneswar and another central university in KBK, the Orissa government should establish a world class university in Rourkela via state funds or PPP.
May 5th, 2008
Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38385.
The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for establishment of Indian Institute of Corporate affairs with an outlay of Rs. 211.00 crores during 11th Plan. The institute would provide a Think-tank, Capacity building and Service Delivery support in various initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Earlier news reported that it will be located in Maneswar, near Gurgaon.
May 1st, 2008
Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38388.
The Union Cabinet today gave its, in principle, approval to establish a National Police University (NPU) for quality education, research and other related academic activities in police related subjects, including competence in the areas of the physical and social sciences.
May 1st, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph on this.
Calcutta Business School, started by the MBV Society, is located on a 16-acre plot in Bishnupur, 7 km south of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM). It will be operational from July this year.
“We run schools and colleges but running a management school is going to be a different ball game. But we are sure we will do a good job,” said S.K. Birla, the chairman of the board of governors of the management school.
The B-school will have “state-of-the-art” infrastructure, including a “green building”, air conditioning and wireless Internet connectivity round the clock.
It will offer a two-year, fully residential, postgraduate diploma in management. The first batch will have 60 students. There are plans to increase student intake to 500 over the next five years.
Admission will be based on the Common Admission Test (CAT) and the General Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). The fee for the entire course will be Rs 7.5 lakh.
April 24th, 2008