IIIT Bhubaneswar to start classes in September this year
Dharitri (in Oriya) and Pragativadi (in English) report that IIIT Bhubaneswar will start classes with 60 students from September this year.
April 26th, 2007
Archive for April, 2007
Higher Education dept. of Orissa formally proposes an education city in Naraj
Today’s New Indian Express and Samaja report that the higher education department has proposed setting up of an education city around Naraj. As we wrote earlier several universities are coming up in this area. This includes a university by Sri Sri Ravishankar’s Art of Living, Ravenshaw university’s second campus and proposed National Law Institute. The higher education department has identified additional available land in the area and according to the above reports it is recommending that the government reserve this land for additional higher education institutions.
1 comment April 26th, 2007
Initiatives and projects (many higher education related) during the 1961-1967 tenure of Biju Patnaik
Yesterday’s Dahritri has a column by senior columnist Barendra Kumar Dhal [1,2,3,4,5,6] where he lists the various initiatives and projects taken up during Biju Patnaik’s government of 1961-67. I am amazed by the list which includes many HRD institutions. Here are some of the highlights.
- Paradeep Port
- Daitari-Paradeep highway
- Mig factory in Sunabeda
- Rourkela Steel Plant
- Regional Research Laboratory
- Regional College of Education (Now called Regional Institute of Education)
- Berhampur University
- Sambalpur University
- Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology
- Sainik School
- Baragarh Cement factory
- Various factories of IDC
- Orissa textile mills (OTM)
- Kalinga Tubes
- Kalinga Iron works
Other References: Ganjam District site,wikipedia,Orissa govt. e-magazine, another.
3 comments April 24th, 2007
Progress at Fakirmohan University and North Orissa University; BPUT far behind
I came across the websites of Fakirmohan University (FMU) in Balasore and North Orissa University (NOU) in Baripada. Both universities seem to have progressed a lot since they were made in 1999. They have taken slightly different paths though. While FMU has focussed on departments that are more in demand with respect to the job market, NOU has been a bit more traditional.
Continue Reading 1 comment April 23rd, 2007
XIM (Xaviers Institute of Management) plans a second campus in Orissa
Update: Telegraph also reports on this.
Business Standard reports that XIM, Bhubaneswar is about to open another campus in Orissa. XIM is scouting for 100 acres of land and has a budget of 50 crores for the second campus. It has applied to AICTE for doubling its capacity. There is no definite word regarding where the second campus will be, but there were some early rumors that it could be near Dhenkanal. If it indeed opens near Dhenkanal, then it will be a big addition to Dhenkanal’s higher education offerings. Currently, Dhenkanal has the branch campus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication. With an XIM campus it will get into the national consciousness as both XIM and IIMC admit students through national level entrance examinations.
2 comments April 23rd, 2007
Frequently asked Questions related to the current movement towards an IIT in Orissa
1. Why this FAQ?
When one brings up the topic of establishing an IIT in Orissa MHRD officials, ministers and spokesperson, and even many technical education committee members sometimes retort back: “Why does it matter where an IIT is located as students from any where in India, including from Orissa, can study in an IIT.”
Until recently, I thought it was just some thing said and not really meant by the MHRD officials or the technical education committee members. However, a recent exchange of emails with one of the most well respected technologists of India, Mr. K, makes it clear that many influential people in decision making roles sincerely believe that it does not matter where an IIT is located as students from any where in India can study in an IIT. This misconception needs to be cleared up, as otherwise, as we argue below, it will further worsen the existing inequities in India.
Many in Orissa also question why one should focus on getting an IIT to Orissa when there are several other pressing issues in Orissa. In this FAQ we try to address these and related questions.
Continue Reading 4 comments April 22nd, 2007
48 acres for Culture university near Madanpur
Sambada reports that 48 acres has been allocated to the Utkal University of Culture. This land is near Madanpur village in the upper right edge of the Knowledge park close to the GITA and CV Raman engineering colleges.
April 21st, 2007
Universal secondary education in the 11th plan
Sambada (in Oriya) reports on the planning going on to make secondary education universal. At the central level this is supposed to be a goal in the 11th plan. At the state level plans are afoot to open high schools in 900+ panchayats that do not have them.
April 21st, 2007
SIS (Security and Intelligent Services) acquires land near Cuttack for its 5th Academy
SIS (Security and Intelligent Services), a private company, will open its 5th academy (after Dehradun, Gurgaon, Garwa and Bangalore) near Cuttack in Chouduar at a cost of 5 crores. For that it is reported (in Samaja – Oriya) to have acquired 10,000 acres of land. It is reported that it will train 3000 secrurity personnels every year, out of which 80% will be from Orissa. I wonder if the 10,000 acres number is a typo. If it is not a typo, its kind of puzzling that lots of people are opposed to the Vedanta University, to be made with an investment of 15,000 crores, which asked for 8000 acres to educate 100,000 students and employ 20,000 faculty and staff, while not a peep has been heard about the 10,000 acres for SIS.
1 comment April 21st, 2007
Reorganization and new programs at Ravenshaw
Dahritri reports [1,2] that Ravenshaw will be reorganized to eight schools:
- School of Mathematics and Computer Science
- School of Physical Studies
- School of Life Sciences
- School of Social sciences
- School of Languages
- School of Commerce and management
- School of regional studies and earth sciences
- School of information and performing arts
Each of these schools will have a dean. In the coming year Ravenshaw will introduce Masters programs in (i) Biotechnology (ii) Foreign languages (iii) Business and industrial management (iv) Performing arts and (v) Geology. It will switch to the semester system at the Bachelors and Masters level.
April 20th, 2007
Ravenshaw will start five year integrated M.Sc program from July 2007
Ravenshaw vice chanceelor Devdas Chhotray has acted very fast on the news regarding the 1 lakh/yr scholarships for integrated M.Sc students. He has announced that Ravenshaw will start five year integrated M.Sc program from July 2007. This is reported in Sambada.
13 comments April 19th, 2007
Vedanta University reduces its land requirement to 7500 acres
Sambada (in Oriya) reports that Vedanta university has reduced its requirement to 7500 acres.
April 18th, 2007
Govt. of India established Small scale industry service institute in Cuttack
Some years back government of India established small scale industry service institutes in each state. These institutes give short term training courses on topics that are useful to small scale industries. The corresponding institute in Orissa is located in Cuttack with branches in Rourkela and Rayagada. However it offers courses in various locations across Orissa.
April 17th, 2007
Superspeciality hospital with focus on cancer, diabetes and cardiology to come up in the first phase of Vedanta University
The Statesman reports that Mr. Anil Agrawal, head of Sterlite and Vedanta group of industries met the CM today and agreed to establish a superspeciality hospital with 1000 beds with a research institute focussed on cancer and cardiology in the first phase of Vedanta University. The news item also says that Mr. Agrawal will try to tighten the land requirement.
April 17th, 2007
Atomic Energy Commission approved the establishment of NISER at Bhubaneswar
An earlier NISER web page said that “the Atomic Energy Commission, in its 182nd meeting held on 16.03.2007 approved the proposal for establishment of NISER at Bhubaneswar.” It is still in the process of receiving approval from the cabinet.
2 comments April 16th, 2007
NISER Steering committee
Its now listed at http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/steering.php
It consists of the following people:
Continue Reading April 16th, 2007