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.
A high-powered committee constituted by the Centre is all set to begin state-hopping in order to identify locations for the 16 Central varsities that the UPA government has promised to the country in the Eleventh Plan. While the states have already been identified, now the crucial exercise of identifying the towns or cities where these universities will come up is slated to start soon.
Vedanta University Project (VUP) has tied up with DAV Public School in Puri to provide high quality education to 500 children of land losing families and 200 children have already been selected for admission in the school.
Classes are scheduled to commence from July 1 and VUP will be supporting the DAV institution to set up a DAV Oriya medium school shortly in one of the peripheral villages.
VUP has also provided four 40-seater buses to DAV School, Puri for tansportation of children belonging to land losing families who have been selected for admission to the school.
While handing over the keys of the buses to the Principal of the school, Sanjeev Anand Zutshi, director of VUP said, "Provision of transport will encourage children of land losing families to come to the school regularly. This along with other facilities like mid-day snacks, free uniforms and study materials is expected to motivate the children to pursue their school education in right earnest."
"Quality school education will create enabling conditions for the children of the peripheral villages to attain excellence in the academic field for which Vedanta University will create abundant opportunities", Zutshi added.
This is something every company that is taking people’s land should do. This should become part of the R & R. For the children’s sake this will encourage the family to stay near by; and hence will prevent from the dynamics to break down when families disperse. This will also help in making the next generation of the family educated in good schools.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs had decided to set up three apex tribal research institutes for undertaking research on ground and to suggest application oriented projects for tribal development. These institutes to be set up at Orissa, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will also suggest action plans for the promotion of culture and language of tribal communities, conduct research and evaluation studies. Briefing the Members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry here today, Shri P.R. Kyndiah, Minister for Tribal Affairs said that his Ministry is actively considering 100% Central government’s funding for setting up these institutes.
Highlighting his Ministry’s initiatives for tribal welfare, Shri Kyndiah said efforts were being made to reorient the functioning of the 18 tribal research institutes already working in the various parts of the country. Now onwards, only those research studies would be allowed at these centres, which would have direct impact on the life of tribals. The institutes would also be asked to suggest activities creating economic opportunities direct or indirect for the tribals. Experts would be involved to suggest projects to promote traditional art and craft of tribals.
Participating in the discussion, Shri Rameshwar Oraon, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs stressed the need for strengthening existing tribal research institutes, he said that these institutes should work in fields to study tribal issues closely and suggest effective measures for inclusion in Government’s programmes and policies. He said that libraries at these centers to be strengthened to provide rich study material for research in tribal related issues.
Participating in the meeting, Members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee were of the view that Tribal Research Institutes should open their branches in tribal dominated pockets and their activities should be linked with the practical projects for economic and social development of the tribal people. Members also suggested there should be strict monitoring to see whether tribal welfare funds were being used genuinely. They also suggested speedy implementation of the Forest Rights Act. The meeting was attended by S/Shri Giridhar Gamang, Baliram Kashyap, Baju Ban Riyan, Rajesh Kumar Manjhi and V. Kishore Chandra S. Deo (all Members of Parliament).
Following is from http://www.dte.org.in/download%5CFee_Waiver_Scheme_AICTE.pdf. I hope the private and the government colleges adopt this scheme, at least in phases. Perhaps new private colleges need not have it for the first three years. Existing colleges could do it in two steps; start with 5% this year and then increase it to 10% in the next year.
No. 37-03/Legal/2007
ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION NEW DELHI
Guidelines
Date: 09-04-2007
Sub: Scheme on Tuition Fee Waiver scheme for women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students.
The AICTE has been empowered under Section 10(e) of AICTE Act to formulate schemes for promoting technical education for women, handicapped and weaker sections of the society. In compliance with these provisions under the AICTE Act, it has been decided to introduce Tuition Fee Waiver scheme for women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students in technical institutions.
I-Applicability:
The proposed scheme shall be applicable to the Students of all AICTE approved technical Institutions offering;
a) Bachelors programmes in Engineering, Pharmacy, HMCT, Architecture and Applied Arts and Crafts.
b) Diploma Programmes of three years duration in all disciplines.
The Scheme is proposed initially for Under-graduate and Diploma Programmes. The scheme will be voluntary in nature.
II-Purpose:
The scheme is proposed to provide Tuition Fee Waiver to women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students pursuing degree/diploma level technical education covering degree programmes in Engineering & Technology, HMCT, Pharmacy, Architecture, Applied Arts and Crafts and Diploma Programmes in the above disciplines.
III-Amount of waiver:
The Waiver is limited to the tuition fee as approved by the State Level Fee Committee for self-financing institutions and by the Government for the Govt. and Govt. Aided Institutions. All other Fee except tuition fees have to be paid by the beneficiary.
IV-Method of implementation:
Under the Scheme, the Competent Authority for admissions shall be the same as for regular admissions. And Institutions shall provide tuition fee waiver up to 10 percent of its sanctioned intake of students. Typically for every 60 sanctioned intake in a branch/discipline of study, tuition fee waiver shall be given to two woman candidates, three economically weaker students (Annual income of Parents/Guardians less than Rs. 2.50 lakhs from all sources) and one physically handicapped students based on merit. In the event of non-availability of students in a specific category as above, the benefit will be given to any other candidate of other categories according to merit. An award letter is this respect shall be issued by the respective Institution with the approval of the Competent Authority for admissions.
The Institution in turn shall be allowed to admit 10% of its sanctioned intake or the number of actual tuition fee waiver granted by the Institution, whichever is lower, as an additional intake in the same discipline/branch of study.
Incase of Government/Govt. aided Institutions this additional intake may be on self-financing basis, if they so desire.
1The AICTE approved technical institutions shall inform the number of the tuition fee waivers, branch wise to the admission authorities of the concerned state and give an undertaking that the institution will not charge tuition fee for the duration of the course form the beneficiaries.
2The State Govts. Affiliating Universities of the concerned state shall allow equal number of seats over and above the present sanctioned strength subject to maximum of 10% of the approved intake in the same branch in lieu of the Tuition Fee Waivers. Private Institutions shall be allowed to admit students to the tune of the number of Tuition Fee waivers actually awarded from the same merit list as intake over and above the present sanctioned strength. Similarly the Government Institutions may fill up these additional seats on merit basis and if desired on self financing basis with the approval of the State Government.
3The Institution shall admit students against these seats as per the procedure followed for admitting the regular seats at Institution level by the State admission authority. The list of students admitted in this category shall be displayed in the Notice Board of the Institution and its web-site along with the list of students given tuition fee waiver.
4The State Govts. shall include the names of the institutions who have volunteered to avail the scheme with details of tuition fee waivers available in each institution branch wise in the admission brochure and publish the same for the benefit of the students.
5The Institutions have to publish in their brochure and website the number of tuition fee waivers available in each category (Woman, economically weaker and physically handicapped) of students in each discipline.
6The Competent Authority for admission shall have to display Tuition Fee Waiver status against each Institution, branch wise, to the candidates during the counseling, during admission and at the end of admission process so that the students can freely exercise their informed choice.
7The information on availability of tuition fee waiver scheme shall be provided to the candidates, institution wise and discipline wise through Information brochure, Counseling brochure and website etc. The selection of candidates for tuition fee waiver shall be decided during the Counseling based on merit from amongst the eligible candidates. An eligible candidate shall have an option to exercise his/her choice of Institutions and discipline of study during Counseling for availing benefits of the scheme.
8. The Institutions shall provide the following information to the AICTE, concerned State Govt. and affiliating University:
Particulars of each beneficiary including name and rank of the students who have been granted tuition fee waiver in each discipline/branch of study, and
Details of the students admitted against the additional seats including name and rank etc., according to merit prescribed for regular admission.
The Institutions shall also display such information in their websites for information to the students and other stake holders.
9. The tuition fee waiver to a student shall be for the duration of the course i.e. four years for Bachelor courses in Engineering & Technology, Pharmacy, HMCT and Applied Arts and Crafts, and three years for Diploma students and five years for B. Arch course. Once a student is given Tuition Fee Waiver, the same shall be continued for the normal course duration.
Recently NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) Bhubaneswar has advertised for regular faculty positions. (The ad appears in Science.) Many prospective applicants may not have heard about NISER, Bhubaneswar; while they may have heard about the IISERs (IISER Pune and IISER Kolkata which are taking their third batch of students in 2008; IISER Mohali which is taking its second batch of students in 2008 and IISER Bhopal and IISER Thiruvanthapuram which are taking their first batch of students in 2008). Here is a quick overview of NISER, Bhubaneswar and its status vis-a-vis the IISERs.
NISER will be at par with the IISER being established in other places but will operate under the umbrella of DAE. It will undertake integrated 5-year Masters courses in core and emerging branches of science to provide world-class education to students after the 10+2 stage. It can also include an integrated M.Sc.–Ph.D. after graduation level.
… When completed, I am confident that the National Institute of Science Education and Research will become a Mecca for science just as TIFR and IISc are today.
NISER Bhubaneswar admitted its first batch of students in 2007 and is currently (in 2008) admitting its second batch of students.
NISER Bhubaneswar decided to not follow IISERs in its admission procedure. Unlike IISERs which take students from the extended merit list of IIT JEE, NISER decided to have its own entrance examination called NEST. But both IISERs and NISER have a interview process past the entrance examination to decide on the final list of successful applicants.
The scale of pay of faculty in NISER Bhubaneswar is similar to the scale of pay of faculty at IISER Pune and IISER Kolkata, as well as at the IITs. However, it seems, being a DAE funded institute, NISER Bhubaneswar has an additional update allowance of Rs 10,000/year to Rs 30,000/year depending on the scale of pay.
NISER will most likely be constructed by DCSEM of DAE that constructs various DAE structures. It is expected that the quality of construction would be good and done fast.
Now in regards to the locations, Bhubaneswar (where NISER is located) is definitely less known than Pune and Kolkata. However, if one explores a bit more deeply one may find out the advantages of Bhubaneswar, Orissa. We have elaborated on various aspects of that in the site for IIT Bhubaneswar. Here we briefly touch open on a few of those points.
Bhubaneswar is the only metropolitan area of the country which is currently scheduled to have a science institute (in NISER Bhubaneswar), an IIT and a world class central university. In addition a IIIT and an AIIMS-like institution is also being established in Bhubaneswar.
The Anil Agarwal foundation is establishing a 12,000 crore Vedanta University in Puri, about 40 kms from the location of NISER. Mr. Anil Agarwal has personally pledged $1 Billion (i.e., Rs 4000 crores) for this. More about this university in their home page, or one may listen to Anil Agarwal in this video.
In fact, from 1999 to 2001, all the IITs put together merely graduated 240 PhD students.
This appears to be changing. In 2007-08, the Powai campus, which is celebrating its golden jubilee, is expecting at least 210 doctoral students to graduate. This is a huge jump from last year, when 152 doctoral students received PhDs.
….
This is pretty impressive. I hope the trend continues, not only at IITB but also at other IITs. Private engineering colleges will hopefully tap into this talent pool for their faculty recruitment.
… the Synovate survey of the Outlook magazine has put KIIT School of Technology, a constituent of KIIT University in the 18 the position among the top 100 private technical colleges of the country in the same league as prestigious institutes such as BITS of Pilani, PSG College of Technology of Coimbator, BIT of Mesra, Thapar University of Patiala and VIT University of Vellore. It is the only institute from Orissa to feature in this elite list of private engineering colleges.
The survey, which conducted every year to reveal the names of 100 topmost colleges of the country, focuses on five basic parameters such as intellectual capital, pedagogic system, industry interface, infrastructure and facilities and placements. However, while most of the colleges figuring in the list have a history of 50 to 100 years, KIIT is only ten- years-old. KIIT has substantially improved its rank this year compared to the previous years. It was ranked 37th in 2007 and 100th in the year before.
The Central University, Tiruvarur, will begin functioning from this year.
Since the Centre has come forward to commence the operations of the university, the government will identify temporary buildings to locate the university.
………..it was decided that expeditious action would be taken to identify and allot land to the Central University in Coimbatore and the Indian Institute of Management in Tiruchi.
NOTE: Orissa Govt. has not yet taken any initiative for the proposed second central university in the state. It seems Orissa Govt. is far behind regarding the second central university in the state compared to other states.
Livemint, a joint initiative of Hindustan Times and the Wall Street Journal has come up with a set of ranks for the various educational institutions in India cutting across Medicine, Law and Engineering amongst others.
Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri P. R. Dasmunsi has said that ‘I am very happy to announce that we have decided to upgrade the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) as an International Media University. The Planning Commission has already approved the proposal and my Ministry is working to make this Institute into a world class media education, training and research University, by an Act of Parliament. This will fulfill the growing demand of the media industry to provide more trained and qualified professionals. He was delivering the convocation address at IIMC here today.’
NOTE: I am not sure about fate of IIMC Dhenkanal. In another development, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University has advertised for Vice-Chancellor post.
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.
(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?
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.
Chairman and Managing Director of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) Shriram Upadhyay seems more concerned for educational and social development of Orissa than his counterpart in National Aluminium Company (Nalco) Chitta Ranjan Pradhan.
Upadhyay is eager to provide fund for establishment of a medical college at Talcher. Pradhan, though an Oriya, on the other hand, has till date not shown any interest in investing in human resource development of the State in a big way.
Interestingly, Nalco’s medical bill per annum is around Rs14 crore, and if this Navratna public sector undertaking (PSU) takes a bold step, it could save the huge medical expenses for its employees by investing in setting up of a medical college and hospital.
Lack of interest at the top management level of Nalco to fund in social sector of the State has irked the leading non-resident Oriyas (NROs) and educationists. While major private investors have been providing funds for development of the educational sector, PSU Nalco’s shyness to develop Orissa as an educational hub has resulted in a sorry state of affairs, lamented Professor Chitta Baral, who teaches at the Arizona State University.
Prof Baral has asked the Nalco chief to fund a medical college at Damanjodi (Koraput), an engineering college at Angul and a topnotch management institute in Bhubaneswar. He said that this is high time the Nalco authorities were forced to invest in the social sector in a big way.
Owing to political pressure, Nalco is funding few projects in Koraput and Anugul, alleged an educationist. He said that Nalco must take cue from MCL and Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in taking initiative for investment in the social sector. CCL, it may be pointed out, is funding an engineering college in Jharkhand, its area of operation. Similarly, the Bokaro Steel Plant is also funding a medical college in Jharkhand.
… As Nalco has applied for another bauxite mines in Orissa, it is high time the State Government pressurised the PSU to fund liberally in the educational sector of the State, he said.
Following is Sambada’s tongue-in-cheek take in its Sunday magazine article on City Politics.
Provision of admission to the Puri DAV School by Anil Agarwal Foundation’s Vedanta University project for the children of displaced families has drawn an enthusiastic response from the villagers. As per the arrangement, 500 children from the land losing and displaced families will be admitted to the school.
By May 10, as many as 618 applications were received from children of the target families for admission in the DAV School. The children will get free education and the Foundation will provide uniforms, transport facilities, books and also mid-day snacks.
Despite discouragement and threats from vested interests opposed to the university project, the villagers and their children are very enthusiastic about the whole arrangement as they are serious about good education and a better future. After selection and admission, the classes are scheduled to start from July 1, according to a company release.
Following are excerpts from a report in the Statesman.
As a part of its CSR mission to facilitate quality school education for the upcoming generation of the project affected families, Anil Agarwal Foundation has partnered with the DAV School, Puri.
During the entrance tests, children came accompanied by parents and fellow villagers who were very keen for the admission of their wards, claimed a release issued by the foundation while noting that this was despite threats from vested interests who are opposed to the University project.
The CSR activities of Vedanta group of industries run by Mr Anil Agarwal focuses on health, education, livelihood and peripheral development, noted the release.
The educational initiative, in partnership with the DAV School, is expected to allay the fear of the local community that the world class University will be of no benefit to them. The students inducted to the DAV School now, will , in future find their rightful place in the Vedanta University.
