Department of Science & Technology initiated several easy to access programmes for people.Following are some of the highlights:
Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspire Research (INSPIRE)
INSPIREis a programme by the Department of Science & Technology for attraction of talent to study science and careers with research. The Scheme includes three sub-components namely a)Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS), b) Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) and c) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC).
Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent (SEATS)aims to attract talented youth to study science throughINSPIRE awardof Rs 5000 to each awardee. Aboutone million young learners of the age group 10-15 years will be selected fro INSPIRE Award from the toppers who constitute approximately one percent in the Class X Board examinations in the country. Summer camps for about50,000 youth will be organised in which students will interact with global science leaders..
Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE)aims to enhance rates of attachment of talented youth to higher education in science intensive programmes.The scheme offers 10,000 scholarship and mentorship every year @ Rs 0.80 lakh per year for undertaking Bachelor and Masters level education in natural sciences. A main feature of the scheme is in mentorship support for every scholar throughINSPIRE scholarship.
Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC)aims to attract, attach,retain and nourish talented young scientific Human Resource for strengthening the R&D foundation and base by offering doctoralINSPIRE fellowshipin the age group of 22-27 inthe both basic and applied sciences including engineering and medicine and assured opportunity for post doctoral researchersin the age group of 27-32 yearsthrough contractual and tenure track positions for 5 years in both basic and applied sciences areas through anINSPIRE faculty scheme.
Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB)
SERB is an autonomous empowered Board to be established through an Act of Parliament. It will promote excellence in research through established groups pursuing advanced research and gaining global competitiveness for Indian Science and strive to de-bureaucratize the funding support system. The Parliament has passed the bill on the formation of SERB.
Nano Mission
Indiahas mounted a national nano mission in 2007 with an objective of promoting basic and applied research in nano science with an outlay of Rs 1000 crores over 5 years. Under this mission, a new Institute of nano science and technology at Mohali and centers of Banglore and Kolkata are being established.Projects and centres of excellence in basic and applied research have been supported with an outlay of over Rs 150 crores during 2007-08. More than 500 students are currently carrying out doctoral research in nano science in the country.
Initiative for Technologies for Safe Drinking Water
The department has mounted a national initiative to assess technologies and products available for providing safe drinking water for decentralized use and create a data base of technologies after the evaluation of field performance of products and technologies.
Recent Success Stories of the incubated companies promoted by NSTEDB,DSTsupported Technology Business Incubator (TBI).
Torque 360 Degree Solutions is an incubated company of Technopark,Trivandrumwhich specializes in providing wireless messaging solutions enabling direct communication withtargeted audiences and service them through various messaging products and tools. One of its spin off, MobME , Mobile Media and Entertainment Start-up is valued at US $ 7 Million and is listed on top 100 IT Innovators 2007 by NASSCOM.
Laurus Laboratories nurtured in ICICI Knowledge Park, Hyderabad, life science Incubatorfunctions in the area of pharmaceutical process development which provides integrated services, technologies and manufacturing capabilities spanning theentire drug development life cycle, have had an iconic growth with over USD 100 million valuation and a strategic partnership with Aptuit Inc. in less than two years and created 425 scientist level jobs and around 100 support level jobs.
SooryaKiran Bioinformatics (P) Ltd is a university incubated, new generation bioinformatics company functioning from Technopark,Trivandrumprovides reliable, cost effective, world-class customized solutions that bridge the gap between information analysis and knowledge management. The company is poised to establish itself as a world renowned organization, striving to set benchmarks in Computational Biology and Bioinformatic.
NationalMissionon Bamboo Applications
NationalMissionon Bamboo Applications focused attention on value addition of bamboo materials through applications of technology and product development in area of structural materials and energy generation. Several housing and structural applications related technologies have been commercialized.
DRUGSANDPHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM
The programme has established a number of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in drug development.Total of 85 collaborative R&D projects with leading industries, 31 national facilities and 37 Pharma Industry loan projects have been supported.
The programme has resulted in filing 15 product patents and 13 process patents. Industrial leads on Psoriasis, Migraine, Malaria, Anti-Glaucoma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Diabetes, aging, Pancreatic Cancer, Osteoporosis are under different phases (Phase I, II,III) clinical trials.
Science Express – an innovative science exhibition on-wheels
Science Express’, an innovative Indo-German Pathway to Discovery, is a unique science exhibition-on-wheels. It was flagged off by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh and Federal Chancellor ofGermany Dr.Angela Merkel from Delhi Safdarjung on30 October 2007. It is a joint venture between the Max Planck Society Germany (MPS), a Noble laureate powerhouse and Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, with the support ofGermany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German corporate giant BASF and its Indian arm, among others. The exhibition comprising of over 350 interactive displays, large format modules, video clips and voice-overs strived to provide insights into some most pressing questions about evolution besides state-of-the-art of several scientific pursuits. It also hosted world famous Kids’ Lab of BASF and over 15,000 students performed interesting experiments in Chemistry.
During its incredible tour of India to 57 locations in 217 days covering over 15,000 kms during, this first-of-its kind exhibition received overwhelming response at each halt as it attracted over 22.5 lakhs visitors. Buoyed by its success, a modified version called ‘sciencexpress’having more indigenous content has been launched on 30 November 2008 to another 50 destinations not covered earlier.
International S&T Cooperation
The Department of Science and Technology on behalf of theGovernment of India has enlarged the Scope and strength of S&T cooperation with many countries during the year 2008-09. Stepped cooperation with European Union, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada, Israel, Russia, SAARC, brazil, South Africa formed special focus during 2008-09. Indian beam line in Japan, Science express with Germany, Industrial R&D fund support with Israel and Canada, science bridges with UK, Joint Biomedical center with Russia, coordinated call for research on computational material science with EU are some indications of stepped up S&T cooperation registered during 2008-09.
India’s brightest students who choose to pursue science in college will get Rs 80,000 a year under a government scholarship to draw youngsters to careers in research.
The department of science and technology (DoT) today launched the nation’s largest-ever project to wean high-school students away from dreams of studying engineering or medicine towards BSc and MSc degrees.
Students who rank within 10,000 in the IIT Joint Entrance Examination and within 20,000 in the All India Engineering Entrance Examination but still choose BSc will be eligible for the scholarship, announced earlier this year but formally launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. Students who clear the central medical entrance exam but opt for BSc will also be eligible.
All students who come within the top 1 per cent both in the 10th and 12th standard exams of central or state boards may also apply for the Scholarship for Higher Education. The department of science expects to offer 10,000 scholarships every year.
Students of Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) and the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), national science talent scholars and Olympiad medallists will also be eligible.
The scholarship will be available from BSc second year till the students complete their master’s. Students of IISER Pune, Calcutta, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram will receive it this year. So will those of NISER Bhubaneswar.
… The project will also award Rs 5,000 every year to 200,000 students from classes VI to X — picked with help from the schools’ science faculties — for work on a school-level science project. It will provide doctoral fellowships and an assured five-year research career to postgraduate students.
The government will spend Rs 2,100 crore on the scheme in the next three years.
India’s science policy makers have long worried about the migration of meritorious students towards, traditionally, engineering and medicine and, in recent years, management and information technology. “This initiative is important for India from a long-term perspective,” said T. Ramasamy, DoT secretary. “We expect to begin seeing gains from this in about a decade or so from now.”
Orissa has initiated moves to reform its higher education system, thanks to National Knowledge Commission (NKC) initiative.
The Higher Education department has moved to set up two committees in this regard.
Madhu Sudan Padhi, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Higher Education has moved for setting up the committees to take up reforms of the existing universities.
There are 7 universities under the administrative control of the Higher Education department.
As per guidelines of NKC, in order to bring reforms in the existing academic and examination system, Vice Chancellor of Utkal University will be assigned the job.
NKC has advised the State Governments to ask the universities to revise or restructure curricula at least once in 3 years.
Secondly it has said that annual examination, which tests memory rather than understanding, needs to be supplemented with continuous internal assessment.
NKC proposes a transition to a course credit system where degrees are granted on the basis of completing a requisite number of credits from different course, which provides students with choices.
Universities must become Hub of Research, which is totally absent, said a senior officer.
These are the few guidelines and including others on which the VC committee will prepare the “blueprint” for reforms, said he.
Another committee headed by the Secretary Higher Education will look into to structural reforms including governance, setting up small universities and restructuring the under graduate colleges.
Both the committees will present their report by 15 February, which will form the part of the Blue Print for the state, said he.
I think various state-funded colleges should be combined to form local universities. I will elaborate on this in another post.
In the coming years, the IIT palette will have on offer a range of shades beyond the cut-and-dry coding courses. A bunch of doctors, historians, perhaps policy makers too, could boast of IIT degrees.
… the XIth five-year committee for higher education is working with these centres of excellence to expand their charts. The committee, headed by educationist Yash Pal, that is meeting IIT heads on Friday will discuss how the tech schools can change their character and, like American universities, enlarge their menu.
"Currently, the IITs are premier undergraduate engineering schools doing some postgraduation and research work. Now, we want to give them a bigger role," Yash Pal told TOI. The noted scientist said that he had discussed his suggestions with some IIT directors and that a clearer picture would emerge after this week’s meeting.
While the IITs will be given more oxygen in terms of starting courses of their choice, it’s difficult to predict whether the new subjects offered will compare in excellence with the engineering departments, or be relegated to the sidelines, like the IITs’ management schools. However, Yash Pal said, "All great universities around the world offer a range of undergraduate courses. Our IITs can’t be great unless they think in that direction."
The committee is looking at the Big Daddy of engineering colleges for inspiration. "If MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) or Caltech (California Institute of Technology) can offer a wider range of programmes that are well-known, why not the IITs? Our IITs have produced wonderful engineers for the country. It’s time they looked at offering more," he added.
Former Indian Institute of Science director Govardhan Mehta, who’s also on the committee, said that the country was currently at a stage where an institute running one programme was also being termed a university. "However, a university, as defined in the ninth century, is an institution with a confluence of many disciplines where research and teaching are carried out. While expansion of courses in the IITs is what our committee is thinking of, Friday’s meeting will give us a chance to know what’s in the IIT heads’ minds," he said.
… IIT-Guwahati director Gautam Barua said, "There has been some suggestion that the IITs start programmes in areas other than science and technology. I do not have a problem with doing that if our focus is clearly defined."
… Educationist and former director of IIT-Chennai P V Indiresan, who has spent a large part of his life in the IIT system, said the institutes had been synonymous with excellence and they must not start any programmes unless they got very good faculty for the same.
How the IITs will rise to the challenge remains to be seen. What’s certain, however, is that the flow charts on their lush campuses are set to be redrawn.
IN THE FIRST PHASE 2,500 MODEL SCHOOLS TO BE SET UP IN EDUCATIONALLY BACKWARD BLOCKS
16:35 IST
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave its approval to the setting up of6,000 Model Schools at the Block levelin the country. Initially, in the First Phase of the implementation of this Centrally Sponsored Scheme, 2,500 Model Schools will be set up in the Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs). These schools will be set up through State Governments.
A model school will have infrastructure and facilities, at least of the standard as in a KendriyaVidyalaya and with stipulations on pupil-teacher ratio, ICT usage, holistic educational environment, appropriate curriculum and emphasis on output and outcome.
Objective:The main objectives of the scheme are,
¨To have at least one good quality secondary school in every block.
¨To have a pace setting role for these schools.
¨To try out innovative curriculum and pedagogy
¨To be a model in infrastructure, curriculum, evaluation and school governance
The salient features of Scheme are as under:
Location: 2500 Model schools will be set up in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs).
Land:Land for these schools will be identified and provided by the State Governments free of cost.
Medium of instructions: The medium of instructions will be decided by the State Governments. However, special emphasis will be given on teaching of English & spoken English.
Classes: The schools will have classes from VI to XII, or IX to XII.
Management: These schools will be run by State Government societies similar to KendriyaVidyalayaSangathan.
There will a continuous evaluation of the working of the schools by State Government agencies through a regular and well structured system of field visits. Besides, an independent agency may be assigned the task of monitoring of the scheme, including progress of construction for each State.
Financial requirement for setting up 2,500 schools during the 11th Five Year Plan has been estimated as Rs.9,321 crore, of which estimatedcentral shareis Rs.7,457 crore.Planning Commission has allocated Rs. 12,750 crore for this scheme under the 11th Five Year Plan. Rs. 650 crore has been provided in the budget for 2008-09.
Sharing pattern will be at the ratio of 75:25 between centre and the states during the 11th Five Year Plan and 50:50 during the 12th Five Year Plan, while for special category states, the sharing pattern would be in the ratio of 90:10. The scheme will be implemented from the current financial year.
The Scheme is, however, not to be implemented in the 6 states where assembly elections are being held, till the poll process is over.
To increase the enrolment rate in higher education, a UGC committee has suggested starting an additional 735 universities in the country during the 11th Plan ending 2012.
The UGC committee, comprising Prof Duraisami of Madras University and Prof Sudhansu Bhusan of National University of Education Planning and Administration, has said that more universities will be needed to increase gross enrolment rate — the percentage of youths in the age group of 18-24 years in higher education — to 15 per cent from the 10 per cent at present.
The committee, set up to suggest reforms on the affiliation system and monitoring of education in 11th plan, has worked out a formula of 20,000 students per university to achieve the target. As per this criteria, the requirement would be 735 universities in the country by 2012, the report said.
"We will study the report and make a final suggestion to the state governments for starting the new varsities," UGC Chairman Prof Sukhadeo Thorat said.
At present there are 388 universities in the country. The committee’s report assumes significance in view of the estimation of National Knowledge Commission last year, when it said that at least 1,500 universities are needed to make India a knowledge society.
The enrolment ratio in higher education is abysmal 10 per cent in India. It is less than eight per cent in states like Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Uttarakhand.
Orissa’s population is 36,706,920, while India’s population is 1,129,866,154. So Orissa’s population is 3.24% of India’s population. So if India’s universities need to increase to a total of 388+735 = 1123. Then Orissa’s share should be 3.24% of that, which is 36.4. Considering Orissa at less than 8% is behind the national average of 10% in terms of enrolment ratio, Orissa will need to have at least 45.5, or say 46 universities. (This is based on using the 8% number for Orissa. It is actually a little over 6 for Orissa. So another 10 may be needed. But for the 11th plan lets stick with the number 46.)
The exisiting universities in Orissa are (13): Utkal, Sambalpur, Berhampur, NOU, FMU, OUAT, KIIT, SOS, Culture U, Ravenshaw, Sri Jagannath, NIT RKL, BPUT.
The new universities that are under construction are (8): WCCU, KBK Central, Sri Sri U, Vedanta U, ICFAI, Jagadguru, National Law U, Orissa Open University
Some institutes that are operating or under construction and that could become universities are (4): IIIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Bhubaneswar, NISER Bhubaneswar, AIIMS Bhubaneswar
Some institutes that may be opened and become universities are (3) : IIIT Berhampur, BITS, NID
So the state needs to make at least 10 more universities.
One should be made in each of the undivided 13 districts which do not have a university yet. The 13 undivided districts are: Puri, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Baleswar, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Phulbani, Dhenkanal, Kendujhar, Ganjam and Mayurbhanj. Among them the five districts of Balangir, Kalahandi (Bhawanipatna), Phulbani, Dhenkanal (Angul) and Kendujhar do not have a university nor any new one has yet been announced. So the state should establish 5 universities, one each in each of these undivided districts.
CET Bhubaneswar should be made to a university.
A comprehensive university should be established in Rourkela.
A Bhubaneswar-Cuttack metropolitan university consisting of all government colleges in the Bhubaneswar and Cuttack area should be made.
Berhampur medical college should be made to a unitary health university.
A health university encompassing all of Orissa, with possible head quarters in Naraj should be made.
During the 12th and 13th plan at least the undivided districts which do not have two universities should get their second one (8): Those would be Baleswar (Bhadrakh), Balangir (Titlagarh), Kalahandi (Nabarangpur), Koraput (Malkangiri), Phulbani (Boudha), Dhenkanal, Kendujhar (Joda) and Mayurbhanj (Bangiriposi).
In addition universities may be established in major population centers without an university. These places include (5): Rayagada, Kalinganagar, Paradeep, Parlakhemundi, Jharsuguda,
And in districts which do not yet have a university (5): Bargarh, Deogarh, Kendrapada, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Sonepur.
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday said an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) would be set up at Garnawathi in Rohtak district.
… The chief minister said a Central University would be set up in Mahendergarh district with the help of Central Government and it would be named after Lord Krishna.
The Centre has also sanctioned the setting up of a Defence University in the state.
NISER/IOP: The IOP+NISER budget (item 9.04 of the DAE budget) is 69 crores in plan + 9 crores in non-plan = 78 crores. The nornal IOP budget is about 20 crores. Hence, 50-58 crores is the budget for NISER in 2008-09. (Note that in 2007-08 IOP was allocated 32.75+7 crores and it spent 27.6+8 = 35.6 crores. I..e, Probably 15-18 crores were spent for NISER. )
IISER: There is a budget of 150 crores (item 61 of the Higher education budget) for the five IISERs. (The budget for three of them was 125 crores in 2007-08, out of which only 60 crores was spent.)
new IITs: There is a budget of 50 crores (item 60 of the Higher education budget) for the establishment of three new IITs. (The budget for them was 80 crores in 2007-08, out of which only 0.01 crores was spent.)
AIIMS-like: There is a total budget of 490 crores (item 26 of the Health ministry budget) for the establishment of 6 new AIIMS-like institutes and upgradation of 10 other institutes. In 2007-08 the budget for this was 150 crores out of which only 90 crores was spent; most of it went to the upgradation part.
NITs: The budget for the NITs (item 69 of the Higher education budget) is 808 (plan) + 285 (non-plan) = 1093 crores. Rs 608 crores of that is for enhancing the number of students to account for the OBC quota.
IITs: The budget for the IITs (item 38 of the Higher education budget) is 1171 (plan) + 525 (non-plan) = 1696 crores. Rs 771 crores of that is for enhancing the number of students to account for the OBC quota.
IISc Bangalore: The budget for the IISc (item 41 of the Higher education budget) is 130 (plan) + 91 (non-plan) = 221 crores. Rs 70 crores of that is for enhancing the number of students to account for the OBC quota.
UGC: The budget for UGC (item 3 of the Higher education budget) is 3095.5 (plan) + 2009.4 (non-plan) = 5104.9 crores. Rs 875 crores of that is for enhancing the number of students to account for the OBC quota.
NIRTAR and other 6 institutes for blind, deaf, mentally retarded and orthopaedically handicapped: The budget for them (item 21 of Ministry of Social Justice budget) is 47+27.05 crores.
IIST (Indian Inst. of Space Sc. & Tech): Its budget (item 12 of ministry of space) is 65.25 crores. 25 crores out of a budgeted 75 crores was spent in 2007-08.
Tourism: Its budget for training (item 5 of Tourism ministry) is 71 + 0.8 crores. It includes 26 Institutes of Hotel management, 7 Foodcraft institutes, IITTM, and NIWS (National Institute of Water Sports).
National Institute of design: Its budget for (item 3 of ministry of commerce) is only 0.25 crores. It was 20.25 crores in 2007-08. It seems the funding pattern has been changed. There is now 50 crores (item 7 of ministry of commerce) for project based support to autonomous institutions which includes NID and several other institutions.
On Feb 2, 2008 9:43 AM, Krishna Murari <kmacharya@…> wrote:
Please see the attached message. Am afraid, the Oriya paper got it completely wrong.
-Special Secy, MHRD
======= His message is below my reply to him. ======
Dear Mr. Acharya:
It is very easy for some one in Orissa to believe that you said what is reported to have been said in Samaja.
Already, your minister Mrs. Purandareswari said something similar. See http://www.indianexpress.com/story/30436.html where it is reported that she read a list of institutions in Orissa that have central assistance to justify why Orissa should not have given an IIT. If she, or the staff who wrote that response, had bothered to compared this with other states, which we did (please see http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol1/state_wise_national_lab.pdf ) she/they would have found that other states have much more such institutes and this reasoning is yet another attempt to harm Orissa by the MHRD.
In general, people all over Orissa have developed a deep distrust of MHRD for reason listed below. From your past actions we are very apprehensive that MHRD will find or make up some reason or other to deny an IIT to Orissa or just deny without any explanation.
(ii) Orissa is at the bottom of higher education enrollment at about 6.1% and needs to cover the largest gap to get to the 11th plan goal of 15%.
(iii) Orissa is the 9th largest state in area and 11th largest in population. (Note that the 8 new IITs will take the total # IITs to 15.)
(iv) Orissa is among the most backward state of the country in most parameters and has the most backward district cluster (KBK districts made up of almost half the size of Orissa) in the country.
(v) Orissa has a vast population of tribals.
(vi) Orissa is trying its best to industrialize and is among the lead in recent ASSOCHAM studies regarding investment destinations.
(vii) The people of Orissa, its MPs, and its CM have been trying very hard for several years now to convince MHRD and the PM about an IIT in Orissa, but without any results. Please see the media articles stored at http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol0/ , http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol1/ , http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol2/ , http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol3/ to know the involvement of every one in Orissa on this. This is very very different from any other state asking for an IIT. Nowhere, the intensity and passion comes even close.
Now let me give you the reasons why people in Orissa have a deep mistrust towards MHRD and believe that MHRD is actively working to keep Orissa down and harm it.
A. MHRD took away a previously announced (by the President) NIS from Orissa. The MHRD fought tooth and nail with Orissa in the political arena (parliament), in courts (Cuttack high court and supreme court), and other places on the NIS issue. And it never gave Orissa the NIS it had taken away which are now called IISERs. MHRD gave them all to its favored states (Pune, Kolkata, Punjab, Bhopal and Kerala.) See http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol1-nis/ and http://iiser.blogspot.com for the press articles and chronology of this.
Thank God, India has a prime minister who has some shame, who sanctioned NISER from his ministry, the DAE. Despite that NISER’s approval in the cabinet was delayed and even now other hurdles have been put that continues to prevent NISER from recruiting regular faculty.
B. The following is a partial list of higher education institutions funded by MHRD that MHRD has announced since this government came. Sir: Can you please find Orissa’s name in it?
1. IISER Kolkata, West Bengal (1)
2. IISER Pune, Maharashtra (1)
3. IISER Mohali, Punjab (1)
4. IISER in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (1)
5. IISER in Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala (1)
6. IIT in Andhra Pradesh (1)
7. IIT in Rajasthan (1)
8. IIT in Bihar (1)
9. IIM at Shillong, Meghalaya (1)
10. SPA in Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh (2)
11. SPA in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (2)
12. Upgradation of Bengal Engineering and Sc U to an IIT clone (IIEST), West Bengal (2)
13. Upgradation of Andhra Univ Engineering College to IIT clone (IIEST), Andhra Pradesh (3)
14. Upgradation of Osmania Univ Engg College to IIT clone (IIEST), Andhra Pradesh (4)
15. Upgradation of IT BHU to IIT clone (IIEST), Uttar Pradesh (1)
16. Upgradation of Cochin Univ of Sc and Tech to IIT clone (IIEST), Kerala (2)
17. IIIT Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu (1)
18. Allahbad University made to a Central University, Uttar Pradesh (2)
19. Manipur University made to a Central University, Manipur (1)
20. Arunachal Pradesh university made to a Central University,Arunachal Pradesh (1)
21. Tripura university made to a Central University, Tripura (1)
22. New Central University in Sikkim, Sikkim (1) 23. CIEFL Hyderabad made to a central university, Andhra Pradesh (5)
24. Indira Gandhi Nationan Tribal University, Madhya Pradesh (3)
25. IIT in Himachal Pradesh (1)
This MHRD has announced TWENTY FIVE+ national institutions so far and Orissa does not even figure once in that list and I am sure you can figure out why people from Orissa completely distrust MHRD and its intentions.
… In addition to this, Shri Patnaik also requested for establishment of a Central University for the KBK Region, which is one of the most backward regions in the country. He pointed out that there was a heavy concentration of the scheduled tribe and scheduled caste population in this region, which has a literacy rate below 50%. Shri Patnaik stated that setting up a Central University in the KBK region would go a long way in encouraging higher education among tribal population. He added that the university could also set up specialized centres for tribal development related studies, as tribal development was one of the biggest challenges facing the country today. Shri. Arjun Singh appreciated the rationale of having a Central University in the KBK region and sought a formal proposal in this regard from the State Government. He assured that this would receive high priority whenever the Central Government considers setting up of new central universities
Please compare it with the following about the proposed Indira Gandhi National Tribal University that came out in Hindu on 19th November 2006. (http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/19/stories/2006111900750900.htm) and it seems that the idea proposed by our CM was stolen by MHRD to establish a similar university with HQ in MP and Orissa was conveniently ignored and thus harmed.
… The Indira Gandhi National Tribal University will encourage studies on tribal art, culture and traditions, forests and natural resources. Tribal students will be given priority in admission. … The D. Swaminadhan Committee, set up by the University Grants Commission, recommended the setting up of a varsity exclusively for promoting tribal culture and providing tribals access to higher education.
====
Thus MHRD is the ministry which not only has not given any national institute to Orissa but seems to have taken away two of them from Orissa: an NIS/IISER and the tribal central university which Orissa seem to have proposed first. Please look up a thesaurus to find out the adjectives used for some one who steals from the poorest of the poor. MHRD, because of its actions towards Orissa, deserves that adjective.
==
Since we do not have any trust in MHRD, we have to take things directly to the PM, Mrs. Gandhi, the planning commission and the people of India at large. There is no other option left for the weakest and the poorest and the most backward when the MHRD that is supposed to help it steals from it and tries its best to harm it and makes up ridiculous and false reasons for it.
We sincerely hope that either the MHRD will come to its senses or the PM and the planning commission will bring it into its senses so that MHRD grants at least
(i) an IIT to Orissa so that Orissa has one of the 15 IITs in the country (b) one of the 14 proposed world class central universities (c) one of the proposed 10 NITs (d) a tribal central university in KBK (out of the remaining 16 new central universities) for all of the reasons mentioned earlier in the mail.
[Again, Orissa is the 9th largest state in area, 11th largest state in population, has been historically funded the least by MHRD, has to bridge the largest gap from 6.1% to the 11th plan target of 15%, and among the states that is trying its hardest – by rapid industrialization- to get out of the bottom of everything.]
Anything less, we will know that MHRD is up to its tricks again, and despite the fact that the PM has increased the number of institutions to so many (8 new IITs taking the total to 15; 14 world class central universities; and 10 new NITs) that there is really no reason, except spite and intent to harm, to not give Orissa the above mentioned institutions.
sincerely and with best regards,
Chitta Baral
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Krishna Murari <kmacharya@…>
To: RAJESH MOHAPATRA <mahapatrark@…>
Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:43:18 +0500
Subject: Re: Please don’t force Orissa to remain backward: Reaction to "No IIT for Orissa because it has NISER" – MHRD special secretary as reported in The Samaja
The statement apparently attributed to the Special Secretary, MHRD, in some sections of the Oriya press is completely wrong. No such statement -that because of the NISER, IIT would not be considered for an IIT – was ever made. What was actually said was that Orissa’s demand for an IISER was met by establishing a NISER there.
… Coming down heavily on the Centre, Patnaik said, "I am surprised to see that decisions are being taken on a political consideration. I have repeatedly taken up the matter of establishing of an IIT in Orissa with the Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD). I have told them that Orissa’s case is a genuine one."
Raising his voice against the Centre, Patnaik said a question should be asked why the Centre shifted the National Institute of Science (NIS), which was sanctioned by the then NDA Government from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
Reacting sharply over the remarks of the Union Secretary of HRD that Orissa does not deserve an IIT as it has already got the NISER (National Institute of Science and Educational Research), Patnaik said how could the NIS be shifted to Kolkata when IIT, Kharagpur is already there.
"How West Bengal has taken two such premier institutes? All these decisions have been taken on a political consideration," Patnaik said.
In his letter Patnaik mentioned that as Orissa was witnessing a rapid growth in industrialisation, these technical institutes are required for creating the requisite manpower.
A news report in Samaja (30th January 2008, Page 7) mentions that Special Secretary in the higher education department Mr. Acharya said that, "Orissa and many other states have vigorously demanded IITs; But since a IIT quality higher education institution – NISER – has been established in Orissa, it is not possible to establish an IIT in that state." He continues on to say that, " NISER and IIT have the same admission process that happens at the same time. Since NISER will fulfill the need for an IIT one should not put much weight on the demand for an IIT."
The above logic is absolutely ridiculous and filled with falsehoods and contradicts with MHRD actions with respect to other states.
1. NISER and IITs have different admission process and they have no connection with each other. NISER uses the NEST test (http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/admission.php ) conducted by DAE while IITs have their own JEE. The secretary may be confusing NISER with IISER which do take some students from the IIT JEE merit list.
2. NISER will not fulfill the need for an IIT. Currently, NISER only offers M.Sc degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Some day in the future it may offer a few technology degrees. However, it will not be soon, as having full-fledged engineering degrees will defeat the purpose of NISER, as
students when given a choice between Science and Engineering disciplines in the same institute will prefer engineering, and as a result the NISER science departments, the reason de etre for the establishment of NISER, will not get good students. In this regard it may be noted that Science is second class in the
IITs where students prefer engineering over Science courses. Most students who get into sciences into IITs are the ones who can not get into any engineering disciplines.
Note that IISc, where both engineering and science are flourishing is different because it does not offer undergraduate degrees in science so there is no competition between student choosing between science and engineering after +2.
3. Even if NISER abandons its reason-de-etre and decides to expand into engineering aggressively, the infrastructure, especially the 300 acres allocated to NISER will not allow that. Note that the IITs in Patna and Hyderabad will have 500 acres land.
4. The engineering and technology disciplines will not be established in NISER that quickly, and because of the break-neck industrial progress happening in Orissa, it needs a top notch engineering and technological institute like an IIT "yesterday."
5. Finally the following actions contradict the assertion that Orissa will not get an IIT because it has a NISER
(a) Maharastra was given a IISER even though it has an IIT. (Both are funded by MHRD.)
(b) West Bengal was given an IISER and an IIT like institute (IIEST) eventhough it has an IIT. (All are funded by MHRD and the IISER and the IIEST will be in the Kolkata area.)
(c) Andhra Pradesh was given an IIT and two IIESTs. (All are funded by MHRD.)
(d) Kerala was given an IISER, an IIEST and an IIST (Indian Institute of Space Technology); the first two funded by MHRD, while the last one is funded by Ministry of Science and Technology.
So why is that when it comes to Orissa, when Orissa is now at the bottom of per-capita MHRD funding on higher education institutions, NISER counts against Orissa. This is despite that Orissa needs to bridge the largest gap in higher education enrollment, from 6.1% to the targeted 15%.
Is it because the above four have UPA allied governments while Orissa does not?
Also, earlier it has been remarked in the Parliament by an UPA minister that Orissa has this and that institute (such as Inst of Physics etc.). Yes, but other states have more of such institutes. See the list we compiled at http://iit.orissalinks.com/vol1/state_wise_national_lab.pdf.
So why does it count against Orissa getting an IIT, and does not count against the other states.
Is not this blatant discrimination against Orissa?
Is not such discrimination in the past a main reason why Orissa is now at the bottom of higher education enrollment and many other parameters?
Is that what the government of India wants? And in this information age of news media and Internet will the people of Orissa stand-by and just meekly accept this blatant discrimination?
(Acknowledgment: The Samaja article was brought to my notice by Prof. R. Nayak. My greatest appreciation to him for his concerns.)
This is really crazy and ridiculous. Only for Orissa, all these arguments are made; West Bengal can have an IIT, an IIESR and an IIT like institution (IIEST) all funded by MHRD; the later two in the same city Kolkata; Maharastra can have both IITs and IISERs funded by MHRD; Andhra Pradesh can have an IIT and two IIESTs (one IIT and one IIEST in the same city) funded by MHRD, Kerala can be given an MHRD funded IISER and a Ministry of Sc & Tech funded IIST (Indian Inst of Space Technology); but when it comes to Orissa it can not have an IIT because it is having NISER. (The later is funded by DAE while IITs are funded by MHRD. )
People and representatives of Orissa should not take this lying down. They must take this opportunity to explain GOI how such arguments are used against Orissa to harm Orissa and stunt its progress.
Watch out for further reactions to this apparent trial balloon floated by MHRD. They floated many such trial balloons when we were demanding NIS and they were countered by the people and representatives of Orissa. The same needs to be done urgently.
If everything goes according to the plan, the Orange City would soon have a full-fledged biotechnology university funded by Central Government. Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has already forwarded the proposal to Union HRD Ministry for consideration.
Speaking to TOI, Deshmukh said the proposal was sent under central government’s scheme, wherein they had invited bids for setting up institutions of higher learning in all the states.
“We have submitted a couple of proposals under the scheme. These include establishing a university of space science technology in Mumbai and a biotechnology university in Nagpur among others. If materialised, both these varsities would confirm the state’s premier position in India with respect to higher education. The state government is giving utmost importance to spreading higher and technical education in the state,†he affirmed.
Deshmukh added that actual dates can’t be confirmed since the proposals would first be scrutinised by the HRD ministry as well as the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Thereon it will be forwarded to the respective authorities.
“These universities would be set up and funded entirely by the Central government. We will only provide land and other necessary facilities. But the institutions would be solely managed by the Union departments,†he added.
Chairman of National Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda today lent his support to Orissa’s hope for an Indian Institute of Technology, saying the state “deserved” one.
Orissa-born Pitroda, who ushered the telecom revolution in India in the eighties, today joined chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s long-standing demand, and said: “It’s high time. But, I am not the right person to comment on this matter. The HRD ministry should take a decision.”
Pitroda had come to Orissa to discuss the recommendations of the NKC, an advisory body to the Prime Minister on matters of higher education, with chief secretary T.K. Tripathy. Pitroda’s support went down well with Naveen, who has time and again reiterated his demand , but has been “refused” by the HRD ministry.
… Last year the Union HRD ministry decided to set up IITs in Bihar and Rajasthan and IISERs in Pune and Calcutta. The decision angered Orissa, which doesn’t have a single centre of excellence.
Non-resident Oriyas have been petitioning and writing to the ministry to set up an IIT in Orissa. While organisations have launched agitation against the Congress-led UPA and staged demonstrations before the Parliament over the issue.
Naveen has written several letters to Singh protesting the Centre’s decision of ignoring Orissa’s claim. The BJD-BJP MPs from Orissa had also staged a dharna before Parliament last week to protest against the Centre’s “step-motherly attitude”.
The need for expansion as we do not have enough schools/colleges and varsities, providing quality education and ensuring equity as well as access are the three major challenges said Mr Sam Pitroda, chairman National Knowledge Commission. Talking to reporters he said the 11th Plan does make a substantial commitment to education and states must be ready to avail the funds that will flow.
He said Orissa was the first state he was visiting to interact with officials vis-à-vis the Knowledge Commission’s activities and recommendations. "I will visit a few other states like Rajasthan, Dellhi, Andhra Pradesh before we prepare a document on what states need to do," he remarked. He emphasised on vocational training and making students employable. He suggested setting up of a advisory committee of eminent citizens at the state level, a working group headed by the chief secretary and small groups to deal with each of the aspects involving education.
Mr Pitroda shared the view if more IITs were to come up in the country, Orissa should get one.
… On mushrooming private colleges which lacked trained faculty as well as infrastructure, he said it was a demand-supply problem. Suddenly the demand for education increased substantially and there was a short supply of institutions and hence people stepped in to fill up this gap. In the process institutions of low standards had come up everywhere.
To be a ‘good university’ is a decent and honourable thing, but no ‘good’ university these days can feel entirely comfortable, since we are not now judged solely on our local or even national contribution, but our international standing.
The competition to be ranked among the world’s top universities is increasing, with much jostling for position on international league tables. According to the latest Shanghai Jiao Tong University Ranking, the US dominates with 37 of its universities in the top 50. Arguably this is starting to change. China, for example, is investing heavily in its universities, but there is still a long way to go before any find themselves in the top 50.
… But what makes a university world class? As international competition for students and academics increases, this question is very much on the front burner for university leaders. Many people talk about ‘world class’ universities, but what the term means is often left hovering in the air, undefined.
In my view, four factors make a university world class. First, it must show a commitment to breadth and excellence in all fields of human inquiry, not simply in a particular niche. Uniform excellence across all fields is an ideal that no university achieves in practice, but it is a fine ambition. One senses that universal, high ambition in great universities, coupled with real excellence in most fields, most of the time.
Second, world class universities engage in cutting-edge research whilst at the same time teaching the next generation, their students. Teaching and research are intrinsically bound together, with top researchers inspiring and mentoring their students. In turn, students themselves inspire and challenge their teachers.
Much of the talk about world class universities centres around the production of exciting discoveries and universities’ contribution to the economy and to human enrichment through the development of cultural knowledge. But every bit as important as these is the role of universities as educators. World class universities produce students who will go on to be leaders in all walks of life.
Third, great universities must allow their researchers the freedom to experiment, succeed, and sometimes fail. They must be able to make grand mistakes as well as grand discoveries. It is often through making those mistakes that the grand discoveries are made.
This implies a degree of inefficiency, but it is a necessary inefficiency and a corollary of greatness. A university operating with a completely utilitarian mindset will forego the opportunities that a more open-ended system allows.
Finally, world class universities have permeable boundaries. This means encouraging interdisciplinary research and teaching; it means working with the private sector, for example, fostering and encouraging partnerships with industry; and it means encouraging international collaboration.
World class universities look outward, and think beyond conventional boundaries today, we educate students more and more of whom will go on to live and work in a range of cultures. We must equip them for this life, partly by what we teach them, partly by what other experiences we offer them, who they meet as students and the composition of the study body. …
Orissa is yet to send the proposal for setting up a World Class University (WCU) in the state.
Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) has written to State Government to send a Detailed Proposal for a WCU in Orissa.
MHRD wrote the letter sequel to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s historic initiative on higher education includes 14 world class central universities each with an approximate initial budget of Rs. 1000 crores.
Besides traditional disciplines, these universities are supposed to have a medical school, an engineering school, a business school and a law school.
Currently India does not have any such world class university, and the central government, serious about the "world class" label wants these universities in locations that will create synergies.
Various news items have mentioned proximity to research labs such as CSIR labs as one of the qualifying locational attributes.
Orissa, at 6.1 per cent is at the bottom of the higher education enrollment among all major states, and needs to cover the biggest gap to make it to the 11th plan target of 15 per cent.
Moreover, Orissa is the 9th largest state of the country in terms of area and 11th largest in terms of population.
It also does not have any existing central universities.
Thus one would expect that Orissa would be in the front of the line making its case for one of these world class universities.
Unfortunately that is not the case.
Even after receiving communication from MHRD on this count Orissa has not yet responded, admited a senior official.
It would be a shame if Orissa loses out on this because of not making a proper and timely case, lamented an educationist.
Insiders say that the BJD-BJP Government is doing this deliberately so that when Orissa does not get one of these world class universities, than the government will again accuse the UPA Government of neglecting the state.
It is true that in recent past the UPA Government has created havoc by taking away a previously announced IIT from Orissa.
But in this particular case, the PM himself has stated categorically that there will be a competition between states in making decisions regarding the locations of the world class universities.
So if Orissa does not even send a timely proposal how can we blame the UPA government for Orissa not being given one of the WCU.
Chandrasekhar Sahu, Minister of State, Rural Development has written to MHRD about Orissa getting one of the WCU.
But one wonders if this will turn out like the NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) case.
Mr. Sahu was promised consideration for a NIFT by the Union Textiles Minister Sankar Sinh Vaghela, but the whole state was embarrassed in the Parliament when it was stated in a reply that Orissa government has never submitted a request for a NIFT.
In case of NIFT, Bihar took the lead in sending a proposal and snatched it from Orissa.
If Orissa loses out in getting one of the 14 world class university because of the current government’s laziness or because of its devious strategy to win elections at the cost of harming Orissa so that it can blame the Center, the people of Orissa will never forgive this Government, feel educationists.