I suggest that BPUT be moved from Rourkela to another location and a comprehensive university (like Utkal, Sambalpur, Berhampur etc.) be established in Rourkela, and the establishment of a medical college in Rourkela be expedited.
Some of you, before getting mad at me, please read the following reasoning.
Continue Reading 17 comments May 29th, 2007
Following are some pictures from the university site looking at the Kathajodi river.
4 comments May 28th, 2007
Finally on May 9 2007 BPUT has advertised for faculty in its post graduate center in Rourkela. The minimum qualification and experience for these positions are described in this document. (Although BPUT was established in 2002, and it had plans to hire 25 faculty for 5 of its research centers, to the best of my knowledge until now there had not been any advertisements for these positions. Lets hope that BPUT is able to hire good faculty and gets on its way to be a real university and not just a university that conducts exams. )
1 comment May 28th, 2007
Samaja reports more news on Ravenshaw University. Following are some points mentioned in their article:
Besides the above news from the Samaj article, I heard that the VC of Ravenshaw has met some Ravenshaw alumni who are in academia in Orissa and has sought their advice. This is a very good move on the VC’s part as there are some really top-notch academicians in Orissa with Ravenshaw ties.
3 comments May 26th, 2007
Tathya reports that ICICI will collaborate with Utkal University to start courses in banking and insurance. I guess this will be mutually beneficial to both Utkal University and ICICI. The later will get a good pool to hire its employees. More about ICICI’s plan in Orissa is at this sister site (direct link).
2 comments May 26th, 2007
New Indian Express reports that during the discussion between the World Bank and the Orissa government in regards to a loan of 1406 crores for construction of roads in Orissa, the idea of setting up a “construction academy” in lines of the one in Hyderabad was mooted. Following is an excerpt from the New Indian Express article.
The World Bank has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 1,406 crore for the implementation of Rs 2,121- crore Orissa State Roads Project (OSRP).
There is also a proposal to set up a Construction Academy akin to one in Hyderabad to assist the capacity building activities of the State Government.
The academy will train contractors and workers with modern construction techniques.
The Arizona State University, where I am currently at, also has a top-notch school of construction that offers M.S in Construction. May be the Orissa government can go beyond what is in Hyderabad and borrow ideas from the School of Construction at ASU.
May 25th, 2007
Newsreports mention that Bharatiya Janashakti’s state unit as well as National Students Union of India (NSUI) have decided on state-wide agitation for the IIT in Orissa cause. Earlier we mentioned how BJD is making it a big issue.
To make sure that the IIT is issue is not just considered as a political thing and not grounded in facts, we who understand why an IIT is desperately needed must take actions from our side.
May 24th, 2007
As mentioned in the PIB press release
2180 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been sanctioned upto March 2007, which includes 1000 new KGBVs in 2006-07. 88% of KGBVs have been operationalised. A major national evaluation conducted this year has shown that the scheme has received ‘high priority and political attention in all States and has been launched in record time with a clear commitment to reach out to out-of-school girls. The programme has been very well received by the community and has responded to diverse poverty situations including remote inaccessible locations’.
More details on this program is mentioned in another PIB release. In Orissa 49 such schools are being set up. Somehow Orissa seems to be lagging behind with respect to this scheme. Andhra Pradesh is leading in taking advantage of this scheme.
May 24th, 2007
There is now an apparel training and design center in Bhubaneswar. Its recent ad is as follows:
Continue Reading May 24th, 2007
There are two DRDO reserach labs in Orissa. They are:
Proof & Experimental Establishment (PXE), Balasore
In addition there is a sailors training school, INS Chilka and an ordnance factory in Badmal, Balangir.
1 comment May 24th, 2007
From http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=28152
Raising public spending in Education; Commitment to universalise access to quality basic education; Revision of National Curriculum Framework for School Education; Strengthening Technical Education and Expansion of Higher Education are some of the highlights of the major initiatives of the Ministry of Human Resource Development during the last three years. These are:-
Continue Reading 1 comment May 23rd, 2007
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are CBSE board schools set up by the MHRD across India. As per their website their objective is:
* to provide good quality modern education to the talented children predominently from the rural areas, without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition.
* to ensure that all students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas attain a reasonable level of competence in three languages as envisaged in the Three Language Formula.
* to serve, in each district, as focal points for improvements in quality of school education in general through sharing of experiences and facilities.
In Orissa currently there are several such schools with the school in Cuttack as the nodal school.
Continue Reading May 22nd, 2007
In an earlier post we mentioned that NITs will now become institutions of national importance. We have come across a draft of the NIT Bill and also the IIT Bill of 1961. It looks like the NIT Bill (draft) is a good one and has even some improvements over the IIT Bill. Once the NIT Bill is passed in the parliament it will become the NIT act.
1 comment May 21st, 2007
Tathya’s running headline of today says that Best Western will open a culinary institute in Orissa. In the past Hotel Swosti in Bhubaneswar used to have the Best Western label. I am not sure if it still does.
Update: Tathya now has a full article on it. Following are some excerpts.
The leading hotel chain, Cabana Hotel Management Private Limited (CHMPL), which is the franchise holder of Best Western group for India has been allotted 7 acres of land in the capital city. The chairman and other board members of Best Western are visiting Orissa in the last week of this month to lay the foundation stone of the culinary institute.
May 21st, 2007
Dear all:
Thank you for all that you have already done for the IIT in Orissa cause. We are chronicling the efforts and happenings at http://iitorissa.org and http://orissawatch.org
Based on various news reports following is the current situation -in a nutshell-with respect to getting an IIT in Orissa.
1. The media is regularly covering the issue and the general people in streets have become aware of the issue of IIT as well as the central neglect/injustice/discrimination against Orissa. http://iitorissa.org http://orissawatch.org
Continue Reading 1 comment May 21st, 2007
The IIT issue and the associated issue of central government neglect (injustice, discrimination) has become a hot political issue in Orissa. While the BJD and its CM supremo Naveen Patnaik has been discussing it forcefully in its meetings, even in villages; the Congress has been forced to respond. However the response of the Congress is feeble and lacks merit. BJD spokespersons (including MPs) have started mentioning economic blockade such as stopping coal transport and rail movement as a way to make the center take notice of Orissa’s genuine grievances in the HRD arena.
1 comment May 21st, 2007
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