Shri Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister, Orissa met the Union Minister, Human Resource Development Shri Arjun Singh today and requested for setting up of a Greenfield IIT in Orissa during the 11th Five Year Plan period. Since Orissa is on the verge of rapid industrial upsurge not only in the industrial sector but also in technical education sector, the state provides enormous potential for research and development activities. Establishment of an IIT in Orissa will greatly facilitate in intensifying this process, which is of critical importance to make the industry globally competitive. Further, the Chief Minister urged the Union Minister, Human Resource Development for establishment of a Greenfield Indian Institute of Management in Orissa. Given the current industrial boom in Orissa, it is necessary to bring in professional culture and management. The IIT shall be the incubation centre for quality managerial professionals required for the various sectors of the economy.
The Chief Minister also demanded for setting up of a Central University in the KBK region which could educate the youth in traditional and modern disciplines. Since the quality of human resource holds the key to the development of any region, there is an urgent need to set up a top class multi-disciplinary Central University in the KBK Region covering disciplines such as basic sciences, humanities, law, medicine, agriculture, horticulture etc. Besides, the Central University in KBK would also indirectly help in combating left wing extremism in the region.
The Union Minister, HRD indicated that Orissa has a very good case for setting up of a Central University in the KBK region. He added that there is a strong possibility of setting up of an IIT / IIM at Orissa because of the unprecedented industrial growth witnessed by the State. He indicated that decision in this regard will be taken by the Union Government soon.
Comments: There is a big difference between an IIT and an IIM in terms of investment and budgets.
If Orissa is given only one of them then it is an IIT that has to be given. Otherwise, it will be the UPA govt. and Arjun Singh cheating Orissa.
(Prior to this the CM also wrote to PM in May 2007 and January 31st 2007. The CM also met Arjun Singh on October 24 2005 (press release) on KBK Central University, on September 29 2006 on IIT Kharagpur branch campus and around May 16th 2007 on a greenfield IIT. So this was hist 4th meeting with Arjun Singh on IIT and KBK Central University issues.)
Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on Wednesday assured that the Centre would soon take a decision on Orissa government’s demand for the setting up higher institutions of learning in the State.
Orissa had a very good case for setting up of a Central University in the KBK region, Singh indicated when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called on him in New Delhi.
Singh also said that there was a strong possibility of setting up of an IIT/IIM in Orissa in view of the industrial growth being witnessed in the State, according to an official release.
Patnaik demanded for the setting up of an IIT, an IIM and a multi-disciplinary Central university in the KBK region in view of the current industrial boom in the State. An IIT should be established in the State during the 11th Five Year Plan period, he said.
…….Alleging that institutions of higher education, including Central university, IIT and IIM are being diverted to neighbouring States ignoring the claim of Orissa, the party demanded that such institutions should be established in the State…….
A similar report was also published in The Statesman.
This government, …, had constituted a knowledge commission under Sam Pitroda who, encouraged by Rajiv Gandhi, had set up Centre for Developments of Telematics and C-Dot in the early eighties, which proved a catalyst for the Telecommunication Revolution that we are witnessing today. Many prominent personalities are also the members of this commission. After months of brainstorming and research the commission recommended its suggestions to the government.
But there are some politicians in our country who accord their personal ego and interests above country’s welfare and progress. Many analysts feel that there are some ministers in this government who embody that description.
Human Resource Minister, Arjun Singh kept ignoring the recommendations of the commission for reasons best known to him only. But recently, the minister hesitatingly met the Knowledge Commission Chairman, Sam Pitroda for a few minutes and heard him out. It is speculated that the minister might have been asked to mend his ways and cooperate with the Commission.
Arjun Singh was not impressed by the recommendatation of the commission and deliberately chose to ignore the suggestions of the commission until the Prime Minister himself took up the matter and declared the road map that his government intended to follow in accordance with the recommendations. Prime Minister had announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort that very soon every state would have a central university and the number of premier engineering and management institutes would be increased. He also said that in order to impart technical training at the grassroot level, thousands of technical institutes would be opened and the private sector will also be encouraged to participate.
But the fact is that there is a shortage of technical professionals and the situation will continue to look grim unless some drastic measures are implemented speedily. Manpower has become an asset for India and this will play a greater role in the future as the world population is ageing whereas the youth constitute greater percentage of India’s population.
The world has become a global village now and if India is not able to match its pace with the rest of the world, then, very soon it will be another story of opportunity missed.
Arjun Singh does not seem to care a bit and is not willing to act unless it results in some kind of a political dividend for him.
It might sound amusing as he might himself not remember when he won any election last. In fact, in spite of being beaten in elections repeatedly, he became a minister only for his consistent loyalty to the Gandhi family. He should have realised his limitations and spent his energy in keeping his benefactors in good humour. Strangly, he became ambitious and started tinkering in everything like his predecessor, Murli Manohar Joshi used to do.
Whatever developmental strides India is making now is due to its ‘knowledge workforce’ and to gain the much aspired momentum, our education system needs to be drastically changed. But what would be the result if the minister himself starts obstructing all such initiatives on the ground that any such move would not yield any political dividends for him? The Prime Minister should act firmly now otherwise there are many politicians who can’t foresee beyond personal interests. They must be made to realise and mend their follies in the larger interest of the public they are elected to serve.
Many people in Orissa have similar feelings about Arjun Singh for:
For changing the name of NIS to IISER and shifting it out of Orissa. (See http://iiser.blogspot.com) This was later corrected by the PM announcing the establishment of NISER through DAE.
The government has chosen hybrid model of Indian and American universities for the 16 new Central Universities to be opened in the next five years.
The administrative model would be similar to Jawaharlal Nehru University, whereas the academic model is inspired by American universities. In a comprehensive project report submitted to the HRD ministry, Educational Consultants India Limited (EDCIL) has said that each university should teach at least 10,000 students.
Of these, 80 per cent of the students will get residential facilities. The report was prepared after deputy chairperson of Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, proposed expansion and reforms in higher education to PM Manmohan Singh earlier this year.
Taking the suggestions into account, the EDCIL has proposed that the new Central universities will have six-year integrated courses with two-year post-graduate course and four-year doctoral programme, a mark difference from the present practice in Indian universities. The requisite of MPhil, after two years of post-graduation, for doctoral course has been abolished in the structure for the new universities.
“The concept is similar to the one in American institutions where the stress is more on research,” said Chairman and Managing Director of EDCIL Anju Banerjee. In addition to conventional, arts, social sciences, science and engineering courses, the new universities will also offer professional courses in architecture and fashion, nano-technology, bio-informatics, paramedics and information technology. However, medical colleges have not been proposed to be part of these universities.
Banerjee also said that they have also provided an option of mobility of students from one stream to another. The new universities would have semester system of education, continuous evaluation and assessment and a common admission system. “We have already circulated a Cabinet note for a uniform law for all these 16 universities,” a HRD ministry official said.
Taking a cue from American universities, the concept of schools has been recommended, like School of Engineering and School of Science. Each school would be headed by a Board of Studies to provide autonomy to each section within the federal structure of the university.
However, the overall administrative structure is similar to the JNU model with the new universities not being affiliating. The 150-page report being given final touches by HRD ministry also proposes a lower student teacher ratio of the international level to improve quality of education.
However, University Grants Commission scales have been proposed for the faculty.
As per the NSSO study of 2004-2005 (released in October 2006), Table 3.14.1 (of Report 516) shows that in the 15-19 age group 29% people in Orissa are attending school/college and in the 20-24 age group this number for Orissa is 6.1%. (Both numbers are lowest among all but the small states/UTs of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep.) Our focus in this posting being higher education, one may note that higher education corresponds to the 20-24 age group.
The 11th Plan objectives are aimed at increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio(GER) (access rate) in higher education from the present 10% to 15% by 2012, while ensuring improvement in quality and enhancement of equity.
Now if one looks at the data below it is a no brainer that one of the 14 world class central universities (30 total – 16 to states that do not have any) must be established in Orissa.
Access, Equity and Quality are focus of new initiatives in Higher Education as per the meeting of the Consultative Committee relating to the Ministry of Human Resource Development which took place earlier today. The meeting chaired by Shri Arjun Singh, Minister for HRD, discussed new initiatives for the 11th Plan in the higher education sector. The Minister for HRD briefed the members on the proposals from the Ministry that had been discussed in the Full Meeting of the Planning Commission. Shri Singh mentioned that the proposed initiatives would not be ready for implementation till the formal approvals of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council (NDC). Members were also informed that while the 10th Plan outlay for higher education, including technical education was approximately Rs.9500 crores, the Ministry was hopeful of getting an outlay several times higher for its Central Plan proposals.
The 11th Plan objectives are aimed at increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio(GER) (access rate) in higher education from the present 10% to 15% by 2012, while ensuring improvement in quality and enhancement of equity. Acknowledging that States’ share in Plan outlay being roughly four times the Central plan outlay, co-opting States to contribute substantially would be critical to the achievement of the Plan objectives. The Ministry’s proposal for the 11th Plan accordingly include incentives to States to allocate higher resources to colleges and universities, partial assistance to setting up of colleges of excellence in as many as 370 districts with low GER and less than four colleges per one lakh of population, special assistance for institutions in 88 minority concentration districts, substantially higher allocation for establishing women’s hostels in order to rectify gender bias in enrolment, removal of regional imbalances through the establishment of 30 new central universities – sixteen of which would be in States which have no Central University at present.
Members were informed that the Central Government has already approached the State Governments to suggest alternative locations in regard to the new Central Universities and the Ministry in consultation with the Planning Commission and the UGC was in the process of working out the concept of world ‘class universities’. The proposals include higher level of assistance to State universities and colleges and also assistance from the UGC to the nearly 150 State universities and 6000 colleges which are not being assisted at present, in order to plug the quality gaps identified by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The Committee was also apprised of other new institutions proposed to be created such as the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University for which a Bill has already been introduced in Parliament, the proposed Workers’ Technical University, introduction of Medical & Engineering Faculties in all Central Universities, the proposed Inter-University Centre for Policy Research in Higher Education, the proposed new Indian Institutes of Technology, the proposed new Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research and Research, Schools of Planning & Architecture, etc..
New initiatives in Technical Education include expansion and upgradation of 200 State Technical Institutions selected on the basis of appropriate criteria; expansion of centrally funded institutions (IITs, IIMs, NIITs, IIITs and NITTTRs (as per Oversight Committee recommendations for inclusion, expansion and excellence); strengthening departments/institutes of management and business administration in university system in view of increased demand for MBAs and limitations of IIMs to expand capacity and also affordability and setting up of new institutions in the XIth Plan (Eight IITs, Seven IIMs, Five IISERs, Two SPAs, 10 NITs, 20 IIITs, and 50 Centres for Training and Research in frontier areas) and also consider the feasibility of increasing the capacities of the existing IITs and IIMs by 200% or so.
Polytechnic education aims to create a pool of skilled manpower to support shop floor and field operations. It is proposed to give a big boost to Polytechnics whose present intake capacity is only about 2.5 lakhs as against 6 lakhs for degree level engineering courses. Ideally, there should be an intake capacity of over 20 lakhs in Diploma courses, even on a conservative basis, for 6 lakh Engineers. Therefore, subject to availability of funds, the Ministry is proposing that the XI Plan must aim to start at least about 1000 new Polytechnics (300 by State Governments, 300 in PPP mode and 400 by Private sector) which will result in the addition of about 2 lakh seats.
Regarding Open and Distance Learning, the Committee was informed that under the National Education Mission Government intends through ICT, to interconnect through Broad Band, all Institutions of national importance/excellence, over 375 universities and about 18600 colleges besides providing them specially generated e-learning material. For example, the e-content for over 150 courses prepared by National Project for Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) through the IITs and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, is already available to all the Institutions free of cost.
While complimenting the Government for these initiatives, members expressed the view that allocation of 6% of the GDP for the education sector was essential to implement these initiatives for which the State Governments would also have to be appropriately encouraged. Several innovative suggestions were also given by members; including the need to popularize ‘earn while you learn schemes,’ removal of disparity in quality between colleges in urban and rural areas, the need for the UGC to review its system of recognition for financial assistance so that more colleges could become eligible, optimum utilization of physical infrastructure through encouragement to evening colleges and working in shifts so as to increase the capacity of intake, need for improving teaching methodology in undergraduate courses in Arts and Sciences through use of multimedia and new pedagogical tools, etc.
Shri Chinta Mohan, Shri Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, Shri Rajendrasinh G. Rana, Dr. Vallabhbhai Kathiria, Km. Bhavana P. Gawali, Shri Haribhau Jawale and Shri Babulal Marandi from Lok Sabha and Shri Raashid Alvi, Prof. P.J. Kurien, Ms. Kanimozhi, Shri Krishna Lal Balmiki and Dr. Ram Prakash from Rajya Sabha attended the meeting.
We appeal to the readers with interest in Orissa to contact their local organization (Outside Orissa, the local Orissa/Oriya/Kalinga organization) and through them send a similar letter to the PM and CM at the earliest. The planning commission has been asked by the PM on September 14th to make the location decisions in two months. So time is running out on this.
(Request to readers associate with Orissa: Please send a request to cmo@ori.nic.in with cc to hedsec@ori.nic.in, "indsec@ori.nic.in" <indsec@ori.nic.in>)
Fatmi said that the Central Government proposed to set up a Central University in Bihar as part of its plans for 30 new Universities. Though the University Grants Commission (UGC) suggested the upgradition of Patna University, the Government wanted to set up Central University, besides upgrading Patna University.
However, although we have sent several communications to the Orissa government on making a similar effort for a second central university for Orissa — beyond the automatic one presumably in the KBK region, the Orissa government has been silent. Tathya.in reports on our efforts and the resulting frustration.
Following are mails that we have sent to the CMO.
Dear Esteemed Chief Minister:
On August 15th the PM announced that there will be 30 new central universities, with 16 of them in states that do not have any. (That means Orissa will get one and since Orissa has been asking for a central university in KBK, it should go to KBK.)
Since India already has 23 central universities (none among them is in Orissa) and the new 30 ones will take the total to 53, Orissa deserves not just one but two central universities. (Note: Orissa is the 11th largest state of India in terms of population and 9th largest in terms of area.)
But as the PM clearly said, the 14 (30-16) central universities will be decided on a competitive basis. THUS, Orissa govt. must send a proposal on this to the HRD ministry and the PM. This needs to be done as soon as possible as the PM gave 2 months time to the planning commission for deciding on the locations and close to 3 weeks has already gone by.
I would like to propose that the Orissa govt., send a proposal immediately to upgrade Ravenshaw University as a central university.
This is because Ravenshaw matches the best with respect to all the conditions that the PM mentioned in his address to the planning commission. In particular:
Ravenshaw is a unitary university. i.e., Like world class universities such as most universities in the United States, and like most of the existing central universities in India (such as JNU, BHU etc.) Ravenshaw does not have any affiliated colleges.
Ravenshaw‘s location at the heart the millennium city of Cuttack and also in the middle of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack metropolitan area makes it easy to access and the presence of top-notch educational and research institutions near it makes Ravenshaw a good candidate for becoming a world-class knowledge hub; i.e., a world class central university. (The PM mentioned this criteria explicitly.)
Ravenshaw had made plans for its expansion in directions that are in unison with the goal of a world class university that the PM talked about.
Among all universities in India that may be considered for an upgrade, Ravenshaw is in a unique position by virtue of its recent designation as a university. The existing faculty of Ravenshaw are Government of Orissa faculty and are not automatically entitled to be Ravenshaw faculty. So Ravenhsaw can be choosy in retaining only the ones that are qualified to be a faculty in a world class university. The others may revert back to the Government of Orissa to be posted to other colleges in Orissa.
Finally, Ravenshaw is one of the oldest higher education institutions of India with a glorious past. Its alumni is almost who’s who of Orissa.
In closing, I would urge you to not miss this opportunity for making a case for a second central university in Orissa. Otherwise we will continue to remain behind, while other states will have 2, 3 or more central universities.
Subject to the Plan being finalized, it is proposed to establish 30 new Central Universities during the XIth Plan and the first two years of the XIIth Plan period, and to provide assistance for establishing one college in each district with low Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education.
Action for establishment, in the first phase, of one Central University, in each of the 16 States which do not have a Central University, so far, namely Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujrat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kasmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerela, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand, has already been initiated.
The targeted GER, as against the present level of approximately 10%, is at least 15% by the end of the XIth Plan and 21% by the end of the XIIth Plan.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shri M.A.A.Fatmi in a reply to a question raised by Smt. N.P.Durga in Rajya Sabha today.
The PM’s independence day speech will be remembered for a long time for its groundbreaking educational steps. Here, we analyze them vis-a-vis Orissa.
K-12
"We will support 6,000 new high quality schools — one in every block of the country" [Orissa has 314 blocks. Currently the central govt has three kinds of schools: Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Ekalabya Vidyalayas. My guess is these will be Navodaya Vidyalayas. Until now, Navodaya Vidyalayas were being made one per district. Extending it to one per block will do wonders.]
Higher education
"We will also ensure that adequate numbers of colleges are set up across the country, especially in districts where enrollment levels are low. We will help States set up colleges in 370 such districts." [Orissa has 30 districts. As per the NSSO study of 2004-2005, Table 3.14.1 shows that in the 15-19 age group 29% people in Orissa are attending school/college and in the 20-24 age group this number for Orissa is 6.1%. (Both numbers are lowest among all but the small states/UTs of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep.) For the Scheduled Tribe population these numbers are 17.1% for the 15-19 age group and 4.1% for the 20-24 age group.]
"We will set up thirty new Central Universities. Every state that does not have a central university will now have one." [Orissa does not have one so it should get one. But considering that there are 23 other existing central universities, making it a total of 53 central universities, Orissa should get two.]
"we are setting up five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research" [The five IISERs are at Pune, Kolkata, Mohali, Bhopal, and Trivendrum. A NISER is being set up in Bhubaneswar.]
"eight new Indian Institutes of Technology" [Three of these IITs are announced to be in Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Orissa should get one of the other five IITs.]
"seven new Indian Institutes of Management" [Announcements have been made with respect to Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Shillong. If Orissa gets a new IIT then its chance of getting a new IIM this round is much less. Orissa should try though.]
"twenty new Indian Institutes of Information Technology." [There will be one in each main states, including Orissa, which does not have one. Existing ones are at Allahabad, Amethi, Jabalpur, and Gwalior and a new one is being established at Kanchipuram. ]
Vocational Education
"We will soon launch a Mission on Vocational Education and Skill Development, through which we will open 1600 new industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new Skill Development Centres."
"We will ensure that annually, over 100 lakh students get vocational training – which is a four-fold increase from today’s level."
More scholarships
"We should seek not just functional literacy, but good quality education – education that is affordable, accessible, equitable – and available to every boy and girl who seeks to study. For the needy we will provide more scholarships."
Towards this end, our Government has decided to invest in setting up good quality schools across the country. We will support 6,000 new high quality schools — one in every block of the country. Each such school will set standards of excellence for other schools in the area.
As our primary education programmes achieve a degree of success, there is growing demand for secondary schools and colleges. We are committed to universalizing secondary education. An extensive programme for this is being finalized.
We will also ensure that adequate numbers of colleges are set up across the country, especially in districts where enrolment levels are low. We will help States set up colleges in 370 such districts.
The University system, which has been relatively neglected in recent years, is now the focus of our reform and development agenda. We will set up thirty new Central Universities. Every state that does not have a central university will now have one.
In order to promote science and professional education, we are setting up five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, seven new Indian Institutes of Management, and twenty new Indian Institutes of Information Technology. These will generate new educational opportunities for our youth. I am sure that, working together, we can ensure that at least a fifth of our children go to college as compared to one-tenth now.
The vast majority of our youth seek skilled employment after schooling. Last year I spoke the need for a Vocational Education Mission. Such a Mission is ready to be launched. We will soon launch a Mission on Vocational Education and Skill Development, through which we will open 1600 new industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new Skill Development Centres.
We will ensure that annually, over 100 lakh students get vocational training – which is a four-fold increase from today’s level. We will seek the active help of the private sector in this initiative so that they not only assist in the training but also lend a hand in providing employment opportunities.
We should seek not just functional literacy, but good quality education – education that is affordable, accessible, equitable – and available to every boy and girl who seeks to study. For the needy we will provide more scholarships.
I wish to see a revolution in the field of modern education in the next few years. It is my fervent desire that India becomes a fully educated, modern, progressive nation. From this historic Red Fort, I would like this message to go to every corner of India – we will make India a nation of educated people, of skilled people, of creative people.
This is the first time eight new IITs have been formally and officially mentioned. Three of these were previously announced to be in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. So it would be a shame if Orissa does not get one of the remaining five.
