Following is from the PIB release http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39900.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs had decided to set up three apex tribal research institutes for undertaking research on ground and to suggest application oriented projects for tribal development. These institutes to be set up at Orissa, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will also suggest action plans for the promotion of culture and language of tribal communities, conduct research and evaluation studies. Briefing the Members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry here today, Shri P.R. Kyndiah, Minister for Tribal Affairs said that his Ministry is actively considering 100% Central government’s funding for setting up these institutes.
Highlighting his Ministry’s initiatives for tribal welfare, Shri Kyndiah said efforts were being made to reorient the functioning of the 18 tribal research institutes already working in the various parts of the country. Now onwards, only those research studies would be allowed at these centres, which would have direct impact on the life of tribals. The institutes would also be asked to suggest activities creating economic opportunities direct or indirect for the tribals. Experts would be involved to suggest projects to promote traditional art and craft of tribals.
Participating in the discussion, Shri Rameshwar Oraon, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs stressed the need for strengthening existing tribal research institutes, he said that these institutes should work in fields to study tribal issues closely and suggest effective measures for inclusion in Government’s programmes and policies. He said that libraries at these centers to be strengthened to provide rich study material for research in tribal related issues.
Participating in the meeting, Members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee were of the view that Tribal Research Institutes should open their branches in tribal dominated pockets and their activities should be linked with the practical projects for economic and social development of the tribal people. Members also suggested there should be strict monitoring to see whether tribal welfare funds were being used genuinely. They also suggested speedy implementation of the Forest Rights Act. The meeting was attended by S/Shri Giridhar Gamang, Baliram Kashyap, Baju Ban Riyan, Rajesh Kumar Manjhi and V. Kishore Chandra S. Deo (all Members of Parliament).
NCJ/DT
June 30th, 2008
With a view to meet the shortage of doctors in the state, the ESIC intends to set up a medical college in the state at Baltikuri in Howrah while upgrading the existing ESI Hospitals at Joka and Manicktala to Post-graduate medical colleges.
Classes most likely to start from 2009 onwards for both Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate level Courses at the above mentioned places.
A proposal is to be sent to the Medical Council of India shortly.
Source : Times Of India, Kolkata Edition, 30.06.08
June 30th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.
The university announced postgraduate programmes in Culture Studies, South and South-East Asian Studies, Cultural Heritage and Conservation, Sociolinguistics (through correspondence course) and Tourism and Hospitality Services (self financing course). It also re-launched the one-year postgraduate diploma courses in Jain and Buddhist Studies, besides the six-month certificate course in Tamil language. Each of the programmes would have 30 seats.
The university has also introduced Masters degree programmes in performing arts and visual art last year has departments of drama (direction, acting and stage craft), dance (Odissi and Chhau), vocal music (Odissi and Hindustani), instrumental music (flute, violin, tabla, mardal and sitar), painting, applied art and design, art history and aesthetics and sculpture. Except the 10-seat strength department of sculpture, all other departments would have 20 seats each.
An admission test would be conducted for the aspiring students of the visual art programmes, the university sources said.
June 28th, 2008
Following is from http://www.dte.org.in/download%5CFee_Waiver_Scheme_AICTE.pdf. I hope the private and the government colleges adopt this scheme, at least in phases. Perhaps new private colleges need not have it for the first three years. Existing colleges could do it in two steps; start with 5% this year and then increase it to 10% in the next year.
No. 37-03/Legal/2007
ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION
NEW DELHI
Guidelines
Date: 09-04-2007
Sub: Scheme on Tuition Fee Waiver scheme for women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students.
The AICTE has been empowered under Section 10(e) of AICTE Act to formulate schemes for promoting technical education for women, handicapped and weaker sections of the society. In compliance with these provisions under the AICTE Act, it has been decided to introduce Tuition Fee Waiver scheme for women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students in technical institutions.
I-Applicability:
The proposed scheme shall be applicable to the Students of all AICTE approved technical Institutions offering;
a) Bachelors programmes in Engineering, Pharmacy, HMCT, Architecture and Applied Arts and Crafts.
b) Diploma Programmes of three years duration in all disciplines.
The Scheme is proposed initially for Under-graduate and Diploma Programmes. The scheme will be voluntary in nature.
II-Purpose:
The scheme is proposed to provide Tuition Fee Waiver to women, economically backward and physically handicapped meritorious students pursuing degree/diploma level technical education covering degree programmes in Engineering & Technology, HMCT, Pharmacy, Architecture, Applied Arts and Crafts and Diploma Programmes in the above disciplines.
III-Amount of waiver:
The Waiver is limited to the tuition fee as approved by the State Level Fee Committee for self-financing institutions and by the Government for the Govt. and Govt. Aided Institutions. All other Fee except tuition fees have to be paid by the beneficiary.
IV-Method of implementation:
Under the Scheme, the Competent Authority for admissions shall be the same as for regular admissions. And Institutions shall provide tuition fee waiver up to 10 percent of its sanctioned intake of students. Typically for every 60 sanctioned intake in a branch/discipline of study, tuition fee waiver shall be given to two woman candidates, three economically weaker students (Annual income of Parents/Guardians less than Rs. 2.50 lakhs from all sources) and one physically handicapped students based on merit. In the event of non-availability of students in a specific category as above, the benefit will be given to any other candidate of other categories according to merit. An award letter is this respect shall be issued by the respective Institution with the approval of the Competent Authority for admissions.
The Institution in turn shall be allowed to admit 10% of its sanctioned intake or the number of actual tuition fee waiver granted by the Institution, whichever is lower, as an additional intake in the same discipline/branch of study.
Incase of Government/Govt. aided Institutions this additional intake may be on self-financing basis, if they so desire.
1 The AICTE approved technical institutions shall inform the number of the tuition fee waivers, branch wise to the admission authorities of the concerned state and give an undertaking that the institution will not charge tuition fee for the duration of the course form the beneficiaries.
2 The State Govts. Affiliating Universities of the concerned state shall allow equal number of seats over and above the present sanctioned strength subject to maximum of 10% of the approved intake in the same branch in lieu of the Tuition Fee Waivers. Private Institutions shall be allowed to admit students to the tune of the number of Tuition Fee waivers actually awarded from the same merit list as intake over and above the present sanctioned strength. Similarly the Government Institutions may fill up these additional seats on merit basis and if desired on self financing basis with the approval of the State Government.
3 The Institution shall admit students against these seats as per the procedure followed for admitting the regular seats at Institution level by the State admission authority. The list of students admitted in this category shall be displayed in the Notice Board of the Institution and its web-site along with the list of students given tuition fee waiver.
4 The State Govts. shall include the names of the institutions who have volunteered to avail the scheme with details of tuition fee waivers available in each institution branch wise in the admission brochure and publish the same for the benefit of the students.
5 The Institutions have to publish in their brochure and website the number of tuition fee waivers available in each category (Woman, economically weaker and physically handicapped) of students in each discipline.
6 The Competent Authority for admission shall have to display Tuition Fee Waiver status against each Institution, branch wise, to the candidates during the counseling, during admission and at the end of admission process so that the students can freely exercise their informed choice.
7 The information on availability of tuition fee waiver scheme shall be provided to the candidates, institution wise and discipline wise through Information brochure, Counseling brochure and website etc. The selection of candidates for tuition fee waiver shall be decided during the Counseling based on merit from amongst the eligible candidates. An eligible candidate shall have an option to exercise his/her choice of Institutions and discipline of study during Counseling for availing benefits of the scheme.
8. The Institutions shall provide the following information to the AICTE, concerned State Govt. and affiliating University:
Particulars of each beneficiary including name and rank of the students who have been granted tuition fee waiver in each discipline/branch of study, and
Details of the students admitted against the additional seats including name and rank etc., according to merit prescribed for regular admission.
The Institutions shall also display such information in their websites for information to the students and other stake holders.
9. The tuition fee waiver to a student shall be for the duration of the course i.e. four years for Bachelor courses in Engineering & Technology, Pharmacy, HMCT and Applied Arts and Crafts, and three years for Diploma students and five years for B. Arch course. Once a student is given Tuition Fee Waiver, the same shall be continued for the normal course duration.
(Dr. K. Narayana Rao) Member Secretary
*****
June 27th, 2008
Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39796.
The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for setting up of two Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPAs) at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh and creation of 4 core posts of Director & Registrar for each Institute with immediate effect.
The total cost for setting up of two Schools of Planning and Architecture would be Rs.348.50 cores ( Recurring expenditure Rs.82.90 cores and Non-Recurring expenditure – Rs.265.60 crores). The project would be completed by 2012-13.
These Institutes would integrate graduate, post-graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral education in architecture and town planning while at the same time fostering research of a high order in these areas. Research in such areas can generate significant intellectual properties, which has the potential for generating sizeable revenues.
These Institutes will create a cadre of high calibre faculty members who will be devoted to teaching, research and consultancy in all disciplines that deal with Planning and Architecture. Also, SPAs will be socially responsible institutions providing research feedback to the Government for physical development of human settlements
The Institutes would also contribute to highly competent and trained manpower that would inevitably impact positively on the economic growth of the country.
****
HS/RK
June 26th, 2008
Recently NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) Bhubaneswar has advertised for regular faculty positions. (The ad appears in Science.) Many prospective applicants may not have heard about NISER, Bhubaneswar; while they may have heard about the IISERs (IISER Pune and IISER Kolkata which are taking their third batch of students in 2008; IISER Mohali which is taking its second batch of students in 2008 and IISER Bhopal and IISER Thiruvanthapuram which are taking their first batch of students in 2008). Here is a quick overview of NISER, Bhubaneswar and its status vis-a-vis the IISERs.
NISER will be at par with the IISER being established in other places but will operate under the umbrella of DAE. It will undertake integrated 5-year Masters courses in core and emerging branches of science to provide world-class education to students after the 10+2 stage. It can also include an integrated M.Sc.–Ph.D. after graduation level.
… When completed, I am confident that the National Institute of Science Education and Research will become a Mecca for science just as TIFR and IISc are today.
- NISER Bhubaneswar admitted its first batch of students in 2007 and is currently (in 2008) admitting its second batch of students.
- NISER Bhubaneswar decided to not follow IISERs in its admission procedure. Unlike IISERs which take students from the extended merit list of IIT JEE, NISER decided to have its own entrance examination called NEST. But both IISERs and NISER have a interview process past the entrance examination to decide on the final list of successful applicants.
- The scale of pay of faculty in NISER Bhubaneswar is similar to the scale of pay of faculty at IISER Pune and IISER Kolkata, as well as at the IITs. However, it seems, being a DAE funded institute, NISER Bhubaneswar has an additional update allowance of Rs 10,000/year to Rs 30,000/year depending on the scale of pay.
- NISER will most likely be constructed by DCSEM of DAE that constructs various DAE structures. It is expected that the quality of construction would be good and done fast.
June 25th, 2008
From a Times of India report:
…..
In fact, from 1999 to 2001, all the IITs put together merely graduated 240 PhD students.
This appears to be changing. In 2007-08, the Powai campus, which is celebrating its golden jubilee, is expecting at least 210 doctoral students to graduate. This is a huge jump from last year, when 152 doctoral students received PhDs.
….
This is pretty impressive. I hope the trend continues, not only at IITB but also at other IITs. Private engineering colleges will hopefully tap into this talent pool for their faculty recruitment.
June 23rd, 2008
Various news reports mention that Andhra Pradesh will be having 6 six new universities so that each of its districts have a university. They have budgeted 16 crores for that.
Orissa should follow this lead and have one university in each of its undivided districts. The undivided 13 districts of Orissa were: Puri, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Baleswar, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Phulbani, Dhenkanal, Kendujhar, Ganjam and Mayurbhanj. Among those the six districts Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Phulbani, Dhenkanal and Kendujhar do not have a university. The Orissa government should take advantage of the central government’s offer and set up a university in each of these districts.
June 22nd, 2008
Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan is a deemed university fully centrally funded. It has ten campuses; one of them being in Puri. Following is the information about the Puri Campus.
- Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (Deemed University), Shri Sadashiva Campus, Puri (Orissa)
This campus was established on 15.08.1971 and is situated under the feet of Lord Jagannath at Puri in Orissa, which is one of four main Dhams. The institution is more than 100 years old. This Campus has its own building. The Campus is pursuing research work leading to the degree of Vidyavaridhi (Ph.D) and imparting education in Sahitya, Dharma Shastra, Navya Vyakarana, Puranetihas, Jyotish, Advaita Vedanta, Navya Nyaya, Sarvadarshana and Sankhya Yoga at postgraduate and graduate level and Shiksha Shastri at graduate level. There is computer education facility in the Campus.
The Puri campus is different from the Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University in Puri. Some more information on the Puri campus taken from http://www.sanskrit.nic.in/puri.htm is as follows:
Shri Sadashiva Sanskrit College established in the year 1865 was taken over by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan as one of its constituent units on 15.8.71. The Campus is situated on eastern side of Jagannath Temple nearer to Governor House at Puri. The Campus is situated on a plot of 4.7 acre in its old building.
The Campus is pursuing research work leading to the degree of Vidyavaridhi(Ph.D.) and imparting education in Sahitya, Dharma Shastra, Navya Vyakarana, Puranetihas, jyotidh, advaita Vedanta, Navya Nyaya, Sarvadarshana and Sankhya Yoga at post-graduate and graduate level. There is computer education facility in the Campus. Ths Campus has 8 publications to its credit.there are 34 individual publications of teachers besides 105 Reaearch Papers and 277 articles. The campus has a library consisting of 34,586 books and 232 manuscripts costing about Rs. 8 lakhs.
Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan’s two other Vidyapeethas have been converted to deemed universities. They are:
As per tathya.in Shri J. B. Patnaik, ex CM of Orissa, and a scholar in his own right, has just been appointed as the Chancellor of the later.
Besides the above mentioned four Sanskrit Universities there are currently seven other sanskrit universities in India, taking the total to eleven.
June 21st, 2008
