Odisha HRD

PM inaugurates RGIPT second campus in Sibsagar Assam; Odisha must use the same logic and push for an ISMU campus in Odisha (PM also inugurated second campus of NID in Jorhat)

(Thanks to Kalahandia for the pointer.)

Apparently the second campus of RGIPT in Assam was announced by the PM in August 2008. Somehow we missed it. Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday laid the foundations of the National Institute of Design (NID) and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (Assam centre) in Jorhat and Sivasagar districts respectively.

Addressing a gathering in Sivasagar, Singh said, "It is befitting that the institute has been named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, our beloved leader and former Prime Minister of India. His contribution to modernization and development of our country was immense. He believed that the application of science and technology was critical to our development process."

He added that the institute, which will be a world class establishment in the petro-chemical sector, will be constructed at a cost of Rs 148 crore from central funds. "The place will offer degree, diploma and certificate courses to unemployed youths of the state. It will also provide special research on a particular subject," he said.

The Prime Minister added that the institute’s academic year will start from August this year. He said it was a centre of the main institute at Rae Barelly and its main objective was to promote capacity building in competency related to the domain of hydro carbon sector.

Using the same logic Odisha should push for a second campus of the Indian School of Mines University in one of the mining hubs of Odisha.

As far as NID is concerned the previous Commerce minister Kamal Nath had many times mentioned Odisha as a possibility; however because of our mistakes (see here,  here and here) we lost it. I hope we learn from our mistakes.

In general there are several institutions we should target for the 12th plan. See https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/5859 for an initial list. However, if one were to prioritize, a campus of ISMU will have the highest monetary value; as these days ISMU is almost as good as an IIT and has most of the disciplines that an IIT has. ISMU Dhanbad currently has a faculty size of 170. Its budget for 2009-2010 was 128 crores (= 85 plan + 43 non-plan) and for 2010-2011 was 122.47 (=89 plan + 33.47 non-plan) crores. In comparison, the 2010-11 budget for the 7 old IITs were a total of 1600  (= 774 plan+ 826 non-plan ) crores and the 2010-11 budget for the 20 old NITs were a total of 1317.51 (= 810 plan + 507.51 non-plan) crores. So ISM’s budget (122.47 crores) lies between the average NIT budget (65 crores appx) and average IIT budget (228.5 crores).

1 comment February 20th, 2011

New NIDs (National Institutes of Design) at Hyderabad, Jorhat, Gwalior/Bhopal and a location in North India

Update: As per a sify report, the location in the North will be in Haryana.

Since we last reported on the NIDs, some of the new locations have been firmed up and a new controversy has started. Hyderabad and Jorhat have been announced among the new locations. There is no decision on the Northern India location yet. Controversy has arisen because the central government recently told the Madhya Pradesh government, that the NID will be in Gwalior (from where the state minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, comes from) instead of Bhopal which was announced earlier and the state had already allocated land there. This has led to a big controversy.

In any case, from Odihsa’s perspective the chance of getting an NID during the 11th plan is bleak. Of course, nothing is impossible; but I don’t see any effort to push the issue. The previous central minister of commerce and Industry (Mr. Kamal Nath) had almost promised (see here and here)  that one NID would be in Odisha. So Odisha could and should make an issue of it and the CM should pursue it. If efforts continue, then if not during  the 11th plan, Odisha could get one during the 12th plan, which begins only 2 years away. Moreover one can argue that Jorhat is in the north east and there needs to be an NID in the east; in Odisha.

1 comment March 27th, 2010

The new NIDs will be in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and a location in Northern India?

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standrad.

The national design policy had recommended setting up institutes on the lines of NID in various parts of India to promote design programmes. Under this initiative, the government has narrowed down on Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Madhya Pradesh for setting up the new NIDs in the next two to three years. Cities like Hyderabad, Jorhat, Bhopal and Gwalior are some of the cities that have been shortlisted. An NID will also be set up in the Northern part of India for which target cities are yet to be finalised.

Interested state governments have offered around 30-50 acres of land for setting up the institute. Each NID will gradually have an intake of 1000 students. The national design policy had stated that public-private partnership mode could be an option for setting up these new institutes but sources say that no call has been made by the government for private partners as of now.

At present NID has campuses in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Bangalore. The institute runs 8 programmes in the Ahmedabad campus, 5 in Gandhinagar and 3 in the Bangalore campus. The Bangalore campus is the institute’s R&D campus where there are 30 students for the three programmes.

5 comments November 16th, 2009

National Institute of Design location in Orissa; making a case for your area

If and when IIT Bhubaneswar wants, it can have its own programs in Design. One of the best design programs in India is at the IIT Bombay Industrial Design Center. IIT Guwahati’s Department of Design also has a good program in design. So there is no need for Bhubaneswar to have an NID.

However, my guess is that there is a tough debate going on in the central government about the NID location in the east. So far among the new  4 NIDs only one location is announced. That is Bhopal. My guess is that among the other three, one will be in the southern states, one in the northern states and one in the eastern states.

I think for Orissa to get an NID it will help if a proper plan in terms of what the focus of this NID will be and why it is appropriate to be in Orissa is presented. People campaigning for an NID in their area of Orissa should prepare a document to that effect. Such a document will help the Orissa CM to make the case better.

Mostly I have seen campaigns for the NID to be in Berhampur. Some people have quipped, why not Sambalpur. I think both groups should focus on making the case in terms of what the focus of an NID in that area should be and tie it in to some special attributes of that area.

Note that a big part of the history behind getting NID to Orissa can be found through this site. The earliest articles that I could locate were about June 25, 2007. There were two conflicting reports on that day.

• Business Standard, June 25, 2007 reporting that the then MOS Chandrasekhar Sahu saying that he had discussed with Union minister of commerce Mr. Kamal Nath regarding an NID in Berhampur and Mr. Kamal Nath having agreed to that.
• The Resident Commissioner’s press release dated June 25, 2007 saying that Mr. Kamal Nath telling CM Naveen Patnaik that Bhubaneswar has been shortlisted as a location for an NID.

So in my opinion, the proper argument for having NID at some place other than Bhubaneswar is to focus on why that place is appropriate for an NID and then point out that good design programs can be at IIT Bhubaneswar and thus NID need not be at Bhubaneswar.

13 comments September 8th, 2009

Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik pushes for NID in Bhubaneswar and several coast related research centers

Following is an excerpt from a press release of the Resident Commissioner of Orissa. (See also a thaiindian newsreport on this.)

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi

August 19, 2009

Shri Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister, Orissa met Shri Anand Sharma, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry at New Delhi and discussed various issues pertaining to development of Industry Clusters and handicrafts in Orissa.

 

Chief Minister requested for establishment of a National Institute of Design (NID) at Bhubaneswar for which the Govt. of Orissa has offered to provide necessary infrastructure including land.  As the new National Design Policy of GoI envisages to set-up four new design Institutes on the pattern of NID, Ahmedabad during the 11^th Five Year Plan and three locations have already been identified to cover Central, Southern and North-Eastern regions of the country, CM emphasised that an NID focusing on handlooms and handicrafts could be ideally located in Orissa which could serve tribal regions of not only Orissa but also Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and the entire Eastern region. The Union Minister has agreed to consider the proposal.

Following is from another press release of the Resident Commissioner of Orissa. (See also this report in Expressbuzz.com)

Considering the largest diversity of Mangrove forests in Orissa,  Chief Minister  suggested that a National Institute of Mangrove Research be established in the State which may  provide required data base for management of mangrove and coastal vegetation and also  develop models for conservation and propagation of mangroves and coastal shelter belt plantations. He also urged  the Union Government to consider setting up  a National Institute of Wetlands and Coastal Ecosystems in Orissa for which the nucleus is already available at Chandraput.

3 comments August 19th, 2009

NID in Bhopal from 2009-10. What happened to the one in Orissa?

Following is an excerpt from the news group http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/designindia/.

Dear Friends,

We are happy to inform you that we are in process of setting up NID Campus in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from next academic year 2009-2010 wherein we plan to start Under Graduate Programmes.

We are looking for Design Educators and Design Managers who are interested in joining hands with NID in this endeavour of institution building, as envisaged in the National Design Policy announced by the Government of India in February 20082007. If this interests you, we would be happy to arrange a meeting with you at NID Heritage Campus, Ahmedabad, R & D Campus, Bangalore or NID – Delhi Centre.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Pradyumna Vyas
Activity Chairperson – Education
National Institute of Design
Ahmedabad – 380 007
Mob: 098985 00033

In Feb 08 200, the Union Cabinet approved the establishment of four new National Institutes of Design. See http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=24647. As per the news items cited in https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/305 one of them was to be in Orissa. I wonder what happened to that.

As per https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/1241, the Orissa government recently (end of July 2008) recommunicated to Delhi about its interest to set up an NID in Orissa.

7 comments October 20th, 2008

Orissa offers land for NID and makes a new proposal: Samaja and tathya

1 comment July 29th, 2008

IIIT in Berhampur and NID in Orissa back in the radar

Following is an excerpt from a report in tathya.in.

The chances of a National Institute of Design (NID) in Orissa seems bright, thanks to the initiative of Subas Pani.

… During his recent visit to the state he advised the officials of the Government of Orissa to allot land free of cost for a NID at Bhubaneswar.

And accordingly intimate the Government of India to set up the NID in Orissa, advised he.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission is favoring the idea of another NID in the country.

Dr.Ahluwalia has also responded positively, when Naveen Patnaik raised the matter with him on the event of proposed NID being shifted to Bhopal. …

While Orissa Government along with leading IT companies has set up an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Bhubaneswar, another IIIT offered by the Government of India may be set up at Berhampur, Dr.Pani suggested.

Accordingly a piece of land may be acquired there and intimated to the Centre as soon as possible, said Dr.Pani.

9 comments July 9th, 2008

Orissa in slumber and may miss taking advantage of the 11th plan opportunities in higher education: Tathya.in

Action Item: Readers concerned about this may write to the CM at cmo@ori.nic.in to take immediate action and copy to one of the journalists in Orissa (perhaps Braja babu of Tathya.in at brajakmishra@gmail.com)

Following is from http://tathya.in/story.asp?sno=1455.

Orissa this time also is all set to miss the bus for Higher Education.

While the Higher Education Program for the Eleventh Five Year Plan is being final touches, Orissa is in deep slumber. 

And who will be able to wake up a sleeping state, which is at the lowest ebb of the investment plan of the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), asks educationists.

The Eleventh Plan is historical because investment in HRD sector will receive a big jump.

Just follow these numbers:

Currently there are 7 Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) s that was made over 60 years; there will 8 more during the 11th Plan.

There are 23 central universities made over 60 years; 30 more will be added during the Plan.

There are no world class universities in India and planners have decided to go for 14.

There are 6 Indian Institute of Management (IIM) s that was made over 60 years; there is a plan to establish 7 more.

There is a plan to set up Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH).

Currently there is a single National Institute of Design that was made in 60 years since Independence; there is a plan to make 4 more during the Plan.

The 11th Plan’s stated goal is to take the higher education enrolment to 15 per cent.

Orissa’s higher education enrolment is at the bottom 6.1 per cent.

So Orissa must be working very hard to take advantage of the 11th plan.

Lo behold ! No home work in sight and this time also the state is going to loose heavily, feel the educationists.

Chitta Baral, Professor in Arizona State University is a worried person.

And Prof. Baral has every reason to worry.

We need a world class university and not a single soul has raised his voice for the same in the Government, lamented Prof.Baral.

This type of institution will have a budget of Rs.1000 crore. 

It  would be again a pity, if the state is going to lose the same as there is  opportunity to make a strong case.

It has the Ravenshaw University which without any affiliate colleges, matches the expected model of a world class university.

But will the State Government make such a case, asks Prof.Baral.

While Orissa is haunted by deaths due to cholera, it will be an appropriate place for setting up an Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH)

Till date the State has made no efforts to get one of the proposed 5-7 IIPHs in Orissa.

So far Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) s are concerned Orissa has not done much beyond the Chief Minister sending a couple of half-baked and impolite letters to the Prime Minister.

On the other hand, many other states have sent more detailed proposals.

Take the case of KBK Central University, in the past Orissa has made a case regarding a Central University in KBK.

However, it has not followed up on it recently.

Is not it time the State Government to follow up on this and makes a case, by pointing to the central universities in the North East, asks he.

It is not too late for many of the above; otherwise Orissa will get the pea nuts and predictably complain about Central apathy against the state.

3 comments December 18th, 2007

Pioneer and Statesman: Bhubaneswar in the shortlist for one of the 4 new NIDs in the 11th plan

(Update: See the PIB report http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=24647 where the cabinet approval of 4 new NIDs is mentioned.)

Pioneer reports that the CM met minister Kamal Nath about getting one of the four proposed National Institute of Design (that are to be established during the 11th plan and that are part of the recent National design policy) to Orissa. Following is an excerpt from that report.

Later, Patnaik met Union Minister of Commerce and Industries Kamal Nath. The discussions centred around the proposal of the State Government for setting up a new National Institute of Design (NID) in Bhubaneswar in light of the National Design Policy 2007, which envisages four new National Institute of Design in different regions of the country during the 11 th Plan period. Kamal Nath stated that Bhubaneswar has been short-listed as one of the possible locations for setting up of a new NID and the proposal of the Orissa Government would be considered seriously.

Following is an excerpt on the same topic from the Statesman:

Mr Patnaik met the Central minister in Delhi today and raised the matter saying Bhubaneswar ought to be one of the four new NID’s that were being proposed in the country. He assured Mr Nath that the state will provide necessary infrastructure and even identify institute of university to partner the NID. The Central minister informed the CM that Bhubaneswar figures in the short list drawn up for establishment of NID’s during the 11th Plan period.

The Orissa government press release on this is here. Following is the relevant excerpt:

          Later during the day, Shri Patnaik met the Union Minister for Commerce & Industries, Shri Kamal Nath.  The discussions centered around the proposal of the State Government for setting up of a new National Institute of Design (NID) at Bhubaneswar, in the light of the National Design Policy 2007, which envisages four new NIDs in different regions of country during the  11^th Plan period.  The Chief Minister stated that the Orissa Government would provide all necessary infrastructure support like land etc. for the institute.  The State Government is also willing to identify an Institution / University which can partner NID for setting up the new institute.  Shri Kamal Nath stated that Bhubaneswar has been shortlisted as one of the possible locations for setting up a new NID and that they would consider the proposal of the State Government seriously.

2 comments June 26th, 2007

Some good news on national institutes front

Business Standard reports that central minister Chandrasekhar Sahu is pursuing with the central government regarding establishing three marquee institutions in South Orissa. Following is an excerpt of that:

While the first Central University is likely to be set up in Koraput, plans for an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and National Institute of Design (NID) in Berhampur are in the works. …

Sahu also said he has discussed the possibility of a National Institute of Design (NID) and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) being set up in Berhampur and Bhubaneswar. The recent discussions with the Union minister for commerce, Kamal Nath, and the minister for textiles, Shankarsingh Veghela, “were very positive and they assured us that they are willing to establish these institutes if the state government extended its cooperation,” said Sahu. …

While the Central University and IIIT are under the Ministry of Human Resources Development, the NID is under the Ministry of Commerce. NIFT and NIHT come under the Ministry of Textiles.

Lets analyze this. First of all if all these materializes then its great. However lets compare what Orissa will be getting vis-a-vis the other states.

1. In the Central University front, the central university in Koraput should be a distributed kind like the proposed Indira Gandhi National Tribal University. It should be designed such that it has branches in all KBK+ districts from the start.
2. The tribal population percentage of the KBK districts are as follows: 8 KBK districts total 38.72% (+ 16.63 % SC). Malkangiri 58.36% (+19.96% SC), Rayagada 56.04% (+14.28% SC), Nabarangpur 55.27% (+15.09% SC), Koraput 50.67% (+13.41% SC), Nuapada 35.95% (+13.09% SC), Kalahandi 28.88% (+17.01% SC), Sonepur 22.11% (+9.5% SC), Balangir 22.06% (+15.39% SC). Two adjacent districts also have high tribal population. They are Kandhamala 51.51% (+18.21% SC) and Gajapati 47.88% (+8.77% SC).
3. The literacy rates in the KBK districts are as follows: Overall in 8 KBK districts 36.58% with the female literacy at 24.72%. Malkangiri 31.26%, Nabarangpur 34.26%, Rayagada 35.61%, Koraput 36.2%, Nuapada 42.29%, Kalahandi 46.2%, Balangir 54.93%, Sonepur 64.07%. Two adjacent districts also have low literacy: Gajapati 41.73% and Kandhamala 52.95%. The state average is 63.1%.
4. India already has 20 central universities and if 30 more are going to be made then besides the central university in Koraput one of the other universities in Orissa should also be upgraded to a central university.
5. There will be 19 new IIITs. Orissa will be getting one of them. This is good but does not take Orissa out of the bottom of MHRD spending
6. NID is good. But it does not replace the IIT that was taken away from Orissa. The 2007-08 budget for the 7 IITs is a total of 1553.70 cores (i.e., an average of 221.96 crores) while the 2007-08 budget for NID is 20.25 crores.
7. Hence, Orissa must: (a) continue to push for an IIT in Orissa; (b) push for the Central University in Koraput to have branches in the KBK+ districts from the very beginning; (c) this central university should have special quote for tribals and locals as is the case in many north eastern states and as will be the case in the Indira Gandhi national tribal university; (d) push for one of the other universities in Orissa to be upgraded to a central university; (e) Make sure branches of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University exist in the north western districts with high tribal population, in particular Mayurbhanj (tribal percentage 57.87%, literacy 52.43%), Sundergarh (50.74%, 65.22%), and Keonjhar (44.52%, 59.75%); and possibly in Sambalpur (35.08% , literacy 67.01%), Deogarh (33.31%, literacy 60.78%), and Jharsuguda (31.88% , literacy 71.47%).

9 comments June 25th, 2007