Odisha HRD

Master plan for Vedanta University wins AIA Baltimore design awards

Baltimore Sun writes that the master plan for Vedanta University, designed by Ayers Saint Gross,  wins the 2007 AIA Baltimore design awards. The award celebration will be today, Oct 19th 2007, at 6:30 PM  at Stewart’s Building, 230 Lexington Street at Howard in Baltimore, MD. (The AIA Baltimore design award web page says that: "Award-Winning projects will be on display at the Baltimore City Hall Rotunda November 13 – December 7, and thereafter with all entries, in the AIABaltimore Gallery through the end of the year.") 

The Ayers Saint Gross web page now also has the Vedanta University Humanities building listed under "On the boards" category. About the Humanities building, it says the following:

The Humanities Program was written by Ayers/Saint/Gross Inc. in April 2007.  The building was programmed as 11,731 gross square meters with 7,273 net assignable square meters.  This is based on an enclosed, conditioned shell in accordance with standard U.S. methods of calculation.

October 19th, 2007

All India PMT conducted by CBSE: information on on-line application (16th Oct to 26th Nov)

The following is excerpted from http://www.cbse.nic.in/welcome.htm. Please go to that site for up-to-date information. The information below was copied on October 19 2007. Its possible that the CBSE site may have updated information.

Click here to download Information Bulletin
Important Information at a Glance
1.	Please read the instructions and proceed carefully before you start filling the application form.
2.	Examintion Fees
CATEGORY FEES GENERAL Rs. 400/- SC/ST Rs. 200/-
3.	Application can be submitted Online during 16.10.2007 (10:00 AM) to 26.11.2007 (05:00 PM)
4.	After successful submission of On-line Application Form, an Application Number along with confirmation page will be generated.
5.	Candidates are advised to take printout of confirmation page and paste his/her two recent photographs (as given in point 6 below), sign in the specified box and send this confirmation page along with Demand Draft by Registered/Speed Post  to "The Deputy Secretary (AIPMT Unit), Central Board of Secondary Education, Shiksha Kendra, 2, Comunity Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi 110 301" for further processing so as to reach on or before 28.11.2007. Application received after the last date will not be accepted.
6.	Photograph : Firmly affix two recent good quality color passport size photograph (taken on or after 1.9.2007) with gum/fevicol (not to be pinned or stapled) in the space provided for it in the Application Form, one duly attested by the Principal/Head of the institution/Gazatted Officer. Before affixing the photograph, candidate must write down his/her Name and Application Number on the back of the both the photographs with ball point pen only. The photograph must indicate clearly the name of the candidate along with the date of taking the photograph. Photographs should be without cap or goggles. Spectacles are allowed. Polaroid photos are not acceptable. The photograph of the candidate should be attested by the Principal/Head of the Institution or Gazetted Officer in such a way that part of the signature is on the photograph and remaining part of the signature is on the application form. Attestation should be done on the bottom part of the photograph so that the photograph is not defaced. Candidates not complying with these instructions or with unclear photograph are liable to be rejected. Candidates may keep 6-8 identical photographs in reserve for use at the time of entrance examination/Counselling/Admission.
7.	Before the dispatch of the application form, kindly insure that the form is complete in all respect.
8.	Candidates submitting applications online are required  to attach Demand Draft of required fee (In favour of “Secretary CBSE Delhi”, payable at Delhi). to mention his/her Application No., Name, and Address on the back of the Demand Draft to retain a photocopy of confirmation page for future reference. to retain a photocopy of the Demand Draft sent. to retain the original receipt issued by the post office for having dispatch the Application Form The processing of applications will begin only after receiving confirmation page and Demand Draft.
8.	Eligibility and Qualifications:  He/She has completed age of 17 years at the time of admission or will complete the age on or before 31st December of the year of his/her admission to the 1st year MBBS/Dental Course and is an INDIAN NATIONAL. The upper age limit for All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Examination is 25 years as on 31st December of the year of the entrance examination. Further provided that this upper age limit shall be relaxed by a period of 5 (five) years for the candidates of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes. The number of attempts which a candidate can avail at All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Examination shall be limited to Three (03) uniformly for all the candidates. The candidate must have passed in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English individually and must have obtained a minimum of 50% marks taken together in Physics, Chemistry and Biology at the qualifying examination. In respect of the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes the marks obtained in Physics, Chemistry and Biology taking together in qualifying examination be 40% instead of 50% for General candidates. Those who are taking plus two examination in 2008 can also appear for the entrance test provisionally subject to their fulfilling the canditions later.
Procedure for filling the Application Form
	Please go to http://www.cbseaff.nic.in/aipmt08/online/instruction.aspx and follow instructions and links from there.

59 comments October 19th, 2007

The engineering and MBA system in Karnataka: lessons for BPUT

An article in Deccan Herald elaborates on the practice that is being followed at the various engineering colleges and MBA institutions and their technical university. I do not know the detailed process at BPUT, but it seems BPUT is stricter in some ways. Following are some differences that I came across between the Karnataka system and BPUT.

• According to the above mentioned article In Karnataka admission under management quota is done by individual colleges making up their own merit list. Under BPUT, this year admission to management quota is also through common counseling and one has to take the Orissa JEE. BPUT is even having a second JEE so that the leftover seats in the colleges can get filled.
• In Orissa many of the colleges do not have heavy political connections.

Some questions that I hope some students in engineering colleges can answer are as follows:

• How does the internal system of marks work in Orissa engineering colleges under BPUT?
• How good or bad is the grading?

Dear Readers: Please make other comparisons.

5 comments October 19th, 2007

Some details on the proposed 16 central universities

The following is from a report in Hindustan Times.

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.

October 19th, 2007

Briefs on the IIT in Orissa issue at the Resident Commissioner’s website

The following is from http://rc.orissa.gov.in/index3.asp?linkid=53&sublinkid=209. It was prepared by the industries department in late February 2007.

BACKGROUND OF IIT PROPOSED IN ORISSA

1 Central Government was earlier considering upgradation of a few selected existing institutions to Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) level. On the proposal of the State Government, it was agreed to consider upgradation of one institution in Orissa.

2 It is learnt that the Government of India has now proposed to establish three greenfield IITs under the 11th Five-Year Plan. Originally, Orissa was included in this proposal, which was also announced by Honourable Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development (HRD) Shri M.A.A. Fatmi on 28th August at Patna. However, recent new reports state that the greenfield IITs will be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, while Orissa has been excluded.

3 The original choice of Orissa was one that had received State wide support and created enthusiasm. The recent news of it being shifted elsewhere has caused widespread disappointment.

4 Separately, the Governing Body of IIT Kharagpur has approved a full fledged campus in Bhubaneswar by upgrading its existing extension centre, entailing an investment of Rs. 800 – 900 crores. The proposal is awaiting the clearance of Ministry of Human Resources Development (MoHRD), Government of India (GoI).  The State Government has offered 300 acres of land free of cost for this project.

5 Honourable Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Naveen Patnaik has written to Honourable Prime Minister of India for considering Orissa as the location of one of the greenfield IITs and for expediting the MoHRD sanction to branch campus of IIT Kharagpur.

RATIONALE FOR TOP PRIORITY OF ESTABLISHING AN IIT’S IN ORISSA

1 Orissa is today poised to emerge as the mining, metals, manufacturing and power generation hub of the country with investment proposals amounting to over Rs. 400, 000 crore.  Out of this, over Rs. 30,000 crore investment has already materialised, creating employment opportunities, direct and indirect, for about 30,000 persons.

2 The State has also made considerable headway in promoting technical institutions at ITI, diploma and degree levels, which provides the required critical mass to support institutions of higher learning of the level of an IIT.

3       Orissa has the highest concentration of engineering colleges in eastern India and with the current rate of growth, it is expected to be amongst the top States in the country in the very near future.

4       In recent years Orissa has developed a large number of new (mostly private) engineering and MCA colleges and an IIT that grants M.Tech and Ph.D degrees will significantly help in improving the faculty quality of the Orissa engineering colleges, as their faculty can more easily pursue a higher degree at the IIT and can collaborate with IIT faculty. If India were to maintain its growth, India’s engineering colleges have to improve their faculty quality drastically and the new IITs should contribute to that.  As one of the emerging hubs for technical education in the country, Orissa greatly deserves an IIT.

5       The vibrant growth in the industrial sector and the technical education sector in the State provides enormous potential for industry and institution linkages, which includes research 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.

6       Today, Orissa is playing host to the biggest ever FDI projects in the country such as POSCO and Arcelor Mittal steel projects. The presence of such strong industrial players will definitely provide required synergy for an IIT level institution to realize its full potential. Many of the existing & upcoming industries would be able to leverage the presence of an IIT to boost Research & Development (R&D) activities, and they are also very keen to forge varied forms of partnerships with the IIT.

7       Government of India is requested for establishment of a greenfield IIT in Orissa, which would go a long way in supporting the rapid industrial growth in the State by producing highly qualified technical and managerial personnel as well as the much needed R&D support.

8       State Government while recommending the proposal has also conveyed its willingness to provide 300 acres of land free of cost for the prestigious project of IIT Kharagpur to have a full campus in Bhubaneswar with a final intake capacity of 5000 students. MoHRD, GoI is requested to expedite the approval of the same as well.

9       Orissa finds itself at the bottom of per capita funding through MOHRD, which is not at all justified. The establishment of a greenfield IIT in Orissa along with full branch of IIT Kharagpur shall help in improving this unbalanced and skewed position.

October 19th, 2007