Archive for April, 2007
Indian Express reports (thanks to Debendra Mohapatra for the tip on this) that the Department of Science and Technology of India has decided to offer 10,000 scholarships annually of Rs 1 lakh/year for students joining 5 year integrated M.Sc programs. The scheme was announced by the DST secretary T. Ramasami on April 10th at IISER Pune. It has not yet appeared in the Dept. of Sc. and Tech. website.
At present only few places in India offer such 5 yr M.Sc programs. Some of the places I know of are IISER Pune and Kolkata, NISER Bhubaneswar, IITs, BITs Pilani, Indian School of Mines, University of Mysore, University of Hyderabad, BESU, CUSAT, Pondicherry University, Sastra University, University of Pune, St. Xaviers Calcutta and some NITs.
It has been reported [1,2:ugc,3:kerela] that the UGC has also jumped into the fray in supporting universities and institutions that will have 5 yr integrated M.Sc programs.
This information has been passed on to key people in the Orissa government and they have promised to look into starting such programs in some of the universities and autonomous colleges in Orissa.
April 14th, 2007
The web site of NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) is up at http://www.iopb.res.in/niser/. Following are some of the pages in the website.
It looks like it really is going to be like IISER or even better because it has a bigger budget and better funding source (DAE). However, it still awaits cabinet approval.
April 14th, 2007
Dear Friends:
Its time to convey to the Orissa government that they need to look out for all of Orissa and not just BBSR/CTC/Puri areas.
Following is a draft letter that one can send to the CM (cmo at ori.nic.in) about developing higher education and medical opportunities outside of the BBSR/CTC/Puri area. This is a draft. Please make changes to your liking.
If I missed your favorite location, please add them in your letter.
best regards
Chitta
Continue Reading April 11th, 2007
Chitta: Details on the rally with pictures is being chronicled at http://iitorissa.org. [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Here is a first hand impresison of one of the main organizers Lalit Patnaik.
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The rally was a grand success, because it has really evoked very positive response among BUDHIJIBI and Students. The Budhijibi assembled just in time i.e. 8.30 a.m sharp . The rally progressed by 9 a.m.
Continue Reading April 9th, 2007
Dear Sir,
Its a great pleasure to learn about ur interest on OSME. The college has become a constituent college of BPUT. Govt. have sanctioned 5 crores & alloted 37 Ac land. The bldg. construction work is likely to start during April 2007 by IDCO. Possibly the Inst. will run in the new campus from 2008 session & new branches of Engg.i.e. Electronics, Comp. Sc.& Mineral Processing will be introduced.
The Inst. will run in a Self-Financing mode as per present planning. Govt. is commited to provide 50 Crores for the project. There are some initial administrative problems but hopefully everything will be settled shortly. It probably needs some more serious Govt. attention to bring it to the shape it was visualised. I’m optimistic.
I shall always be in touch with you Sir & seek ur valuable suggestions/guidelines as apart of the project, in making it a Centre of Excellence for Mining & Mineral Processing Engg.
Thank you once again. With kind regards.
April 8th, 2007
Dear all: Following is a letter that I have sent to the Chief minister. I would urge others to send a similar letter to cmo@ori.nic.in .
Thanks
Chitta
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Dear Chief minister:
I recently read that Bokaro steel plant (a unit of SAIL) has agreed with Jharkhand Government to set up an engineering college and medical college in Bokaro.
(See http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070226/asp/jamshedpur/story_7441681.asp)
Continue Reading April 8th, 2007
The news report mentions that the TATAs, Mittal and POSCO are planning to put huge sums of money in the “Corporate Social Responsibility” fund. We suggest that the Orissa government start a formal policy of “From mineral resources to Human resources” and require that any company using Orissa minerals should contribute to the HRD develpment of Orissa. Depending on the size of the minerals used by the company the contribution could be of the form of making a medical college, an engineering college, several ITIs, science and technology magnet schools etc.
This policy should not be only for new companies or private companies, this should be also applicable for public sector companies and companies that are already in Orissa.
In this regard it has been reported that Bokaro Steel plant (part of SAIL) will be opening a medical school as well as an engineering college in Jharkhand. Why is Rourkela Steel Plant (also part of SAIL) not doing the same in Orissa? Why is Orissa government not approaching them about it. The Orissa government should also approach other public sectors such as NALCO, MCL (Mahanadi Coal Fields), and NTPC as well as its own OMC (Orissa mining corporation). These biggies should open a medical college each near their operational area and not in Bhubaneswar.
We must write to Orissa CM about this. I will come up with a draft letter in a few days.
April 8th, 2007
After a long time and with the Orissa financial situation improving the government of Orissa has lifted the ban on hiring regular faculty in Orissa Universities. For a long time, universities could not hire regular faculty and were hiring faculty on short-term contracts. This had resulted in the lack of quality faculty in the universities and as a result the Orissa universities suffered a lot. The lifting of this ban is an welcome step.
This news is reported in various newspapers. (Sambada, New indian Express)
In the first phase the Orissa government has sanctioned hiring of 70 regular faculty at the four universities of Sambalpur University (47 positions), Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University (4 positions), North Orissa University (Baripada-13 positions) and Fakirmohan University (6 positions). The 6 positions in Fakirmohan University is to start a new program in Applied Physics and Ballistics in collaboration with DRDO. 12 of the positions in the North Orissa University are for 3 newly introduced self-financing courses in biotechnology, business administration and computer science. 1 position in the North Orissa University is for a new department in tribal studies.
April 8th, 2007
The Orissa government has decided to make capital hospital (location) a full-fledged medical college. This is reported in various media outlets. (Kalinga Times, New Indian Express,Samaja1,Samaja2) The government is also planning to open another medical college in Rourkela or in the Mayurbhanj district. For the medical college in Bhubaneswar, the government plans an outlay of 100 crores with an immediate outlay of 25 crores. It is also reported that there is some plans to start PG classes in the Unit IV hospital of Bhubaneswar.With these developments Bhubaneswar-Cuttack area the medical college situation in Bhuabaneswar-CTC-Puri area will be as follows:
Continue Reading April 8th, 2007
Earlier in the month there were news items in the Orissa press saying that although the 2007-08 budget has 150 crores for the AIIMS like institutions it will be mostly spent in the upgrades of exisiting medical schools and won’t be spent in the 6 new proposed AIIMS clones. I think that is not true. As the business standard article explains, in 2006 July the Health ministry had called for tenders regarding the 6 AIIMS clones. In February 2007 they have called two separate tenders, one on consultancy and the other on buildings. These are linked below. If suitable responses are received and contracts are awarded then work might start this year.
April 7th, 2007
ARE YOU A SWABHIMANI ODIA
One IIT each for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajsthan has been sanctioned with an investment of Rs.4000 crores. Orissa, although promised two IIT by Central Minister for HRD Mr. M Fatmi on 28th August 2006 at Patna, has been befooled with none.
* Orissa being one of the poorest states in terms of infrastructure in education and technology needs establishment of IIT more than any other state.
* Orissa having richest Mineral deposit needs an IIT to provide knowledge and technology base for best utilization of it’s resources.
* Let us not be blamed by our grand children that we have overslept when their future was being dismissed.
1) We demand establishment of an IIT and up gradation of UCE, Burla to IIEST in Orissa.
2) Join for Orissa in our demand on 8th April 2007 morning at 8.30 am in AG square, Bhubaneswar.
Continue Reading April 7th, 2007
The group of people involved in making the various documents for NISER is a distinguished one. It has people from the following institutions. Among them DCSEM, DAE is an important organization. It has distinguished itself in constructing various DAE facilities and if they are in charge of NISER construction then that would be wonderful.
- Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar
- Department of Atomic Energy
- Higher Education Department, Orissa
- IIT Bombay
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
- Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai
- University of Mumbai
- Indian Institute of Science
- DCSEM, DAE
- Bhaba Atomic Research Center
- National Physical Laboratory
- JNU
April 6th, 2007
Update: Tathya.in on 5th April 2007 has a detailed article on this issue.
(Note: Please send a similar letter to the CM at cmo@ori.nic.in)
Dear Hon’ble Chief minister:
For a couple of years we have been hearing about the establishment of a National Law University in Orissa.
Our state has been moving much slower than the other states with respect to this, as already 6 such institutes are there in other states and according to http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1056807
the HRD ministry in Delhi called the directors of the existing National Law Institutes for discussing a common entrance exam.
I think soon the HRD ministry may consider partially funding these existing law institutes and since the one in Orissa is not yet established, we may lose out. Once such a chance is missed it would be very difficult to make the Law institute in Orissa to be funded by UGC or MHRD.
We request that you take immediate steps towards the establishment of this planned law university in Orissa at the earliest.
If there is a delay at the Higher Education and/or Law department office, please push them to expedite on this matter. If the delay is in your office, please consider this at the earliest.
sincerely,
Chitta Baral
April 5th, 2007
Pragativadi reports that the CM has secured an appointment to meet the PM on April 19th and one of the issues he will bring up is the IIT issue.
April 5th, 2007
(Update: Tathya.in has a nice story on this.)
(From Lalit Patnaik)
Dear friends,
Yesterday, Agamee Odisha has decided to call all it’s members and supportive organisation and also each & every Swabhimani Odia to join the Mass rally to Governor’s House on 8th April’07. Our demand for sanctioning an IIT in Orissa and upgrading UCE, Burla to IIEST will be handed over to Governor. The Memorandum will be sent for Priminister of India through Governor of Orissa. The rally will start from AG square to Governors House on 8th April’07( sunday) and the duration is from 8.30 am to 11 am.
Continue Reading April 3rd, 2007
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