Odisha HRD

Cuttack Book Fair between March 22-30: Ad in Samaja

March 23rd, 2008

Private University Bill for Vedanta university and others is under works

Following is an excerpt from a report in New Indian Express.

Higher Education Minister Samir Dey announced in the Assembly on Thursday that the bill on private universities is under process and would soon be tabled in the Assembly by the State Government.

… the Minister said that as the Vedanta University is yet to be established, the State Government has not formulated any guidelines for admission. Dey said that the university would have student strength of 1 lakh with 20,000 faculty members and equal number of non-teaching staff.

The State Government signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Vedanta Foundation on July 19, 2006 for establishment of the university. The process for acquisition of 6252.9 acres of land for the university is on.

He said that out of the total land required for the university, 707.54 acres is government land. The State Government has selected a suitable location for this institution of higher learning, he added.

Supporting the company’s demand for land, the Minister said that going by the hugeness of the project, the land requirement shown by the Government is not on the higher side.

Giving a comparative statement, the Minister said that the Stanford University which has a student strength of 14,800 has been set up on 8180 acres.

March 21st, 2008

Eastern Regional Language Center of CIIL is at Bhubaneswar

CIIL is the Central Institute of Indian Languages. It is located in Mysore. Currently it has regional centers in Mysore, Bhubaneswar, Patiala, Pune, Solan, Lucknow and Guwahati. Its goal is to promote Indian Languages. See maps.  Its faculty size at these centers are:

• CIIL, Mysore: 28
• SRLC, Mysore: 9
• ERLC, Bhubaneswar: 19
• NRLC, Patiala: 18
• WRLC, Pune: 13
• UTRC, Solan: 11
• UTRC, Lucknow: 9
• NERLC, Guwahati: 3

Following is some background information on CIIL and its regional centers.

• Objectives
  • The main objective of the Regional Language Centres of the C.I.I.L as laid down in the EFC Memo No.F.4-1/69-IL-II dated September 17, 1969 is to help State Governments implement three language formula by
    • Creating resource persons and materials
    • Offering short-term and Intensive as well as full time courses in various Indian Languages
    • Training existing graduate teachers of the country
• Regional centers
  • Four RLCs were set up in 1970 in fulfillment of the commitment made by the then Union Education in the Floor of Parliament for making trained teachers available to States and UTs for implementing Three Language Formula.
  • First four Centres are ERLC, Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar, NRLC, Punjabi University Campus, Patiala-2, SRLC, Manasagangotri, Mysore -6 and WRLC, Deccan College Campus, Pune-6.
  • Later two more Centres were set up. UTRC, Solan, Saproon, Himachal Pradesh and UTRC, Madan Mohan Malaviya Marg, Lucknow-2 at the request of the State Governments of Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh
  • In 1989, NERLC was set up as part fulfilment of Government of India’s commitment for the implementation of Assam Accord.
• Currently
  • SRLC, NRLC and ERLC are functioning in beautiful campuses having their own buildings for Office and Hostels. Other Centres are functioning in buildings given by State Governments and Autonomous Bodies and hired ones. Each Centre has the following

8 comments March 20th, 2008

2.5 crore each to ITIs in Puri, Cuttack, Chhatrapur and Umerkote.

The following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=36717.

Rajya Sabha

For upgradation of Government ITIs in the Country the Central Government has launched a new Scheme “Upgradation of 1396 Government ITIs through Public Private Partnership” : The first batch of 300 ITIs has been taken up for upgradation at a cost of Rs. 750.00 Cr. in 2007-08.

Under this Scheme an Industry Partner is associated with each ITI to lead the process of upgradation. An Institute Management Committee (IMC) is set up in the ITI with the Industry Partner or its representative as the Chairperson and the Principal of the ITI as the member Secretary. The IMC is registered as a Society and an interest free loan of upto Rs. 2.5 Cr. is given directly to the IMC Society. The loan is repayable by the IMC Society over a period of 30 years.

For 2007-08, four Government ITIs in the State of Orissa viz. ITIs at Puri, Cuttack, Umerkote (Nabarangpur dist.), and Chhatrapur (Women) have been covered under this Scheme and interest free loan of Rs. 10 Cr. has been released to them at a rate of Rs. 2.5 Cr. per ITI.

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Shri Oscar Fernandes in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

VBA/BS

March 19th, 2008

Status report of AIIMS like institute

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=36712.

LOK SABHA

The proposal for setting up of AIIMS-like institutions was approved by CCEA on 16.3.2006.  The initial bid process for selection of Project Consultant proved to be unresponsive.  The offer of short listed Architectural Design Consultant for preparing enlarged concept design was rejected due to the exorbitantly high price quoted by the selected designer.  Therefore, the whole process had to be initiated de novo in December 2006.  Several methodological changes were made to ensure progress keeping in mind the complexity of building 6 such institutions simultaneously and lack of capacity for taking the whole project as one.  Therefore, it was decided that each AIIMS site would be taken as a separate and independent project instead of clubbing all six together.  The construction of housing complex was also separated from that of Hospital and Medical College.

            The Design – DPR consultants have been selected for each site through an open competitive bidding.  The layout / master plans for the AIIMS sites at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Raipur and Rishikesh have been approved.  Approval of layout / master plan for Patna site is expected this month.  The Consultants are in the process of preparing architectural design, which is expected to be finalized by May 2008.  The detailed project report (DPR) would be ready by May-June 2008.  Thereafter, tenders would be invited for selection of contractor for civil construction work. 

            In so far as construction of residential complex (housing & hostel) is concerned, bids were invited for selection of turnkey Developers.  However, bid process was successful only for Jodhpur site and work has been awarded to M/s. Rajasthan State Road Development Corporation, a PSU of Government of Rajasthan.  Work is in progress.  The work relating to construction of residential complex at Rishikesh and Patna has been entrusted to HLL and for Bhubaneswar and Raipur to HSCC.  Tender process has been initiated for selection of contractors for Bhubaneswar and Raipur sites by HSCC.  For Bhopal site, housing complex work is being awarded alongside the hospital-medical college complex.

            The work of residential complexes is likely to be completed by 2009 and the hospital–medical college complexes by 2010.

            The details of funds allocated for the PMSSY and expenditure thereon during the last three years are as under: –

(Rs. in crore)

* Allocation will be fully utilized.

            Project Management Consultant for each site is also being selected for expeditious execution of the work.  Ministry has initiated steps to set up dedicated project cell at each site comprising medical expert, engineers and administrative support staff.  Each of the projects is being closely monitored by the Ministry to ensure that there is no slippage or delay at any of the sites.

This information was given by the Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

KR/SK/280 – LS

2 comments March 19th, 2008

INSPIRE program for attracting students to sciences

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=36632.

The Government has mounted a special scholarship scheme titled “Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)” to attract talented youth to study and careers with science. The main features of the INSPIRE are:

(a) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS) providing Science innovation scholarship of Rs.5000 for a total of one million young learners of the age group 10-15 years once in their school career and mentorship through global science leaders including Nobel Laureates and Indians leaders in science at a summer camp for the top 1% performers in the Class X examination every year for period of five years;

(b) Scholarships for Higher Education (SHE) for the age group of 17-22 years @ Rs. 1 lakh per year for continuing science education at B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels for 10,000 candidates and

(c) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC) for 1000 young researchers in the age group of 22-32 years for 5 years to pursue doctoral research in science backed by an assured career opportunity scheme for another period of five years on completion of their Ph. D.

The INSPIRE Programme, as it offers Science as a career option by providing necessary opportunities to youth with aptitude for science and a desire to innovate, in addition to reasonable financial assistance, would help in producing more science students and Ph.Ds and help in increasing the stock of the scientific community necessary for meeting future challenges including preventing the brain drain.

The scheme also envisages that the available number of scholarships would be distributed to students from various Boards based on total number of students taken their examinations in the respective Boards including West Bengal. The total allocation for the entire 11th Five Year Plan is Rs.2250 crores for the INSPIRE Programme and is presently at various levels of Government approval.

This information was given by Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal in a written reply to a question by Shri S.K. Kharventhan in the Lok Sabha today.

1 comment March 18th, 2008

MP Rudra Pany asks for IIT in Orissa in the Rajya sabha on 14th March 2008

The following is from http://164.100.47.5/newdebate/213/14032008/19.00pmTo20.00pm.pdf.

1 comment March 18th, 2008

Regional plant research center in Bhubaneswar to have a tissue culture research lab: Sambada

4 comments March 17th, 2008

100 new schools in Puri district: Samaja

March 16th, 2008

Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan says that an IIT may be established in Orissa for creating qualified employees to work in Industries in Orissa: Samaja

Samaja reports that when Union minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan (who was visiting Samaja) was asked if Orissa will improve by having industries where unqualified Oriyas only work in class IV jobs; he said: "To work in various industries qualified Oriyas can be made by establishing an IIT in Orissa. For this if there is desire and demand then the government will provide all help."

March 16th, 2008

Entrance exam for admission to Institute of Mathematics & Applications (IMA) Bhubaneswar

7 comments March 16th, 2008

More details on the 140 positions at Ravenshaw University

 The state governmentt of Orissa has recently sanctioned 140 faculty positions for the  Ravenshaw University. These positions already existed in the strength of erstwhile Ravenshaw College. They have now been created in the establishment of Ravenshaw University, and the process will soon begin for recruitment against them.

 The posts sanctioned, discipline wise, are as follows:

 Faculty constitutes the most critical input in the life of an educational institution. It is they who define the level of excellence and intellect which the university fosters. Great care therefore has to be taken in selecting the faculty at the foundation stage as they will determine the future course of its growth and development.

            The formal notice and advertisement for the faculty recruitment will soon be posted both in this website and elsewhere. This may be treated as an advance intimation of the recruitment process. Through this we are requesting the friends of Ravenshaw, within the country and abroad, to help us select the best faculty for this institution. Any lapse at this stage in choosing the right kind of faculty will be too costly to regret.

            Clearly we need versatile persons who, apart from their academic excellence, will be good at developing an academic culture to cope with contemporary times. They will be institution builders who can give vision and direction to their schools and departments.

            Our recruitment shall be for tenure positions. We would also consider contractual appointments and employment of superannuated persons as well as visiting faculties if their credentials are up to the mark. Academics who love Ravenshaw,  and who had the opportunity of building themselves in other institutions of excellence, both within the country and abroad, may consider taking up short term assignments to lay foundation of the new university. Their contribution, arising out of their exposure and experience, will be greatly valued.

            We shall be happy to receive expressions of intent as well as enquires about these matters by correspondence through ravenshawuniversity@yahoo.co.in. 

10 comments March 15th, 2008

Vacant faculty positions in Orissa universities and colleges to be filled by next academic year: Samaja

The article mentions the status of the three main universities of Orissa:

• Utkal University: Only 187 out of 340 faculty positions are filled
• Berhampur University: Only 113 out of 186 faculty positions are filled
• Sambalpur University: Only 130 out of 150 faculty positions are filled

Note that earlier we mentioned that Ravenshaw University is trying to fill 144 positions.

1 comment March 15th, 2008

Degradable polymer from shrimp scales and PL Nayak research foundation in Cuttack: Samaja article

1 comment March 15th, 2008

Agami Odisha’s plan of action (two rallies) on IIT and other issues

(The following is from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nis_iiser/message/731)

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, we at Agami Odisha decided that we will no longer remain silent on all such step-motherly attitude of Center. All who are around Bhubaneswar may join in our Rally to Raj Bhawan for our demand of IIT/ making UCE, Burla an IIEST and asking MLA for bringing out comprehensive solution for eradication of Poverty in Orissa Assembly. We must make people aware by going to the street. Let us feel responsible and perform it as a duty to our motherland Odisha.

Programme:

16th March’08: Time 9AM: Place AG Square, Bhubaneswar; 1/2 an hour Rally to Raj Bhawan
19th March’08: Time 5.30PM: Place Lower PMG/ Master canteen Square: 1/2 an hour Mashal Rally
Subsequent action plan for Delhi will be decided.

Yours,
Lalit Pattnaik,
Working President AGAMI ODISHA

1 comment March 13th, 2008

IIT Orissa issue raised in the asembly; CM writes to PM again

See http://tathya.in/story.asp?sno=1697, http://tathya.in/story.asp?sno=1695 and http://www.kalingatimes.com/orissa_news/news2/20080313-Orissa-demands-for-IIT.htm.

4 comments March 13th, 2008