Following is an excerpt from a report in New Indian Express.
Students of University College of Engineering (UCE), Burla, launched their three day hunger strike from today staging silent sit-on dharna in front of the administrative building of the college.
The students are demanding Unitary University Status for the oldest engineering college of the State, on the lines of Ravenshaw University, transfer of 400 acres of government land adjacent to UCE campus, hike in annual grant to UCE to Rs 15 crore and special infrastructure development grant of Rs 100 crore spread over three years. The students had launched a stir in October demanding upgradation of UCE to IIT with support from the Alumni Association of the college and locals.
But with the State Government deciding to house the IIT at Jatni, they are now demanding declaring the college as an Unitary University.
The students had apprised the Chief Minister of their demand vide a petition on August 2 and set August 21 as deadline to fulfill the demand.
But with no communication from the office of the Chief Minister for a dialogue over the issue, they resorted to hunger strike. … A delegation of students will be leaving for Bhubaneswar and will try to get an audience with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Governor MC Bhandare.
August 24th, 2008
Update: See http://knowledgecommission.gov.in/downloads/documents/Letter_World_Class_Universities.pdf for National Knowledge Commission’s take on this.
Following is an excerpt from a report in Indian Express.
An all-India common entrance examination, a student-count not exceeding 12,000, the best of faculty with incentives over and above regular pay, a curriculum revised every three years, a semester system, private sector funding, vice-chancellors with at least decade-long teaching experience, collaboration with universities and institutes in India and abroad, academic creativity free from red tapism — all this and more will go into the making of 14 World Class Universities (WCUs) very shortly.
And these sweeping changes are also likely to be applied to all existing universities and 16 Central universities that have recently been approved by the Cabinet. What will change, however, is the nomenclature for the 14 WCUs. Officials say these are now likely to be christened National Universities and the related legislation will be called the National Universities Act.
The basic blueprint for the WCUs has been formulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the first round of discussions, held in New Delhi today, involved academicians, experts, officials from the Human Resource Development Ministry, UGC and Planning Commission.
“There was a very interactive discussion on the WCUs and a major viewpoint emerged. Participants felt there should be a similar legislation for all Central universities, including the 16 which just got Cabinet approval, and all existing universities. The view was that there should be no hierarchy or disparity in standards amongst universities and the reforms and changes suggested for WCUs should be applied to all universities,” an official who attended the meeting told The Indian Express.
“There were strong reservations against the term ‘world class’ and it was decided they will be called National Universities instead,” the official said.
While more discussions will follow, sources said that the UGC and HRD Ministry hope to be ready with a legislation in time for the Parliament session. …
The WCUs are envisaged as unitary universities, like JNU, without any affiliation and multi-facility based, offering subjects ranging from natural sciences, social sciences and humanities to engineering, technology and medicine among others.
Promised autonomy in matters of admission of students and standards for selection, introduction and revision of contextual and innovative curricula, opening of new campuses and new programmes, intake of students, examinations and evaluation systems, faculty recruitment and national and international collaborations, the WCUs are planned as model institutes that will stand apart from existing universities.
That getting the best of faculty is high on the agenda for these new universities is apparent as the concept paper suggest that individuals with high quality research/training experience could be invited to join the faculty even if they have not applied for the job — as is also done in JNU. The universities, the paper says, should also be allowed to develop own hiring policies and pay higher emoluments and non-salary incentives over and above regular pay scales. The blueprint also recommends that private sector funding be permitted as long as it does not compromise academic integrity and autonomy of the university.
While the UGC’s earlier draft on WCUs did not quite impress the Prime Minister’s Office — it is keenly following the ambitious project — the new concept paper is said to have been found to be more “forward looking”. The legislation will also be so worded that it does not lead to rigid bureaucratic controls that stifle quality and creativity and spell out only “what to do” instead of “how to do”.
August 24th, 2008
Following is the copy of the letter that was sent to me:
Sri Naveen Patanaik ji
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Orissa
Sub: State Govt’s response to our demand for “Unitary University” status to our college.
Respected Sir,
In our letter dated 2nd August, 2008, we had requested you to consider the followings:
1) Pass an Act in State Assembly to declare UCE as a “Unitary University” (like Revensaw Univ.)
2) Transfer the free Government land of 400 acers adjacent to UCE campus to UCE.
3) Hike the annual grant to UCE to Rs 15 crore.
4) Give a special “Infrastructure Development Grant” of Rs 100 crore to UCE spread over three years.
We painfully recall that in 2004, our college was the choice of State Government for becoming “IIT”. But, when center agreed to give “IIT”, it was shifted to Jatni. You have written MHRD for making UCE an “NIT”, but we see least possibility of this as the new NITs will go to the states which don’t have NIT now. Therefore, “Unitary University” is the only feasible route for upgrading UCE. We have sought an appointment with Hon’ble Chief Minister, but unfortunately we are not heard.
The students of UCE have never fought for their self. We never come out in support of any such strike by other BPUT students demanding withdrawal of year-back system or so. Our fight is for the prestige and ‘swabhimaan’ of our college. If we are not assured of fulfillment of our legitimate demand by 21st of Aug,08. we will be constrained to take any step that may be required to fulfill it. We will be forced to come out to street and paralyze entire Sambalpur region including the Railways & National Highways. The people across the civic society, student unions of other institutes & political parties have already come forward to participate in our agitation. If this does not attract to notice , we will march to Bhubaneswar and ‘gherao’ the State Assembly and seek explanation from the representatives of people who will assemble there. Yet, we believe, such moments will not come; you will definitely fulfill our legitimate aspiration.
Warm regards,
Students, UCE, Burla
Copy to: Sri Jayanarayan Mishra, Hon’ble Minister of commerce & Transport
Sri Prasanna Acharaya, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Sambalpur Constituency
Sri Kishore Mohanty, Hon’ble Speaker, Orissa Assembly
Sri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Deogarh Constituency
Smt Pramila Bohidar,MP Rajya Sabha
Sri Sanatan Bishi,Hon’ble Health Minister
Sri Surender Lath, MP Rajya Sabha
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Northen Division, Sambalpur
The Collector & District Magistrate, Sambalpur
The Incharge, Police Station, Burla
Superintendent of Police, Sambalpur
Vice-Chancellor, BPUT
Industry Minister, Govt. of Orissa
Industry Secretary, Govt. Of Orissa
Principal, UCE Burla
—————————–
This is a just demand. When and if the students get a chance to meet the CM and/or the govt.officials they must request that UCE Burla must be molded in the model of CUSAT, BESU (both are state universities) and the plan in Maharastra and UP to have state funded universities at the level of an IIT. Besides the demand mentioned in the above letter, to make UCE Burla really a top institution some additional steps need to be taken. For example:
- It should be allowed to hire faculty from all over India (not just from Orissa or Oriyas); and have the payscale of NITs and IITs.
- Its seats should be doubled but a significant percent (say 30% or perhaps 50%) should be open to all India admission either through AIEEE or IIT JEE. Because of the doubling of the seats students of Orissa will not lose out.
- In other words, mold it like an NIT or IIT and it will one day be picked to get that level. (This is the same strategey that was done with, say, Institute of Physics, which was made like a central institute, and after some years, it was picked up by the central govt. Similarly, CUSAT takes students from all over India.)
August 22nd, 2008
Update: As per http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=41316&kwd= possible location of 9 of the 10 NITs are:
? … Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Uttrakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
ï‚· The NIT at Goa may also cater to the needs of Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep.
ï‚· Pudducherry or Andaman & Nicobar may have one common NIT, which will cater the needs of each.
Following are excerpts from the PIB release http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=41190.
… The initiative to set up eight new Indian Institutes of Technology is on course with the first academic sessions starting in 2008 in six of the new IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Orissa, Punjab and Gujarat . The session for IIT Orissa has already been started at lIT Kharagpur in July 2008 and classes will begin for IIT Punjab at lIT Delhi in Sept 2008. And the academic session for the other 4 new IITs, will begin during August 2008.
Out of the 7 new Indian Institutes of Management proposed the IIM at Shillong has already commenced its first academic session from July 2008. The remaining six IIMs will be established in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Haryana.
The government proposal to set up five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research is on schedule. Of these two IISERs at Pune and Kolkata were inaugurated in 2006-07 and are now fully functional, and the IISER Mohali started its first academic session in 2007-08. Two more IISERs at Bhopal and Thiruvanthapuram will commence their first academic sessions in August, 2008.
Two Schools of Planning & Architecture (SPAs) are being set up at Bhopal and Vijayawada . Classes in both the new SPAs will begin with the academic session of 2008 through temporary campuses. The SPA Bhopal will be mentored by NIT Bhopal while the SPA at Vijayawada will be mentored by SPA, Delhi .
The strengthening of Polytechnics is under way with steps being taken to set up 1000 polytechnics (300 in Government Sector, 300 through PPP mode and 400 private polytechnics); Further 500 existing polytechnics are being expanded and the Community Polytechnics scheme being revamped and their number being increased from 669 to 1000.
Steps are being taken establish 10 new National Institutes of Technology. The likely location of these NITs will be in States/UTs which at present don’t have an NIT.
Sixteen Central Universities are being set up under the initiative seeking to established a Central University in states not having a Central University . Four existing universities; Sagar University in Madhya Pradesh, Bilaspur University in Chhatisgarh, Garhwal University in Uttrakhand and Goa University, are proposed to be taken over and upgraded as Central Universities. The remaining 12 new universities are to be set up in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab , Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Kamataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
14 World Class Central Universities (WCCU), are proposed with the locations being firmed up in consultation with the Planning Commission. The State Governments have been requested to identify suitable land.
A total of 373 degree colleges will be set up in the districts having GER lower than the national average as identified by the UGC. Out of these districts, about 90 districts have been shortlisted which have less than 6% GER, have less than 4 colleges per lakh of population and are also minority concentration districts. It is proposed to fast-track the starting of the degree colleges in these shortlisted districts this year.
Twenty Indian Institutes of Information Technology are planned with NAASCOM having submitted a project report. The setting up of the IIITs under the PPP mode has been discussed with the States and most of the States agreed to tap not-for-profit private investment, while ensuring that PPP should not lead to any erosion of access to the poor sections of society.
Scholarships for College and University students, based on merit, to non-creamy layer students numbering about 2% of the. student population will be given to those who pass out from various intermediate boards. The scholarship will be Rs.l,000 per month for the first 2 years after which it will be of Rs.2000 per month for the balance period of the professional or other courses in Higher Education. Every year about 41,000 boys and 41,000 girls will benefit from the scheme.
The government is working on an Education Loan Interest Subsidy Scheme. It will be a Central Sector scheme for providing interest subsidy during the moratorium period on the educational loans taken by students belonging to "non-creamy" layer for pursuing professional education in India.
All the Central Educational Institutions are implementing OBC reservations as per the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 from this year onward on a staggered basis and the necessary funds have been released to all of them, after holding the meetings of the Empowered Committees. All the IITs, IIMs and the Central Universities that are covered under the Act have started giving reservations to OBCs in a staggered manner. As a result of the implementation of OBC reservations in this academic year, there is an increase of over 20500 in the intake capacity in the Central Educational Institutions.
The states and union territories that do not have NITs are:
- Delhi
- Uttarakhand
- Goa
- Dadra and nagar haveli
- Pondicherry
- Andaman and Nicobar islands
- Lakshadweep
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Manipur
- Nagaland
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Sikkim
So, I guess the majority of the 10 new NITs will be in these states. My guess would be 2, 3, 5, 8-13. (I skipped 1 because I wonder if there is any space left in proper Delhi for an NIT. The rest that I skipped, 4,6 and 7, are very remote as well as hard to reach places.) That makes 9 NITs. It would be interesting to see where the 10th NIT will be located.
August 8th, 2008
Following is from a report in Pioneer.
The classes for the proposed Law University will commence from the next academic year 2009-10.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday. LN Mitra from the National Law University (NLU) attended the meeting. The proposal for the university was announced by the Union Law Minister in 2005.
The classes would commence either at the Madhu Sudan Law College or in the campus of Ravenshaw Law College.
The proposed university would be set up at Naraj in an area of 50 acre. The State Government has already acquired 30 acres of land for this purpose.
The Chief Justice of India will function as chancellor of the University while the Bar Council of India will run the entire curriculum of the university.
August 7th, 2008
LOCATION FOR THE PROPOSED UNIVERSITY:
The proposed university will be developed at Banki, near Cuttack, Orissa, in multiple stages. Kripaluji Maharaj has lakhs of followers in Orissa. In the first stage, 110 acres of land has been finalised, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Trust and the Govt. of Orissa.
PROPOSED COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY:
1. B. Nat (Ayu) – Bachelors of Ayurved in Naturopathy.
2. B. Nat (Yogic Sciences) – Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences
3. Rural Economics
4. Rural development on Health, Hygiene, Homes, Human Values and harmony in diversity
5. Rural Management
6. B.A – Bachelor of Arts
7. B.B.A, M.B.A – Bachelor and Master of Business Administration
8. B.C.A – Bachelor of Computer Application
9. Bachelor and Master of Oriental Learning
10. Bachelor of Professional Studies
11. Bachelor and Master of Social Work
12. B.Sc – Bachelor of Science
13. B.E – Bachelor of Engineering
14. Yog Therapy
Continue Reading August 6th, 2008
Following is from a news report in Statesman.
Chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik suggested the establishment of the proposed Central university might be at Koraput and demanded for setting up IIT near Bhubaneswar to start as soon as possible.
In two separate missives to Union minister for human resources development Mr Arjun Singh today, the chief minister noted the establishment of proposed Central university at Koraput would reduce the existing disparity in education in the state. Maintaining that Koraput has been a backward region as far as education is concerned, Mr Patnaik said that besides 500 acres of land, the proposed site has water, power, road and rail connectivity.
"The Jeypore airstrip is just 30 km away from Koraput," the CM pointed out. "The Union government should send a technical team and start the university work soon," Mr Patnaik suggested.
He also put emphasis on the early set up of the IIT. The state government has identified 500 acres of land for this purpose and can make available more land. Assuring that the state government would provide all sorts of required support, the chief minister urged for early start of construction work.
August 6th, 2008
- Ajay Binay Institute of Technology Cuttack (ABT) Pvt.
- Apex Institute of Technology & Management, Pahal Bhubaneshwar (APT) Pvt.
- Bhubaneswar Engineering College Khurda (BEC) Pvt.
- BRM International Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (BII) Pvt.
- C. V. Raman College of Engineering Bhubaneswar (CVR) Pvt.
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering And Technology Bhubaneswar (CPT) Govt.
- Centurian Institute of Technology Khurda (CIK) Pvt.
- College of Engineering & Technology Bhubaneswar (CET) Govt.
- College of Engineering Bhubaneswar Bhubaneshwar (CEB) Pvt.
- Dhaneswar Rath Institute of Engineering and Management Studies Tangi, Cuttack (DRM) Pvt.
- Eastern Academy of Science & Technology Phulnakhara, Khurda (EAS) Pvt.
- Gandhi Engineering College Bhubaneswar (GEC) Pvt.
- Gandhi Institute for Technology Bhubaneswar (GIF) Pvt.
- Gandhi Institute of Technological Advancement Badaraghunathpur, Bhubaneswar (GIB) Pvt.
- Gandhi Institute of Technology & Management Khurda (GIK) Pvt.
- Ghanashyama Hemalata Institute of Technology & Management Chhaitana Puri (GHT) Pvt.
- Gurukul Institute of Technology,Janla Bhubaneswar (GKT) Pvt.
- Hi-Tech Institute of Technology Khurda (HIT) Pvt.
- Indic Institute of Design & Research Khurda (IID) Pvt.
- Indus College of Engg. Bhubaneswar (IDU) Pvt.
- Jagannath Institute of Engineering & Technology Cuttack (JIC) Pvt.
- Konark Institute of Science & Technology Jatni,Bhubaneswar (KIS) Pvt.
- Koustav Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (KIT) Pvt.
- Koustuva Institute of Self Domain (for Women) Bhubaneswar (KID) Pvt.
- Krupajala Engineering College Pubasasan, Bhubaneswar (KEC) Pvt.
- Maharaja Institute of Technology,Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar (MIK) Pvt.
- Mahavir Institute of Engineering and Technology Paniora, Bhubaneswar (MIB) Pvt.
- Modern Institute of Technology & Management Khurda (MIM) Pvt.
- Nalanda Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (NIT) Pvt.
- NM Institute of Engineering & Technology Sijua, Bhubaneswar (NMI) Pvt.
- Orissa Engineering College Nijigarhkurki, Bhubaneswar (OEC) Pvt.
- Rajdhani Engineering College Bhubaneswar (REC) Pvt.
- Silicon Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (SIT) Pvt.
- Subas Institute of Technology Gyana Vihar, Barang, Bhubaneswar 754 005 Orissa
- Synergy Institute of Engineering and Technology Dhenkanal (SYN) Pvt.
- TempleCity Institute of Technology & Engineering Khurda (TCT) Pvt.
- The Techno School Bhubaneswar (TTS) Pvt.
- Trident Academy of Technology Bhubaneswar (TAT) Pvt.
- Agricultural Engineering at OUAT, Bhubaneswar
- KIIT Bhubaneswar
- ITER Bhubaneswar
- IIIT Bhubaneswar
- IIT Bhubaneswar
Following are some that are in the pipeline and most likely to start in 2009.
- School of Engineering at the proposed World Class Central University
- HI – Tech College of Engineering, Rasulgarh, Pandara, Bhubaneswar, Orissa
- International Institute of Engineering & Technology (IIET) 290 Bhatkhuri, Gangapada, Bhubaneswar 752 054 Orissa
- SRM College of Engineering At Giringaput, P.O. Mendhasala, Orissa
- PJ College of Management & Technology At Kesora, P.O. Bankual, Bhubaneswar 751 002 Orissa
- KMBB College of Engineering & Technology At Mahatpalla, Tahasil Khurda Orissa
- Pan Institute of Technology, Knowledge City Unit – 7, Bhubaneswar 751 003 Orissa
- Vivekananda Institute of Technology At Chhatabar, P.O. Dandi, Chhatabar P.S. Chandaka, Bhubaneswar Orissa
- Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology (BIT) At Harapur, P. O. Janla District : Khurda, Pin 752 054 Orissa
- Pioneer Institute of Technology Village : Ambilijhari Mouza : Machhapangi, PS Choudwar, District : Cuttack Orissa
- MITS College of Engineering Mouza: Alkar At P.O. Janla, Bhubaneswar 751016 Orissa
August 3rd, 2008
Following is from a report in Pioneer.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday wrote a letter to the Union Ministry of Human Resources, demanding that Burla Engineering College be accorded National Institute of Technology (NIT) status. In his letter to Union Minister of HRD Arjun Singh, the CM said the institution which was established in 1956 in an area of 200 acres, is one of the premier engineering institutes of the State. The institute provides facilities for nearly 500 students.
Following is from Dharitri.
Following are excerpts from a report in Pragativadi.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged the Union Human Resources Development ministry to accord National Institute of Technology (NIT) status to the Burla Engineering College.
… It may be mentioned here that there was a vociferous demand for converting the Burla Engineering College to Indian Institute of Technology soon after the Centre’s announcement to set up an IIT in Orissa.
Later, a delegation of the Old Students’ Forum, led by Sambalpur MLA and commerce and transport minister Jayanarayan Mishra had met the chief minister and submitted a memorandum to this effect.
But the state government later expressed its reluctance in this regard as it wanted the IIT location near Bhubaneswar.
The chief minister, however, urged the Centre to accord the NIT status to the premiere engineering college.
Justifying his contention, Patnaik said that the college has been providing education in nine subjects including the BTech while it has got the necessary infrastructure facility for MCA, IT and other IT related courses.
Considering the fact that the college has the reputation of imparting quality education, the chief minister said that there should be no difficulty to accord NIT status to this college.
It may be mentioned here that the former Regional Engineering College at Rourkela has already been accorded with the NIT status.
This is a good step as there are plans to have 10 more NITs during the 11th plan.
August 3rd, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.
The Centre is set to approve a proposal soon to start 14 world-class central universities across the country, … , in an ambitious bid to catch up with the West’s higher education standards.
The proposal for the universities, enunciated in the Eleventh Five Year Plan, will be placed before the cabinet on Thursday and is expected to be cleared soon, top government officials said.
Cabinet recognition is required to formally begin work on the proposal.
The universities will, like other central universities, be funded by New Delhi, but will have the additional mandate of competing in standards with globally renowned varsities like Harvard, Oxford or Cambridge, sources said.
“We expect the cabinet to clear the proposal soon, ideally in one sitting itself. We do not anticipate any opposition,” a senior official at the human resource development ministry said.
Pune, Calcutta, Coimbatore, Mysore, Visakhapatnam, Gandhinagar, Jaipur, Patna, Bhopal, Kochi, Amritsar, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Greater Noida have been selected as places where the universities will come up.
“Each of the state governments concerned have identified 700 acres of land. But they cannot begin land acquisition till the cabinet clears the plan,” a source said.
The HRD ministry expects each university to cost over Rs 720 crore, putting the total price tag for the venture at a minimum of Rs 10,080 crore.
Once the cabinet clears the proposal, the HRD ministry plans to hurry through the construction of infrastructure in a bid to try and start academic sessions for “most” of the institutes by 2009, sources said.
“We have been given a clear political indication to get things ready for the launch of the universities by the next academic session,” a source said.
Each campus will have four schools — of engineering, medicine, humanities and sciences — sources said.
Each of the four schools will be built along the lines of India’s best institutions in their field. Unlike existing central varsities, the new centres will focus more on cutting-edge research across streams than on teaching, sources said.
July 30th, 2008
Update: The university is to be called Jagadguru Kripalu University. The blog http://shree-kripaluji-maharaj.blogspot.com/ gives day to day information on Kripaluji Maharaj’s activities across the globe.
Following is an excerpt from a report in Financial Express.
The Orissa government and the Krupaljimaharaj Trust on Monday signed an MoU to set up a Vedic University in the state. This is the fourth MoU the government has signed in the higher-education sector.
Earlier, the government had signed MoUs for Vedanta University, ICFAI University and Ravisankar University.
The Vedic University will impart education in Vedic science, Ayurveda and Naturopathy, besides the professional courses in MBA and basic degrees in science, commerce and humanities.
The Krupaljimaharaj Trust has applied for 50 acres of land in Banki tehsil area for the university. In the absence of Swami Mukundananda, who is now in the US, his nominee Ajit Kumar Kar signed the MoU on behalf of the Trust. The state higher education secretary, PK Mohapatra, signed the papers for the state government.
Meanwhile, the state government has prepared the draft bills for the other three universities for which it has signed MoUs. …
The state higher education minister, Sameer Dey, said the bills for Vedanta Unviersity, ICFAI University and Ravisankar University will be tabled in the coming session of the Orissa Assembly.
Deepikaglobal has a report with some more detailed information on this.
The Jagadguru Kripal Yoga Trust (JKYT), a New Delhi-based organisation, has planned to set up a world class Yog and Spiritual Science University in Orissa.
The proposed University would be set up in Mouza Banara under Banki Tahasil of Cuttack district over 250 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.
… As per the MoU, the trust would pay for the land and bear all the expenses of the university, while the government would only extend the facilities like power and water supply.
The proposed university, scheduled to be completed in five years from the possession of land, had planned to impart courses in 21 disciplines.
The courses included graduation in Naturopathy, Yogic Sciences, Rural economics, Rural Development on Health, Hygiene, Homes, Human Values and Harmony in Diversity, Rural Management, Social work, Arts, Business Administration, Computer Application,Oriental learning, Science, Engineering and Yoga Therapy.
The proposed university would also impart post graduate courses in Business Administration, Oriental learning,Social work and other courses which would be added from time to time based upon the needs of the students and job opportunity.
The university would have a sports complex, recreational facilities, utility centres, mediation halls and laboratories and would develop related projects like health care system, Yogashram, Hospital, Old Age Home and cultivate medicinal plants in the alloted land.
As per the agreement the government would provide 110 acres of land in the first phase and the rest 140 acres in the second phase.
… The government has a right to cancel the lease if the land was used for the purpose other than that for which it had been sanctioned.
July 15th, 2008
Following are some excerpts from a report in thaiindian.com.
Private academies that train students for entrance exams of the Indian Institutes of Technology and other prestigious engineering colleges mint Rs.100 billion ($2.30 billion) a year – an amount that can fund 30 to 40 new IITs, shows a study by an industry body. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) study, released Wednesday, said private academies who train 600,000 students every year for these exams make Rs.100 billion a year.
…
Talking about another anomaly in higher education, the body said that 80,000-90,000 students go abroad for higher studies, leading to a high foreign exchange outflow.
“If quality institutions are provided, a large number of students will stay back and contribute to the nation,†said Assocham.
The chamber asserted that more institutions of excellence should come up and suggested that private players and big industrial groups should be encouraged in higher education.
According to Assocham, India has over 12 million students in higher education but fewer than 350,000 faculty members.
July 2nd, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.
The university announced postgraduate programmes in Culture Studies, South and South-East Asian Studies, Cultural Heritage and Conservation, Sociolinguistics (through correspondence course) and Tourism and Hospitality Services (self financing course). It also re-launched the one-year postgraduate diploma courses in Jain and Buddhist Studies, besides the six-month certificate course in Tamil language. Each of the programmes would have 30 seats.
The university has also introduced Masters degree programmes in performing arts and visual art last year has departments of drama (direction, acting and stage craft), dance (Odissi and Chhau), vocal music (Odissi and Hindustani), instrumental music (flute, violin, tabla, mardal and sitar), painting, applied art and design, art history and aesthetics and sculpture. Except the 10-seat strength department of sculpture, all other departments would have 20 seats each.
An admission test would be conducted for the aspiring students of the visual art programmes, the university sources said.
June 28th, 2008
Various news reports mention that Andhra Pradesh will be having 6 six new universities so that each of its districts have a university. They have budgeted 16 crores for that.
Orissa should follow this lead and have one university in each of its undivided districts. The undivided 13 districts of Orissa were: Puri, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Baleswar, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Phulbani, Dhenkanal, Kendujhar, Ganjam and Mayurbhanj. Among those the six districts Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Phulbani, Dhenkanal and Kendujhar do not have a university. The Orissa government should take advantage of the central government’s offer and set up a university in each of these districts.
June 22nd, 2008
