Wednesday, November 30, 2005
NIS Issue on A Cartoonist Eye
The Peninsula of Qatar: Orissa MPs stall House over science institute
Web posted at: 12/1/2005 2:32:52
Source ::: IANS
New Delhi: MPs from Orissa created a furore in the Lok Sabha yesterday staging noisy protests against the Congress-led central government over the alleged decision to move a proposed science institute at Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
Declaring that the central government was "neglecting" Orissa, parliamentarians from the Biju Janata Dal (BJP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an assurance that the National Institute of Science (NIS) would be set up in Bhubaneswar.
They said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had taken a political decision to "shift" the proposed NIS from the Orissa capital to the West Bengal capital.
Consequently, house proceedings were stalled for 20 minutes as the MPs even staged a sit-in near the speaker's chair.
The pandemonium that followed forced Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the house 10 minutes before the lunch recess.
Raising the issue during zero hour, BJD leader in the Lok Sabha Braja Kishore Tripathy said the UPA government had deliberately shifted the NIS, which had been granted by the previous BJP-led government at Bhubaneswar in 2003.
(Thanks to Deba for pointing this out.)
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=India&month=December2005&file=World_News2005120123252.xml
Source ::: IANS
New Delhi: MPs from Orissa created a furore in the Lok Sabha yesterday staging noisy protests against the Congress-led central government over the alleged decision to move a proposed science institute at Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
Declaring that the central government was "neglecting" Orissa, parliamentarians from the Biju Janata Dal (BJP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an assurance that the National Institute of Science (NIS) would be set up in Bhubaneswar.
They said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had taken a political decision to "shift" the proposed NIS from the Orissa capital to the West Bengal capital.
Consequently, house proceedings were stalled for 20 minutes as the MPs even staged a sit-in near the speaker's chair.
The pandemonium that followed forced Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the house 10 minutes before the lunch recess.
Raising the issue during zero hour, BJD leader in the Lok Sabha Braja Kishore Tripathy said the UPA government had deliberately shifted the NIS, which had been granted by the previous BJP-led government at Bhubaneswar in 2003.
(Thanks to Deba for pointing this out.)
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=India&month=December2005&file=World_News2005120123252.xml
The speech of the President on 28th Dec 2003
ADDRESS AT THE GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION OF UNIVERSITY GRANT COMMISSION
28-12-2003 : Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi
University Education and National Missions
I am indeed delighted to participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the University Grants Commission which has contributed to the cause of higher education in the post independent India for the last five decades through several innovative schemes. I congratulate the Ministry of Human Resource Development, University Grants Commission and all those who are associated with this growth. The Universities have a major responsibility in nation building through enriching Science, Engineering and Technology and by providing value based education to students to make them moral leaders. On this occasion, I would like to share with you some of my thoughts on "University Education and National Missions".
Second Vision for the Nation
We have all heard about the first vision of the Nation which commenced in the year 1857. During that period there were few universities in the country. Many of our freedom fighters were educated abroad. Lawyers, educators, poets, academicians, industrialists all of them participated in the freedom movement. It was a long drawn struggle and we got the freedom and India became independent in the year 1947. There has been substantial growth in higher education after independence and today nearly 10 million students are studying in our colleges thereby in our universities. We have designed our own higher education system and educated over eighty million students during this period who are engaged in a variety of national and international assignments. After five decades of growth our country has to face new challenges. It has a second vision to become a developed India by the year 2020. We have a population of over one billion people of which 260 million are still living below the poverty line. They need education, they need habitat, they need health care, and creation of employment potential. To meet their needs we need the second vision for the nation. Our GDP is growing at an average rate of 5% p.a. whereas the economists suggest that to remove the poverty of 260 million people we have to grow at the rate of 10% p.a. consistently for over a decade.
Partner to Developed India - Missions
How do we counter this situation? What role our educational system will play in the second vision of national development? Is an incremental change sufficient or do we need a quantum shift in emphasis for developing people who can participate in transforming India into a developed nation by 2020? Let us study the proposed integrated missions such as 5000 PURA's (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) out of 25000 PURA's, interlinking of rivers, power mission, agriculture, agro-food processing, tourism, healthcare, infrastructure development, information and communication technology (ICT), mass transportation system and critical technologies. Youth with knowledge, skill and passion are required for undertaking and completing these tasks in time.
In the next two decades, nation will witness the occurrence of many events. The vision 2020 will be put into action-oriented missions. Interlinking of rivers may get priority in the list and PURA will get into implementation by all the states. Now the university system apart from its research focus has to become partners in national development. This will call for changes in the syllabi. The training will include several aspects that will nurture entrepreneurial skills in the students. It will also have our value systems at its core. We now know that high quality developments like PURA and the networking of rivers are missions that will also call for high quality research. In order to meet these complex requirements it has to be recognised that the university should also be a place of research. 10% of the university facilities should be allocated exclusively for research. Creation of national institute of science will also help in identifying areas where research and developments are co-located and flow from one another.
Present Status of Higher Education System
Number of schemes have been launched by UGC for the development of the Universities and Colleges, provide access of education to all the section of the society equitably, especially for the under privileged and differently abled persons. I understand that UGC has also launched career oriented courses at the academic staff colleges. To meet the challenges in education and in global society, UGC has evolved a scheme of granting potential for excellence status to selected universities. It is good UGC is creating four National Institute of Science at Chennai, Pune, Allahabad and Bhubaneshwar for promoting excellence in Science Education in collaboration with CSIR, DBT, ISRO, DAE, DST, DRDO and Department of Oceanography. Generating the sustained interest in the scientific discipline, will need continuity in provision of employment.
Employment Generation through entrepreneurship
There has been substantial growth in our higher educational system and we are generating over 3 million graduates every year. However our employment generation system is not in a position to absorb the graduates passing out from the universities leading to increase in educated unemployed, year after year. This situation will lead to instability in the social structure. We need higher education backed by employment opportunities. A multi pronged strategy is needed to make education more attractive and simultaneously create employment potential - how do we do that?
Firstly, the educational system should highlight the importance of entrepreneurship and prepare the students right from the college education to get oriented towards setting up of the enterprises which will provide them creativity, freedom and ability to generate wealth. Apart from entrepreneurship, the youth should have the spirit that "we can do it". Secondly, the banking system should provide venture capital right from every village level to the prospective entrepreneurs for undertaking new enterprises. Banks have to be proactive to support the innovative products for enabling wealth generation by young entrepreneurs by setting aside the "conventional tangible asset syndrome". Definitely this involves certain amount of calculated risks which can be eliminated by making an analysis of successful venture capital enterprises. Thirdly, there is a need to identify marketable products and enhancement of purchasing power among the people. This can come through the implementation of mega programmes such as PURA, Interlinking of Rivers, Infrastructural missions, Power missions and Tourism. Also genuine border trade can improve if we have a friendly border in all sectors.
The universities should become a facilitator for creating this entrepreneurship scheme through the support of the banking system and the marketing system. This is one way of reducing the employment gap leading to upliftment of the 260 million people living below the poverty line.
An empowered University
The SAC-C (Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet) has given the recommendation: The demand of the country both in terms of the quality and quantity is so enormous that the government funding alone will not be adequate to take care of the needs of the higher S&T education. It is also recognized that the requirements of the trained manpower arise not only from within the country but also from abroad as a result of the globalization of manpower markets.
Recently I was talking to a Physics Professor from Princeton, I asked him, what is the difference between an Indian University and Princeton University? And he replied in a single word that "Freedom is the difference". Of course this freedom comes out of national administrative vision. Nation has to graduate towards this. Science has no borders and integrates many fields. May be, this is what probably was followed in our Gurukuls and Nalanda University, which were never dependent on the support of the government or the kingdom. I started visualizing an ideal university in our country which can have an autonomous totally free educational environment, which can meet the challenges of 21st century. An empowered Board of governors and an academic council is appointed for establishing and guiding the university. The board of governors should elect the Chancellor and Visitor from within or outside the board giving credence only to the academic excellence. It is made fully autonomous with a mandate to develop human resource of excellence for deployment towards societal transformation.
Each student is assigned a computer connected to the Internet through wired or wireless connections. In order to make use of the integrated educational services any time, any where- be it in the class room or the hostel, he stays always connected. He is in direct touch with all the happenings on the subject and also in continuous communications with his/her teachers. Assignments are given, completed and submitted through e-learning system. His teachers do not provide him or her solution to any problem. They only trigger his or her imagination to think wider and find a solution for him or herself. They encourage him to take risks and think differently. Students are taught the art of learning rather than learning itself. In this 21st century, we are seeing the death of time and distance. It is immaterial where the information is located at any time, any one, any place. And we will be able to travel with the information, in fact all the information that you need in your life can be packed in the disk of your computer that may store few terra bytes. You will be overloaded with the information, winner will be the one who knows how to mine the data and convert it into knowledge. Can we have such an empowered university?
Virtual University
It is time that we should start looking at the possibility of creating a Virtual University in India through networking of all the universities and other educational institutions for imparting universal tele-education. Virtual university will have the following tasks:
a) Act as a central hub of all universities which are networked.
b) Identify experts of national/international eminence in specialized areas.
c) Coordinate, organize, schedule and broadcast the lecture of specialists at a mutually convenient time to all participants.
d) Record the live transmission of the lecture with interaction details in a data bank for easy access by participants for review learning.
e) Digitize all the university libraries and make it available for seamless access by all the universities.
f) Provide for all the 3-Ls of learning- Lectures, Laboratory and the Library- all over the Internet-
g) The universities need to become learner centric.
This experiment across the country will provide a common platform for teaching Schools, Colleges and Universities and even vocational courses. This will give equal emphasis on theory and experiments in spite of the fact that it will be done in the cyberspace. Such is the power of the technology and our understanding of it. This facility would also help in expansion of telecommunication and IT services. All this would lead to synergising the strengths of different universities in promoting quality education to our students in a cost effective manner. I suggest the Five Universities which have been recognized as having "potential for excellence" should be asked to create virtual universities on the five areas of excellence which will enable sharing of excellence by all the Universities.
Concluding remarks :11 initiatives
UGC has formulated number of initiatives for promoting excellence in higher education as per Xth Plan Target. I would recommend certain initiatives, which can make the educational sector vibrant and meet the challenges of providing vital human resource for national development.
1. a. In the first phase 5000 PURAs (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) are planned out of the 25,000 possible PURAs in the country. Youth with knowledge, skill and passion are required to be in the centre stage for participating of such PURAS. An integrated programme should be developed at graduate and postgraduate levels for developing technologists and managers for creating and sustaining PURAs. The first course may commence from academic year 2004-05.
b. University needs to become the knowledge partner in the programmes such as India's vision 2020, interlinking of rivers, desalination of water through nuclear and solar energy etc.,
2. A transparent system of University performance Evaluation scheme is required to be evolved. Evaluation criteria may include areas such as quality and quantity of research, contribution to societal transformation, utilization and performance of the students who have passed out in the previous five years, quality and standing of the teaching staff, promotion of E-governance , transparent examination system and the student centric responsive administration.
3. Performance evaluation results could also be used to plan merger of some universities for promoting synergy and excellence and reducing managerial overheads.
4. A simple, easy to implement "educational loan scheme" should be evolved by UGC in collaboration with the banks for enabling meritorious students to pursue higher education without disruption.
5. UGC should create a dynamic curriculum review mechanism relating to current socio-technical needs of the country.
6. There are a number of young prodigies in different areas. A system for recognizing these prodigies and promoting their growth consistent with their abilities different from the conventional system needs to be designed and implemented.
7. UGC should create simplified uniform inter-university mobility norms for students acceptable to all universities.
8. UGC should plan to build a common digital library for the all universities and provide them seamless access to the literary resources.
9. Build Educational Grid which connects Universities for resource sharing, content generation on their core competence, e-learning, tele-education and universal certification.
10. Enlist great teachers of the nation who love teaching from various sectors
11. Lead to the approval of empowered university with private initiatives, national/international.
Wish you all the best.
28-12-2003 : Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi
University Education and National Missions
I am indeed delighted to participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the University Grants Commission which has contributed to the cause of higher education in the post independent India for the last five decades through several innovative schemes. I congratulate the Ministry of Human Resource Development, University Grants Commission and all those who are associated with this growth. The Universities have a major responsibility in nation building through enriching Science, Engineering and Technology and by providing value based education to students to make them moral leaders. On this occasion, I would like to share with you some of my thoughts on "University Education and National Missions".
Second Vision for the Nation
We have all heard about the first vision of the Nation which commenced in the year 1857. During that period there were few universities in the country. Many of our freedom fighters were educated abroad. Lawyers, educators, poets, academicians, industrialists all of them participated in the freedom movement. It was a long drawn struggle and we got the freedom and India became independent in the year 1947. There has been substantial growth in higher education after independence and today nearly 10 million students are studying in our colleges thereby in our universities. We have designed our own higher education system and educated over eighty million students during this period who are engaged in a variety of national and international assignments. After five decades of growth our country has to face new challenges. It has a second vision to become a developed India by the year 2020. We have a population of over one billion people of which 260 million are still living below the poverty line. They need education, they need habitat, they need health care, and creation of employment potential. To meet their needs we need the second vision for the nation. Our GDP is growing at an average rate of 5% p.a. whereas the economists suggest that to remove the poverty of 260 million people we have to grow at the rate of 10% p.a. consistently for over a decade.
Partner to Developed India - Missions
How do we counter this situation? What role our educational system will play in the second vision of national development? Is an incremental change sufficient or do we need a quantum shift in emphasis for developing people who can participate in transforming India into a developed nation by 2020? Let us study the proposed integrated missions such as 5000 PURA's (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) out of 25000 PURA's, interlinking of rivers, power mission, agriculture, agro-food processing, tourism, healthcare, infrastructure development, information and communication technology (ICT), mass transportation system and critical technologies. Youth with knowledge, skill and passion are required for undertaking and completing these tasks in time.
In the next two decades, nation will witness the occurrence of many events. The vision 2020 will be put into action-oriented missions. Interlinking of rivers may get priority in the list and PURA will get into implementation by all the states. Now the university system apart from its research focus has to become partners in national development. This will call for changes in the syllabi. The training will include several aspects that will nurture entrepreneurial skills in the students. It will also have our value systems at its core. We now know that high quality developments like PURA and the networking of rivers are missions that will also call for high quality research. In order to meet these complex requirements it has to be recognised that the university should also be a place of research. 10% of the university facilities should be allocated exclusively for research. Creation of national institute of science will also help in identifying areas where research and developments are co-located and flow from one another.
Present Status of Higher Education System
Number of schemes have been launched by UGC for the development of the Universities and Colleges, provide access of education to all the section of the society equitably, especially for the under privileged and differently abled persons. I understand that UGC has also launched career oriented courses at the academic staff colleges. To meet the challenges in education and in global society, UGC has evolved a scheme of granting potential for excellence status to selected universities. It is good UGC is creating four National Institute of Science at Chennai, Pune, Allahabad and Bhubaneshwar for promoting excellence in Science Education in collaboration with CSIR, DBT, ISRO, DAE, DST, DRDO and Department of Oceanography. Generating the sustained interest in the scientific discipline, will need continuity in provision of employment.
Employment Generation through entrepreneurship
There has been substantial growth in our higher educational system and we are generating over 3 million graduates every year. However our employment generation system is not in a position to absorb the graduates passing out from the universities leading to increase in educated unemployed, year after year. This situation will lead to instability in the social structure. We need higher education backed by employment opportunities. A multi pronged strategy is needed to make education more attractive and simultaneously create employment potential - how do we do that?
Firstly, the educational system should highlight the importance of entrepreneurship and prepare the students right from the college education to get oriented towards setting up of the enterprises which will provide them creativity, freedom and ability to generate wealth. Apart from entrepreneurship, the youth should have the spirit that "we can do it". Secondly, the banking system should provide venture capital right from every village level to the prospective entrepreneurs for undertaking new enterprises. Banks have to be proactive to support the innovative products for enabling wealth generation by young entrepreneurs by setting aside the "conventional tangible asset syndrome". Definitely this involves certain amount of calculated risks which can be eliminated by making an analysis of successful venture capital enterprises. Thirdly, there is a need to identify marketable products and enhancement of purchasing power among the people. This can come through the implementation of mega programmes such as PURA, Interlinking of Rivers, Infrastructural missions, Power missions and Tourism. Also genuine border trade can improve if we have a friendly border in all sectors.
The universities should become a facilitator for creating this entrepreneurship scheme through the support of the banking system and the marketing system. This is one way of reducing the employment gap leading to upliftment of the 260 million people living below the poverty line.
An empowered University
The SAC-C (Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet) has given the recommendation: The demand of the country both in terms of the quality and quantity is so enormous that the government funding alone will not be adequate to take care of the needs of the higher S&T education. It is also recognized that the requirements of the trained manpower arise not only from within the country but also from abroad as a result of the globalization of manpower markets.
Recently I was talking to a Physics Professor from Princeton, I asked him, what is the difference between an Indian University and Princeton University? And he replied in a single word that "Freedom is the difference". Of course this freedom comes out of national administrative vision. Nation has to graduate towards this. Science has no borders and integrates many fields. May be, this is what probably was followed in our Gurukuls and Nalanda University, which were never dependent on the support of the government or the kingdom. I started visualizing an ideal university in our country which can have an autonomous totally free educational environment, which can meet the challenges of 21st century. An empowered Board of governors and an academic council is appointed for establishing and guiding the university. The board of governors should elect the Chancellor and Visitor from within or outside the board giving credence only to the academic excellence. It is made fully autonomous with a mandate to develop human resource of excellence for deployment towards societal transformation.
Each student is assigned a computer connected to the Internet through wired or wireless connections. In order to make use of the integrated educational services any time, any where- be it in the class room or the hostel, he stays always connected. He is in direct touch with all the happenings on the subject and also in continuous communications with his/her teachers. Assignments are given, completed and submitted through e-learning system. His teachers do not provide him or her solution to any problem. They only trigger his or her imagination to think wider and find a solution for him or herself. They encourage him to take risks and think differently. Students are taught the art of learning rather than learning itself. In this 21st century, we are seeing the death of time and distance. It is immaterial where the information is located at any time, any one, any place. And we will be able to travel with the information, in fact all the information that you need in your life can be packed in the disk of your computer that may store few terra bytes. You will be overloaded with the information, winner will be the one who knows how to mine the data and convert it into knowledge. Can we have such an empowered university?
Virtual University
It is time that we should start looking at the possibility of creating a Virtual University in India through networking of all the universities and other educational institutions for imparting universal tele-education. Virtual university will have the following tasks:
a) Act as a central hub of all universities which are networked.
b) Identify experts of national/international eminence in specialized areas.
c) Coordinate, organize, schedule and broadcast the lecture of specialists at a mutually convenient time to all participants.
d) Record the live transmission of the lecture with interaction details in a data bank for easy access by participants for review learning.
e) Digitize all the university libraries and make it available for seamless access by all the universities.
f) Provide for all the 3-Ls of learning- Lectures, Laboratory and the Library- all over the Internet-
g) The universities need to become learner centric.
This experiment across the country will provide a common platform for teaching Schools, Colleges and Universities and even vocational courses. This will give equal emphasis on theory and experiments in spite of the fact that it will be done in the cyberspace. Such is the power of the technology and our understanding of it. This facility would also help in expansion of telecommunication and IT services. All this would lead to synergising the strengths of different universities in promoting quality education to our students in a cost effective manner. I suggest the Five Universities which have been recognized as having "potential for excellence" should be asked to create virtual universities on the five areas of excellence which will enable sharing of excellence by all the Universities.
Concluding remarks :11 initiatives
UGC has formulated number of initiatives for promoting excellence in higher education as per Xth Plan Target. I would recommend certain initiatives, which can make the educational sector vibrant and meet the challenges of providing vital human resource for national development.
1. a. In the first phase 5000 PURAs (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) are planned out of the 25,000 possible PURAs in the country. Youth with knowledge, skill and passion are required to be in the centre stage for participating of such PURAS. An integrated programme should be developed at graduate and postgraduate levels for developing technologists and managers for creating and sustaining PURAs. The first course may commence from academic year 2004-05.
b. University needs to become the knowledge partner in the programmes such as India's vision 2020, interlinking of rivers, desalination of water through nuclear and solar energy etc.,
2. A transparent system of University performance Evaluation scheme is required to be evolved. Evaluation criteria may include areas such as quality and quantity of research, contribution to societal transformation, utilization and performance of the students who have passed out in the previous five years, quality and standing of the teaching staff, promotion of E-governance , transparent examination system and the student centric responsive administration.
3. Performance evaluation results could also be used to plan merger of some universities for promoting synergy and excellence and reducing managerial overheads.
4. A simple, easy to implement "educational loan scheme" should be evolved by UGC in collaboration with the banks for enabling meritorious students to pursue higher education without disruption.
5. UGC should create a dynamic curriculum review mechanism relating to current socio-technical needs of the country.
6. There are a number of young prodigies in different areas. A system for recognizing these prodigies and promoting their growth consistent with their abilities different from the conventional system needs to be designed and implemented.
7. UGC should create simplified uniform inter-university mobility norms for students acceptable to all universities.
8. UGC should plan to build a common digital library for the all universities and provide them seamless access to the literary resources.
9. Build Educational Grid which connects Universities for resource sharing, content generation on their core competence, e-learning, tele-education and universal certification.
10. Enlist great teachers of the nation who love teaching from various sectors
11. Lead to the approval of empowered university with private initiatives, national/international.
Wish you all the best.
President of India had announced the establishment of National Institute of Sciences (1 in BBSR) on Dec 28 2003.
See
http://du.ac.in/new_initiatives/newnis.html and
http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/newnis.html or
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&rls=GGLG%2CGGLG%3A2005-37%2CGGLG%3Aen&q=new+Model+President+Bhuvaneshwar+Science&btnG=Search
for link to documents on this.
A google archive pdf document is at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/president-nis-dec2003.pdf
The content in that site is as follows:
Setting up New NISc
----------------------------------------------------------
National Institutes of Sciences
India has an opportunity to become the global R & D Hub. For this, the most important intervention would be to selectively and preferentially raise the standards of science education for a small section of bright students taking up science because overall status of science education suffer from severe handicaps. This is essential not only to meet the requirement high quality people in science to man and lead out national lab system and mission oriented agencies that is likely to face crisis in coming years due to large number of senior people retiring, but also to move up the value chain in global R & D services, where India is favourably positioned. This would also provide a new Model of Science Education in the Country. Therefore, it is proposed that a number of new science institutes (to begin with four) may be set-up at different places in the country to be the Centres of Excellence in Science Education. These institutes would occupy prime position in the area of science education as IITs and IIMs occupy for technology and management education in the global setting today.
These institutes would be established at Allahabad near Allahabad University, at Chennai near Anna University, at Pune near Pune University and at Bhuvaneshwar near Utkal University. They would primarily offer integrated five-year basic and applied science education programme, leading to a Masters Degree and would have linkages with National research labs science agencies and industry right from their inception. With a view to ensure that these Institutes come up fast, these will be incubated as a part of the existing premier universities. Though, these Institutes would be, for all purposes, autonomous institutions of the Link Universities with full academic, administrative and financial autonomy. Although the link university will award educational and research degrees to the scholars and students of this Institute in the initial phase, these Institutes will have complete and total freedom to lay down their courses, frame suitable course structure, method of teaching and evaluation. This organic link with the Link universities would be very crucial in the initial phases. Established Universities would help to nurture the Institute till they mature to be on their own.
Formal announcement for setting up of these Institutes was made by HE President of India on December 28, 2003 on occasion of the concluding ceremony of the Golden Jubilee of the UGC. Academic, administrative and financial details have been worked out and the proposal is in the approval process.
See Also Detailed Project Report. (pdf)
Any enquiries or suggestions on this initiative may be addressed to In-charge, New Initiatives & FA (UGC), University Grants Commission (UGC), Bahadur Shah, Zafar Marg, New Delhi -110002. You can reach him at pagarwal@ugc.ac.in
http://du.ac.in/new_initiatives/newnis.html and
http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/newnis.html or
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&rls=GGLG%2CGGLG%3A2005-37%2CGGLG%3Aen&q=new+Model+President+Bhuvaneshwar+Science&btnG=Search
for link to documents on this.
A google archive pdf document is at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/president-nis-dec2003.pdf
The content in that site is as follows:
Setting up New NISc
----------------------------------------------------------
National Institutes of Sciences
India has an opportunity to become the global R & D Hub. For this, the most important intervention would be to selectively and preferentially raise the standards of science education for a small section of bright students taking up science because overall status of science education suffer from severe handicaps. This is essential not only to meet the requirement high quality people in science to man and lead out national lab system and mission oriented agencies that is likely to face crisis in coming years due to large number of senior people retiring, but also to move up the value chain in global R & D services, where India is favourably positioned. This would also provide a new Model of Science Education in the Country. Therefore, it is proposed that a number of new science institutes (to begin with four) may be set-up at different places in the country to be the Centres of Excellence in Science Education. These institutes would occupy prime position in the area of science education as IITs and IIMs occupy for technology and management education in the global setting today.
These institutes would be established at Allahabad near Allahabad University, at Chennai near Anna University, at Pune near Pune University and at Bhuvaneshwar near Utkal University. They would primarily offer integrated five-year basic and applied science education programme, leading to a Masters Degree and would have linkages with National research labs science agencies and industry right from their inception. With a view to ensure that these Institutes come up fast, these will be incubated as a part of the existing premier universities. Though, these Institutes would be, for all purposes, autonomous institutions of the Link Universities with full academic, administrative and financial autonomy. Although the link university will award educational and research degrees to the scholars and students of this Institute in the initial phase, these Institutes will have complete and total freedom to lay down their courses, frame suitable course structure, method of teaching and evaluation. This organic link with the Link universities would be very crucial in the initial phases. Established Universities would help to nurture the Institute till they mature to be on their own.
Formal announcement for setting up of these Institutes was made by HE President of India on December 28, 2003 on occasion of the concluding ceremony of the Golden Jubilee of the UGC. Academic, administrative and financial details have been worked out and the proposal is in the approval process.
See Also Detailed Project Report. (pdf)
Any enquiries or suggestions on this initiative may be addressed to In-charge, New Initiatives & FA (UGC), University Grants Commission (UGC), Bahadur Shah, Zafar Marg, New Delhi -110002. You can reach him at pagarwal@ugc.ac.in
Protest by BJD members -- Asian age
Protest by BJD members
- By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, Nov. 30: For once, the Biju Janata Dal members, who are always sitting quitely and behaving properly, were on their feet in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Some BJD MPs, led by Mr Tathagat Satpathy, even sat in the Well of the House to protest against what they described the decision of the UPA government to shift the proposed National Institute of Science from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
After the Question Hour, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee allowed BJD leader Braj KishoreTripathy to raise the issue and with him the whole BJP contingent was on its feet, alleging Central neglect of Orissa. Raising the issue, Mr Tripathy followed by Mr Arjun Charan Sethi said that the earlier NDA government had decided that the proposed institute would be located at Bhubaneswar, but the Manmohan Singh government has now taken a "political decision" to shift it to Kolkata.
The move, he alleged, had resulted in "unrest" among students and intellectuals in Orissa, which had been a victim of such "ill-treatment" in the past and does not have even a single IIT or IIM or any such Central institution. "Are we not in India?" he asked, adding that when a BJD delegation went to meet the Prime Minister to seek a financial package for the state "we were told that money does not grow on trees."
Some remarks by Mr Tripathy were expunged by the Speaker who gently told him not to say anything which would harm national unity. The BJD members alleged that the Prime Minister had not responded to three letters written by chief minister Navin Patnaik on the issue. He said Utkal University in Bhubaneswar had even acquired 75 acres of land for setting up the institute.
Rest at:
http://www.asianage.com/main.asp?layout=2&cat1=5&cat2=154&newsid=195674&RF=DefaultMain
or if that does not work then at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov30-asianage.pdf
- By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, Nov. 30: For once, the Biju Janata Dal members, who are always sitting quitely and behaving properly, were on their feet in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Some BJD MPs, led by Mr Tathagat Satpathy, even sat in the Well of the House to protest against what they described the decision of the UPA government to shift the proposed National Institute of Science from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
After the Question Hour, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee allowed BJD leader Braj KishoreTripathy to raise the issue and with him the whole BJP contingent was on its feet, alleging Central neglect of Orissa. Raising the issue, Mr Tripathy followed by Mr Arjun Charan Sethi said that the earlier NDA government had decided that the proposed institute would be located at Bhubaneswar, but the Manmohan Singh government has now taken a "political decision" to shift it to Kolkata.
The move, he alleged, had resulted in "unrest" among students and intellectuals in Orissa, which had been a victim of such "ill-treatment" in the past and does not have even a single IIT or IIM or any such Central institution. "Are we not in India?" he asked, adding that when a BJD delegation went to meet the Prime Minister to seek a financial package for the state "we were told that money does not grow on trees."
Some remarks by Mr Tripathy were expunged by the Speaker who gently told him not to say anything which would harm national unity. The BJD members alleged that the Prime Minister had not responded to three letters written by chief minister Navin Patnaik on the issue. He said Utkal University in Bhubaneswar had even acquired 75 acres of land for setting up the institute.
Rest at:
http://www.asianage.com/main.asp?layout=2&cat1=5&cat2=154&newsid=195674&RF=DefaultMain
or if that does not work then at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov30-asianage.pdf
The 45 page UGC document on NIS
http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/dpr_nis.pdf
A local copy is at http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/ugc-45pg-document.pdf
Thanks Manoj for unearthing this.
------------------------------------------
This May 2004 document illustrates how far the decision regarding NIS had gone. In page 5 it talks about the starting of these institutions in July 2005. Just because the central government changed the name to IISER and perhaps made a few changes, IISERs do not become a new thing. They are at best retooled NISs.
Manoj asks, where is the report for the IISERs?
Chitta
(ps -- Local copies of the other relevant UGC documents are at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/ugc-archive-2004.htm
and
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/google-ugc-archive.pdf
)
A local copy is at http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/ugc-45pg-document.pdf
Thanks Manoj for unearthing this.
------------------------------------------
This May 2004 document illustrates how far the decision regarding NIS had gone. In page 5 it talks about the starting of these institutions in July 2005. Just because the central government changed the name to IISER and perhaps made a few changes, IISERs do not become a new thing. They are at best retooled NISs.
Manoj asks, where is the report for the IISERs?
Chitta
(ps -- Local copies of the other relevant UGC documents are at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/ugc-archive-2004.htm
and
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/google-ugc-archive.pdf
)
In response to CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharya's statement
In http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=177363&cat=India
CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharya is reported to have sayid:
"I don't think that what Kolkata is getting is the same one that was granted for Bhubaneswar. We were never against the development of Orissa. We will support them."
0. See http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/12/cliam-that-nis-and-iiser-are-totally.html for why the above claim is bogus.
1. The documents http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm
and the excerpts in http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-exposes-lies-in-central.html
mention the setting up of National Institute of Sciences in Bhubaneswar.
2. The news report in
http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2208/stories/20050422000903900.htm says:
"... On the contrary, the SAC-PM has advocated the creation of two new institutions to be called the National Institute of Science, in Kolkata and Pune. ..."
3. An excerpt from http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051004/asp/bengal/story_5317968.asp about West Bengal CM's statements:
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the National Institute of Sciences is being set up in the state. The Prime Minister would lay its foundation stone at Salt Lake end-October.
“It’s a piece of good news that we will have the National Institute of Sciences, modelled after Bangalore,” Bhattacharjee said.
4. The article http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051029/asp/calcutta/story_5412063.asp tells the story of NIS becoming IISERs and Kolkata getting in the mix.
Following is an excerpt.
Yet, two years ago, when a group of Pune-based scientists first mooted the idea of a new-age centre for science education and research to stem the brain drain to disciplines like management, Calcutta featured nowhere on their radar screens. Pune was the preferred location.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) later recommended setting up four national centres in Allahabad, Chennai, Pune and Bhubaneswar.
Calcutta became a contender after chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee mounted a campaign early this year. Backed by the Prime Minister, Bhattacharjee submitted a detailed proposal to the Centre.
“Delhi agreed to include Calcutta and in March 2005, asked the state government to prepare the groundwork for setting up the institute,” education department sources said.
In July 2005, the Planning Commission, after examining the ministry for human resource development proposal, recommended that instead of five cities, only Calcutta and Pune should house the centre.
5. Conclusion: The proposed IISER in Kolkata is same as the proposed NIS in Bhubaneswar, when one takes into account the normal evolution of plans from initial announcement to closer to implementation.
CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharya is reported to have sayid:
"I don't think that what Kolkata is getting is the same one that was granted for Bhubaneswar. We were never against the development of Orissa. We will support them."
0. See http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/12/cliam-that-nis-and-iiser-are-totally.html for why the above claim is bogus.
1. The documents http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm
and the excerpts in http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-exposes-lies-in-central.html
mention the setting up of National Institute of Sciences in Bhubaneswar.
2. The news report in
http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2208/stories/20050422000903900.htm says:
"... On the contrary, the SAC-PM has advocated the creation of two new institutions to be called the National Institute of Science, in Kolkata and Pune. ..."
3. An excerpt from http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051004/asp/bengal/story_5317968.asp about West Bengal CM's statements:
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the National Institute of Sciences is being set up in the state. The Prime Minister would lay its foundation stone at Salt Lake end-October.
“It’s a piece of good news that we will have the National Institute of Sciences, modelled after Bangalore,” Bhattacharjee said.
4. The article http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051029/asp/calcutta/story_5412063.asp tells the story of NIS becoming IISERs and Kolkata getting in the mix.
Following is an excerpt.
Yet, two years ago, when a group of Pune-based scientists first mooted the idea of a new-age centre for science education and research to stem the brain drain to disciplines like management, Calcutta featured nowhere on their radar screens. Pune was the preferred location.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) later recommended setting up four national centres in Allahabad, Chennai, Pune and Bhubaneswar.
Calcutta became a contender after chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee mounted a campaign early this year. Backed by the Prime Minister, Bhattacharjee submitted a detailed proposal to the Centre.
“Delhi agreed to include Calcutta and in March 2005, asked the state government to prepare the groundwork for setting up the institute,” education department sources said.
In July 2005, the Planning Commission, after examining the ministry for human resource development proposal, recommended that instead of five cities, only Calcutta and Pune should house the centre.
5. Conclusion: The proposed IISER in Kolkata is same as the proposed NIS in Bhubaneswar, when one takes into account the normal evolution of plans from initial announcement to closer to implementation.
Orissa MPs stall house over science institute: webindia123, newkerala
New Delhi | November 30, 2005 5:15:12 PM IST
MPs from Orissa created a furore in the Lok Sabha Wednesday staging noisy protests against the Congress-led central government over the alleged decision to move a proposed science institute at Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
Declaring that the central government was "neglecting" Orissa, parliamentarians from the Biju Janata Dal (BJP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an assurance that the National Institute of Science (NIS) would be set up in Bhubaneswar.
They said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had taken a political decision to "shift" the proposed NIS from the Orissa capital to the West Bengal capital.
Consequently, house proceedings were stalled for 20 minutes as the MPs even staged a sit-in near the speaker's chair.
The pandemonium that followed forced Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the house 10 minutes before the lunch recess.
Raising the issue during zero hour, BJD leader in the Lok Sabha Braja Kishore Tripathy said the UPA government had deliberately shifted the NIS, which had been granted by the previous BJP-led government at Bhubaneswar in 2003.
He said the state government had acquired seven acres of land for the institute. "It was the first and only national institute allocated for Orissa. The Congress governments since independence have been neglecting us despite our great contribution to the freedom struggle and nation building."
"And now our peaceful state is in turmoil because of this."
An emotional Tripathy went to the extent of warning the central government that Orissa could put the entire nation into darkness if it so decided as the state supplies a major portion of power and iron ore.
The speaker asked him not to make any remarks that might affect national unity.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) members from West Bengal denied that the institute had been shifted to Kolkata.
"I don't think that what Kolkata is getting is the same one that was granted for Bhubaneswar. We were never against the development of Orissa. We will support them," CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharya said.
When the opposition insisted on a response from the government, Leader of the house Pranab Mukherjee said he would ascertain the facts and inform them about the status of the institute.
He added that he had not been informed about the members' decision to raise the issue.
"You cannot expect the leader of the house to give an instant reply like an instant coffee. I have not been given any notice about your decision to raise this particular issue today," Mukherjee said.
As the members continued to insist for an assurance from the government, Chatterjee adjourned the house.
See also
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=58813
(IANS)
MPs from Orissa created a furore in the Lok Sabha Wednesday staging noisy protests against the Congress-led central government over the alleged decision to move a proposed science institute at Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
Declaring that the central government was "neglecting" Orissa, parliamentarians from the Biju Janata Dal (BJP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an assurance that the National Institute of Science (NIS) would be set up in Bhubaneswar.
They said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had taken a political decision to "shift" the proposed NIS from the Orissa capital to the West Bengal capital.
Consequently, house proceedings were stalled for 20 minutes as the MPs even staged a sit-in near the speaker's chair.
The pandemonium that followed forced Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the house 10 minutes before the lunch recess.
Raising the issue during zero hour, BJD leader in the Lok Sabha Braja Kishore Tripathy said the UPA government had deliberately shifted the NIS, which had been granted by the previous BJP-led government at Bhubaneswar in 2003.
He said the state government had acquired seven acres of land for the institute. "It was the first and only national institute allocated for Orissa. The Congress governments since independence have been neglecting us despite our great contribution to the freedom struggle and nation building."
"And now our peaceful state is in turmoil because of this."
An emotional Tripathy went to the extent of warning the central government that Orissa could put the entire nation into darkness if it so decided as the state supplies a major portion of power and iron ore.
The speaker asked him not to make any remarks that might affect national unity.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) members from West Bengal denied that the institute had been shifted to Kolkata.
"I don't think that what Kolkata is getting is the same one that was granted for Bhubaneswar. We were never against the development of Orissa. We will support them," CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharya said.
When the opposition insisted on a response from the government, Leader of the house Pranab Mukherjee said he would ascertain the facts and inform them about the status of the institute.
He added that he had not been informed about the members' decision to raise the issue.
"You cannot expect the leader of the house to give an instant reply like an instant coffee. I have not been given any notice about your decision to raise this particular issue today," Mukherjee said.
As the members continued to insist for an assurance from the government, Chatterjee adjourned the house.
See also
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=58813
(IANS)
BJP condemns attempts to shift NIS from Bhubaneshwar: webindia123
Excerpts:
The BJP today strongly condemned the moves to shift the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneshwar and said that the NDA would resist the government's bid in and outside the Parliament.
BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the UPA was free to start new institutions in West Bengal or any other place but it couldn't shift the NIS to outside Bhubaneshwar since the city had made all efforts to house the project.
...
UNI MCN LR BD1627
The BJP today strongly condemned the moves to shift the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneshwar and said that the NDA would resist the government's bid in and outside the Parliament.
BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the UPA was free to start new institutions in West Bengal or any other place but it couldn't shift the NIS to outside Bhubaneshwar since the city had made all efforts to house the project.
...
UNI MCN LR BD1627
Science centre plot thickens: The Telegraph
Bhubaneswar, Nov. 29: The tussle between Orissa and the Centre over the proposed national institute of science (NIS) has intensified with the Union human resource development ministry claiming that it never took a policy decision to set up the institute in Bhubaneswar.
The court has filed a counter-affidavit in Orissa High Court in this regard.
Reacting to the UPA government’s move, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said: “I am very disappointed with the action of the Centre. I had written three letters to the Prime Minister on the issue and even discussed it with the HRD ministry. We will file a fresh affidavit in the court.”
In the affidavit, under-secretary in the HRD ministry Prem Kumar argued that in 2002, the University Grants Commission had proposed to set up centres for advanced science education.
In March this year, the scientific advisory council to the Prime Minister, too, suggested that two such institutes be set up.
Taking cognisance of the suggestions, the Union cabinet decided to set up two science institutes in Pune and Calcutta at Rs 500 crore each. “There was never a policy decision and Orissa was nowhere in the picture,” Kumar has claimed in the affidavit, adding that the issue has assumed political significance.
On November 8, the high court had stayed the UPA government’s decision to shift the proposed NIS from Bhubaneswar to Calcutta. “We direct a stay on the shifting of the NIS from Bhubaneswar to any other place in the eastern region,” the high court had said in response to a PIL filed by Prasanta Kumar Das of the State Public Interest Protection Council.
Madhusudan Panda, who is fighting the case on behalf of Das described the counter-affidavit as a “lie” and threatened to file a criminal case against the under-secretary.
“The NDA government had promised to set up the institute in Bhubaneswar and requested the state government to provide land for the purpose. The state has already allotted 75 acres in Bhubaneswar,” a state official said.
In December 2003, senior BJP leader and HRD minister in the then NDA government, Murli Manohar Joshi, had announced that national institutes of science would come up in the cities of Bhubaneswar, Pune, Chennai and Allahabad.
An all-party Assembly committee, which was formed recently, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon to air their grievances on the matter.
See http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051130/asp/jamshedpur/story_5530182.asp
for the rest.
The court has filed a counter-affidavit in Orissa High Court in this regard.
Reacting to the UPA government’s move, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said: “I am very disappointed with the action of the Centre. I had written three letters to the Prime Minister on the issue and even discussed it with the HRD ministry. We will file a fresh affidavit in the court.”
In the affidavit, under-secretary in the HRD ministry Prem Kumar argued that in 2002, the University Grants Commission had proposed to set up centres for advanced science education.
In March this year, the scientific advisory council to the Prime Minister, too, suggested that two such institutes be set up.
Taking cognisance of the suggestions, the Union cabinet decided to set up two science institutes in Pune and Calcutta at Rs 500 crore each. “There was never a policy decision and Orissa was nowhere in the picture,” Kumar has claimed in the affidavit, adding that the issue has assumed political significance.
On November 8, the high court had stayed the UPA government’s decision to shift the proposed NIS from Bhubaneswar to Calcutta. “We direct a stay on the shifting of the NIS from Bhubaneswar to any other place in the eastern region,” the high court had said in response to a PIL filed by Prasanta Kumar Das of the State Public Interest Protection Council.
Madhusudan Panda, who is fighting the case on behalf of Das described the counter-affidavit as a “lie” and threatened to file a criminal case against the under-secretary.
“The NDA government had promised to set up the institute in Bhubaneswar and requested the state government to provide land for the purpose. The state has already allotted 75 acres in Bhubaneswar,” a state official said.
In December 2003, senior BJP leader and HRD minister in the then NDA government, Murli Manohar Joshi, had announced that national institutes of science would come up in the cities of Bhubaneswar, Pune, Chennai and Allahabad.
An all-party Assembly committee, which was formed recently, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon to air their grievances on the matter.
See http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051130/asp/jamshedpur/story_5530182.asp
for the rest.
Times of India reports Orissa MPs accuse UPA govt of neglecting state
NEW DELHI: The alleged decision to locate the proposed National Institute of Science in Kolkata instead of Bhubaneswar generated much heat in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with agitated Biju Janata Dal (BJD) members accusing the UPA government of consistently neglecting Orissa. At one point, the members even staged a dharna in the well of the House. Raising the issue during zero hour, Braja Kishore Tripathi alleged that a decision was taken by the NDA Government that the Institute would be located at Bhubaneshwar but the Manmohan Singh Government has now taken a "political decision" to shift it to Kolkata. The move, he alleged, had resulted in "unrest" among students and intellectuals in Orissa, which had been a victim of such "ill-treatment" in the past and does not have even a single IIT or IIM or any such Central institution. "Are we not in India?", he asked adding that when a BJD delegation gone to meet the Prime Minister sometime back to seek a financial package for the state "we were told that money does not grow on trees"
See http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1313065,curpg-2.cms for the rest.
See http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1313065,curpg-2.cms for the rest.
Orissa MPs create furore in LS over science institute: webindia123
The Lok Sabha today witnessed uproarious scenes during Zero Hour, including a sit-in by six members belonging to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and BJP in the well of the house, over the alleged ''shifting'' of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneshwar to Kolkata in West Bengal.
When the trouble persisted with the BJD-BJP members remaining on their feet, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the house at 1250 hrs, ten minutes ahead of the lunch break.
During Zero Hour, BJD floor leader Braja Kishore Tripathy alleged that the present UPA government had deliberately ''shifted'' the NIS, sanctioned by the previous NDA government in 2003 at Bhubaneshwar.
He said about seven acres of land had been acquired for the first and the only national institute in Orissa. However, the UPA government had moved this institute to Kolkata in neighbouring West Bengal and re-designated it as Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). A similar institute was sanctioned for Pune also.
Mr Tripathy said a delegation of MPs from Orissa had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and represented the matter, but his response was not encouraging. ''Whenever the Congress is in power at the Centre, it never favours Orissa.'' He pointed out that the students were on an agitation over the issue. ''Our state Orissa is in turmoil due to student unrest on this issue,'' he said.
When Mr Tripathy became emotional and recalled the contribution of Orissa in the freedom struggle and nation building, the Speaker asked him not to make such statement as ''it is against national unity''. ''However, I respect your sentiment,'' he said
When the trouble persisted with the BJD-BJP members remaining on their feet, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the house at 1250 hrs, ten minutes ahead of the lunch break.
During Zero Hour, BJD floor leader Braja Kishore Tripathy alleged that the present UPA government had deliberately ''shifted'' the NIS, sanctioned by the previous NDA government in 2003 at Bhubaneshwar.
He said about seven acres of land had been acquired for the first and the only national institute in Orissa. However, the UPA government had moved this institute to Kolkata in neighbouring West Bengal and re-designated it as Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). A similar institute was sanctioned for Pune also.
Mr Tripathy said a delegation of MPs from Orissa had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and represented the matter, but his response was not encouraging. ''Whenever the Congress is in power at the Centre, it never favours Orissa.'' He pointed out that the students were on an agitation over the issue. ''Our state Orissa is in turmoil due to student unrest on this issue,'' he said.
When Mr Tripathy became emotional and recalled the contribution of Orissa in the freedom struggle and nation building, the Speaker asked him not to make such statement as ''it is against national unity''. ''However, I respect your sentiment,'' he said
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Sambad reports that CM Naveen Pattnaik feels Sad And Cheated By GOI on NIS Response
See http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov30-sambada.pdf for a more readable pdf document of the photo below.
Samaja exposes the "lies" in the central government affidavit
See http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov29-samaja.pdf for a more readable pdf document of the photos below.
Following is an English translation of parts of the article.
... On 23rd July 2003 UGC Chairman Dr. Arun Nigevkar wrote an official letter numbered DO#F-1-74/2003 (CM) to Utkal University vice Chancellor Professor Pandav Nayak that HRD minister Professor Manmohan Joshi and PM Atal Veharee Vajpayee are extremely concerned about science research and high quality HRD.
"I notify you with pleasure that UGC has decided to open 4 national institute of sciences in 4 cities. (1) East: Bhubaneswar, in Utkal University, (2) West: Pune, in Pune University Campus, (3) North: Allahbad, in Allahbad University Campus, (4) South: Chennai, in Anna University campus. "
The UGC chair wrote that all these centers will be called National Institute of Sciences. For each center 50 crores will be spent in 5 years. In the 10th five year plan 100 crores has been provisioned for this and another 100 crores has been requested from the planning commission. For the initial phase each center will have 25 crores. Not only that, UGC chair in his letter also wrote that for establishing these 4 proposed National Institute of Sciences a five member high level committee has been formed under the chairmanship of ex vice Chancellor of Pune University Professor R. G. Rede. This committee will make the various rules and regulations for the proposed NISs. Eventhough the proposed institution will open under Utkal University, it was clearly written that it will be autonomous.
1: Was UGC's decision and its chair's letter a lie?
2: Was it a lie that UGC budget had 25 crores each for the 4 NISs?
3: Did the UGC request an additional 100 crores from the planning commission?
4: Aren't the UGC and planning commission part of the central government?
With all these proof how come the HRD ministry filed a completely false affidavit?
It is rumored that the UPA goverment at the center is being driven by the left. The Manmohan government does not have any power or will to make the left leaders from West Bengal unhappy. Here the CM Naveen Patnaik is keen on maintaining his image of a polite person. This behavior of the CM has encouraged the center to betray Orissa.
Following is an English translation of parts of the article.
... On 23rd July 2003 UGC Chairman Dr. Arun Nigevkar wrote an official letter numbered DO#F-1-74/2003 (CM) to Utkal University vice Chancellor Professor Pandav Nayak that HRD minister Professor Manmohan Joshi and PM Atal Veharee Vajpayee are extremely concerned about science research and high quality HRD.
"I notify you with pleasure that UGC has decided to open 4 national institute of sciences in 4 cities. (1) East: Bhubaneswar, in Utkal University, (2) West: Pune, in Pune University Campus, (3) North: Allahbad, in Allahbad University Campus, (4) South: Chennai, in Anna University campus. "
The UGC chair wrote that all these centers will be called National Institute of Sciences. For each center 50 crores will be spent in 5 years. In the 10th five year plan 100 crores has been provisioned for this and another 100 crores has been requested from the planning commission. For the initial phase each center will have 25 crores. Not only that, UGC chair in his letter also wrote that for establishing these 4 proposed National Institute of Sciences a five member high level committee has been formed under the chairmanship of ex vice Chancellor of Pune University Professor R. G. Rede. This committee will make the various rules and regulations for the proposed NISs. Eventhough the proposed institution will open under Utkal University, it was clearly written that it will be autonomous.
1: Was UGC's decision and its chair's letter a lie?
2: Was it a lie that UGC budget had 25 crores each for the 4 NISs?
3: Did the UGC request an additional 100 crores from the planning commission?
4: Aren't the UGC and planning commission part of the central government?
With all these proof how come the HRD ministry filed a completely false affidavit?
It is rumored that the UPA goverment at the center is being driven by the left. The Manmohan government does not have any power or will to make the left leaders from West Bengal unhappy. Here the CM Naveen Patnaik is keen on maintaining his image of a polite person. This behavior of the CM has encouraged the center to betray Orissa.
Monday, November 28, 2005
A summary of the mass movement so far
In December 2003, the President and the then HRD minister Professor M. M. Joshi had announced that UGC had established steps to initiate four National Institute of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad. This is documented in the UGC web documents [1] http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm , [1.1] http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/dpr_nis.pdf, [1.2] http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/newnis.html , and the press release [2] http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rdec2003/10122003/r1012200313.html by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Science & technology, dated 10th December, 2003. As of today both are available, directly or in archival sites, in the Internet.
Recently on September 28, 2005 the current PM Dr. Manmohan Singh announced [3] http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=12305 the
setting up of an Indian Institute of Science for Education and Research (IISER) at Pune and Kolkata, respectively.
The aim of the National Institute of Sciences that Professor Joshi
had announced in December 2003 is the same as the proposed IISERs.
Thus, NIS and IISER, though they defer in their names; as proposed institutions, both refer to the same concept. In fact the CM of West Bengal has referred to it [4] http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051004/asp/bengal/story_5317968.asp
as National Institute of Sciences and many newspapers [5,6] have referred to the proposed IISERs as National Institute of Sciences.
After press reports about proposed IISERs in Pune and Kolkata appeared [5,7], the newspapers in Orissa [8-13] published articles mentioning the possibility of NIS shifting from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata. In response to that the Chief minister of Orissa wrote letters to the PM about it. In response to criticisms in the newspapers he wrote another letter. A concerned organization in Cuttack filed a PIL suit [14,28] in the Cuttack High Court.
Orissans, who view Dr. Singh as a fair impartial statesman were hoping that after reading the CM's letter he would realize the unfairness associated with not having one of the IISERs in Bhubaneswar. Their hopes were shattered when Dr. Singh formally announced on September 28th the plan to establish two IISERs at Pune and Kolkata.
Immediately the word spread via email, mailing lists, email groups and phone calls and thousands of Orissans and people of Oriya origin all over the world wrote, emailed and faxed [15-19] to the Prime minister and the PA Chairperson Smt. Gandhi about their disappointment and the gross injustice done to Orissa. They mentioned that Orissa does not have any centrally funded higher education institute such as an IIT, IIM, IISc, ISI, central universities etc. [20-23], and how despite that Orissa has on its
own helped in the development of quality institutions like the Institute of Physics [24], Institute of Life Sciences [25] and the Xaviers Institute of Management [26]. They requested the PM to reconsider his announcements and at least add Bhubaneswar to the list of IISER cities.
The word of the letter writing reached the newspapers in Orissa (including national newspaper with Orissa editions such as TOI, Pioneers, and Statesman) and they wrote about it [16-19]. Since then a peaceful mass movement has begun in Orissa and among Orissans and people of Oriya origin all over the world and they have written to the PM, to the planning commission, to the SAC-PM (scientific advisory committee to the PM), and to various newspapers about it. There were letter writing campaigns in arious cities across the world from New York, Phoenix (Arizona), Chicago, to New Delhi, and Bhubaneswar. Among these [28] was a group of eminent personalities (retired) of Bhubaneswar that included past vice chancellors and administrative officers of the Orissa and Indian government. There was a convention of intellectuals [29] in Bhubaneswar and then there was convention of student leaders [31] from various colleges across Orissa. This mass movement is continuing on. In the meanwhile the Orissa high court after a couple of changes of dates passed a temporary stay order [30] saying “We direct a stay on the shifting of the NIS from Bhubaneswar to any other place in the eastern region.”
The mass movement of the people further pushed the Orissa government and the CM wrote one more time to the PM. The 2005 winter assembly of Orissa started off with a resolution [32] to form a assembly committee for this issue and to send a delegation to the PM. The 2005 winter parliament session in Delhi started off with a delegate of 15 Orissa MPs staging a demonstration [32] near the parliament.
So far the only communication from the central government is an
affidavit [33-35] filed by the under secretary of the HRD ministry, as a response to the high court stay order, which according to newspaper reports says that "No policy decision was finalized by the central government for setting up any science institution in Bhubaneswar".
While the courts will sort the legal aspects, and figure out how far the decision regarding an NIS in Bhubaneswar was made, it is clear that it had gone to a high enough level for the then HRD minister to say in [1] "Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, chennai, Pune and Allahabad". He is also reported in a UGC document [2] to have said "... Dr. Joshi also informed the members about the steps initiated by the UGC for improving the relevance and quality of teaching and research, such as ...; to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad; ..."
The fact remains that from that high level of decision, the current
government made alterations to the plan and only announced two IISERs at Pune and Kolkata. Both are fine cities and deserve IISERs, except that the central government did not have to take away the only announced dream from a state (Orissa) and a city (Bhubaneswar) that does not have anything in terms of a centrally funded higher education institution.
It is ironic that on the day the PM said "This report also points to a grave regional imbalance in terms of educational institutions in different states. ... I trust our government as well the state governments will take note of these findings and evolve policies to remedy these regional imbalances," he also announced the establishment of IISERs in Pune and Kolkata, thus removing Bhubaneswar from the list.
If one analyzes the list of institute of national importance and central universities one can see the gross imbalance with respect to some states. States like West Bengal have an IIT, an IIM, an ISI, a central university, while states like Orissa, Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh have none of them. Yet one of the new IISERs is announced in West Bengal, which was not even in the initial list, while removing an announced for NIS in Bhubaneswar; thus seemingly suggesting that an NIS was shifted from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
This absolutely makes no sense unless one assumes that our
government believes that only people of certain states deserve to be near such institutions while other states do not, or unless one perceives a connection between the current government needing and being allied to the West Bengal's contingent of close to 40 MP's support while not being allied with the smaller contingent of BJD-BJP MPs of Orissa, and the elimination of Bhubaneswar and introduction of Kolkata to the list of NIS/IISERs. Especially coming from a government with an economist at its helm who knows how quality institutions not only impact the nation but also have a significant impact in the development of the area, city, district and state where they are located, one can not help but wonder why
such a decision was made.
Since the Indian constitution does not explicitly mention that resources and investments have to be regionally balanced the central government may be able to legally get away (and it has so far) with creating and reinforcing (instead of correcting) such imbalances, but in the court of Indian people's opinion, and with the RTI act and the availability of Internet search engines to the common man, the government can no longer act like a fief as it has done in the higher education domain of HRD.
The following is a compilation of the various documents and news items regarding the mass movement taking place in Orissa. Although the focus here is on the announced NIS in Bhubaneswar (Orissa) that was dropped, if not shifted, by the current government; it has a great significance to the country of India as a whole
(i) because India has many other states and cities which have been also neglected by the HRD ministry over the years,
(ii) because for all round growth of India, all of its parts need to develop simultaneously, not just some pockets,
(iii) because it seems institutions with mega investments like IITs and IISERs are being established mostly in states that have a bigger representation in the parliament or whose MPs are allied with the government at the center at the time the decisions are made or both, and
(iv) and most importantly because such grabbing and doling out of mega investments without regards to regional balance may further stress the fabric of mother India which already has gone through and is going through such forces in certain parts.
We hope the readers of this compilation, be it patriotic Indians from Orissa, or from other parts of India, will take this gross imbalance and the serious implication of its continuation (in terms of the current decision by the central government) and convey to the central government in no uncertain terms
(a) that such injustice is no longer acceptable, even if they may be "legal" as our constitution does not yet give a regional balance right to states;
(b) that it should be immediately corrected by establishing an
NIS/IISER/equivalent in Bhubaneswar and by immediately forming a
committee to review other states and cities that have been neglected over the years;
(c) that the central government is put on notice in regards to where they are going to establish the proposed seven new IITs that are under consideration, and they better be distributed across the country in states that do not have them, or similar well established institutions already;
(d) and that the central government should pay attention to the the mountaineous belt in parts of Andhra, west Orissa (KBK), Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, etc. which is much more backward than the north east and establish several central universities there (as has been done in the north east) so that those areas have enough teachers, and other educated folks.
References:
1. http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm
1.1 http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/dpr_nis.pdf
1.2 http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/newnis.html
2.
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rdec2003/10122003/r1012200313.html
3. http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=12305
4.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051004/asp/bengal/story_5317968.asp
5.
http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2208/stories/20050422000903900.htm
6. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-oct24-statesman.pdf
7. http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar072005/n16.asp
8. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug24-newindexp.pdf
9. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug18-samaja1.pdf
10. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug19-samaja1.pdf
11. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug19-sambada.pdf
12. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug20-samaja.pdf
13. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug24-sambada.pdf
14. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-sept2-samaja.pdf
15.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/10/open-letter-to-prime-minister-of-india.html
16. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-oct10-suntimes.pdf
17.
http://orissamatters.com/news/index.php/2005/10/07/under-whose-spell-the-prime-minister-has-done-it/
18. http://www.baral.us/orissa/2005-oct8-sambad.pdf
19. http://www.baral.us/orissa/2005-oct8-samaj.pdf
20. http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/utype.php?st=Central%20University
21.
http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/utype.php?st=Institute%20of%20National%20Importance
22. http://dst.gov.in/autonomous/autonomous_index.htm
23.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/10/unequal-distribution-of-higher.html
24. http://www.iopb.res.in/overview.php
25. http://www.ilsc.org/
26. http://www.ximb.ac.in/about/
27.
http://orissamatters.com/news/index.php/2005/10/26/orissa-high-court-intervenes-in-nis-iiser-matter/
28. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-oct27-suntimes.pdf
29.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-nov-6.html
30.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-high-court.html
31.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-students.html
32.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-efforts-in.html
33.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/sambada-on-central-govs-affidavit-in.html
34.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/statesman-on-central-govts-affitdavit.html
35.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/suntimes-report-on-centers-response.html
Recently on September 28, 2005 the current PM Dr. Manmohan Singh announced [3] http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=12305 the
setting up of an Indian Institute of Science for Education and Research (IISER) at Pune and Kolkata, respectively.
The aim of the National Institute of Sciences that Professor Joshi
had announced in December 2003 is the same as the proposed IISERs.
Thus, NIS and IISER, though they defer in their names; as proposed institutions, both refer to the same concept. In fact the CM of West Bengal has referred to it [4] http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051004/asp/bengal/story_5317968.asp
as National Institute of Sciences and many newspapers [5,6] have referred to the proposed IISERs as National Institute of Sciences.
After press reports about proposed IISERs in Pune and Kolkata appeared [5,7], the newspapers in Orissa [8-13] published articles mentioning the possibility of NIS shifting from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata. In response to that the Chief minister of Orissa wrote letters to the PM about it. In response to criticisms in the newspapers he wrote another letter. A concerned organization in Cuttack filed a PIL suit [14,28] in the Cuttack High Court.
Orissans, who view Dr. Singh as a fair impartial statesman were hoping that after reading the CM's letter he would realize the unfairness associated with not having one of the IISERs in Bhubaneswar. Their hopes were shattered when Dr. Singh formally announced on September 28th the plan to establish two IISERs at Pune and Kolkata.
Immediately the word spread via email, mailing lists, email groups and phone calls and thousands of Orissans and people of Oriya origin all over the world wrote, emailed and faxed [15-19] to the Prime minister and the PA Chairperson Smt. Gandhi about their disappointment and the gross injustice done to Orissa. They mentioned that Orissa does not have any centrally funded higher education institute such as an IIT, IIM, IISc, ISI, central universities etc. [20-23], and how despite that Orissa has on its
own helped in the development of quality institutions like the Institute of Physics [24], Institute of Life Sciences [25] and the Xaviers Institute of Management [26]. They requested the PM to reconsider his announcements and at least add Bhubaneswar to the list of IISER cities.
The word of the letter writing reached the newspapers in Orissa (including national newspaper with Orissa editions such as TOI, Pioneers, and Statesman) and they wrote about it [16-19]. Since then a peaceful mass movement has begun in Orissa and among Orissans and people of Oriya origin all over the world and they have written to the PM, to the planning commission, to the SAC-PM (scientific advisory committee to the PM), and to various newspapers about it. There were letter writing campaigns in arious cities across the world from New York, Phoenix (Arizona), Chicago, to New Delhi, and Bhubaneswar. Among these [28] was a group of eminent personalities (retired) of Bhubaneswar that included past vice chancellors and administrative officers of the Orissa and Indian government. There was a convention of intellectuals [29] in Bhubaneswar and then there was convention of student leaders [31] from various colleges across Orissa. This mass movement is continuing on. In the meanwhile the Orissa high court after a couple of changes of dates passed a temporary stay order [30] saying “We direct a stay on the shifting of the NIS from Bhubaneswar to any other place in the eastern region.”
The mass movement of the people further pushed the Orissa government and the CM wrote one more time to the PM. The 2005 winter assembly of Orissa started off with a resolution [32] to form a assembly committee for this issue and to send a delegation to the PM. The 2005 winter parliament session in Delhi started off with a delegate of 15 Orissa MPs staging a demonstration [32] near the parliament.
So far the only communication from the central government is an
affidavit [33-35] filed by the under secretary of the HRD ministry, as a response to the high court stay order, which according to newspaper reports says that "No policy decision was finalized by the central government for setting up any science institution in Bhubaneswar".
While the courts will sort the legal aspects, and figure out how far the decision regarding an NIS in Bhubaneswar was made, it is clear that it had gone to a high enough level for the then HRD minister to say in [1] "Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, chennai, Pune and Allahabad". He is also reported in a UGC document [2] to have said "... Dr. Joshi also informed the members about the steps initiated by the UGC for improving the relevance and quality of teaching and research, such as ...; to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad; ..."
The fact remains that from that high level of decision, the current
government made alterations to the plan and only announced two IISERs at Pune and Kolkata. Both are fine cities and deserve IISERs, except that the central government did not have to take away the only announced dream from a state (Orissa) and a city (Bhubaneswar) that does not have anything in terms of a centrally funded higher education institution.
It is ironic that on the day the PM said "This report also points to a grave regional imbalance in terms of educational institutions in different states. ... I trust our government as well the state governments will take note of these findings and evolve policies to remedy these regional imbalances," he also announced the establishment of IISERs in Pune and Kolkata, thus removing Bhubaneswar from the list.
If one analyzes the list of institute of national importance and central universities one can see the gross imbalance with respect to some states. States like West Bengal have an IIT, an IIM, an ISI, a central university, while states like Orissa, Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh have none of them. Yet one of the new IISERs is announced in West Bengal, which was not even in the initial list, while removing an announced for NIS in Bhubaneswar; thus seemingly suggesting that an NIS was shifted from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
This absolutely makes no sense unless one assumes that our
government believes that only people of certain states deserve to be near such institutions while other states do not, or unless one perceives a connection between the current government needing and being allied to the West Bengal's contingent of close to 40 MP's support while not being allied with the smaller contingent of BJD-BJP MPs of Orissa, and the elimination of Bhubaneswar and introduction of Kolkata to the list of NIS/IISERs. Especially coming from a government with an economist at its helm who knows how quality institutions not only impact the nation but also have a significant impact in the development of the area, city, district and state where they are located, one can not help but wonder why
such a decision was made.
Since the Indian constitution does not explicitly mention that resources and investments have to be regionally balanced the central government may be able to legally get away (and it has so far) with creating and reinforcing (instead of correcting) such imbalances, but in the court of Indian people's opinion, and with the RTI act and the availability of Internet search engines to the common man, the government can no longer act like a fief as it has done in the higher education domain of HRD.
The following is a compilation of the various documents and news items regarding the mass movement taking place in Orissa. Although the focus here is on the announced NIS in Bhubaneswar (Orissa) that was dropped, if not shifted, by the current government; it has a great significance to the country of India as a whole
(i) because India has many other states and cities which have been also neglected by the HRD ministry over the years,
(ii) because for all round growth of India, all of its parts need to develop simultaneously, not just some pockets,
(iii) because it seems institutions with mega investments like IITs and IISERs are being established mostly in states that have a bigger representation in the parliament or whose MPs are allied with the government at the center at the time the decisions are made or both, and
(iv) and most importantly because such grabbing and doling out of mega investments without regards to regional balance may further stress the fabric of mother India which already has gone through and is going through such forces in certain parts.
We hope the readers of this compilation, be it patriotic Indians from Orissa, or from other parts of India, will take this gross imbalance and the serious implication of its continuation (in terms of the current decision by the central government) and convey to the central government in no uncertain terms
(a) that such injustice is no longer acceptable, even if they may be "legal" as our constitution does not yet give a regional balance right to states;
(b) that it should be immediately corrected by establishing an
NIS/IISER/equivalent in Bhubaneswar and by immediately forming a
committee to review other states and cities that have been neglected over the years;
(c) that the central government is put on notice in regards to where they are going to establish the proposed seven new IITs that are under consideration, and they better be distributed across the country in states that do not have them, or similar well established institutions already;
(d) and that the central government should pay attention to the the mountaineous belt in parts of Andhra, west Orissa (KBK), Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, etc. which is much more backward than the north east and establish several central universities there (as has been done in the north east) so that those areas have enough teachers, and other educated folks.
References:
1. http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm
1.1 http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/dpr_nis.pdf
1.2 http://www.ugc.ac.in/new_initiatives/newnis.html
2.
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rdec2003/10122003/r1012200313.html
3. http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=12305
4.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051004/asp/bengal/story_5317968.asp
5.
http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2208/stories/20050422000903900.htm
6. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-oct24-statesman.pdf
7. http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar072005/n16.asp
8. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug24-newindexp.pdf
9. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug18-samaja1.pdf
10. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug19-samaja1.pdf
11. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug19-sambada.pdf
12. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug20-samaja.pdf
13. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-aug24-sambada.pdf
14. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-sept2-samaja.pdf
15.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/10/open-letter-to-prime-minister-of-india.html
16. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-oct10-suntimes.pdf
17.
http://orissamatters.com/news/index.php/2005/10/07/under-whose-spell-the-prime-minister-has-done-it/
18. http://www.baral.us/orissa/2005-oct8-sambad.pdf
19. http://www.baral.us/orissa/2005-oct8-samaj.pdf
20. http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/utype.php?st=Central%20University
21.
http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/utype.php?st=Institute%20of%20National%20Importance
22. http://dst.gov.in/autonomous/autonomous_index.htm
23.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/10/unequal-distribution-of-higher.html
24. http://www.iopb.res.in/overview.php
25. http://www.ilsc.org/
26. http://www.ximb.ac.in/about/
27.
http://orissamatters.com/news/index.php/2005/10/26/orissa-high-court-intervenes-in-nis-iiser-matter/
28. http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-oct27-suntimes.pdf
29.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-nov-6.html
30.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-high-court.html
31.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-students.html
32.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/news-reports-related-to-efforts-in.html
33.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/sambada-on-central-govs-affidavit-in.html
34.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/statesman-on-central-govts-affitdavit.html
35.
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/suntimes-report-on-centers-response.html
News reports related to the efforts in Orissa assembly and 15 Orissa MPs
In English:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-assembly-concerned-over-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/statesman-and-pioneer-on-uproar-in.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/mps-of-orissa-will-demonstrate-in.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/netizens-of-orissa-make-assembly.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/new-india-press-and-telegraph-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/pioneer-newkeralacom-and.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/house-to-knock-on-pm-door-over-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-mps-join-nis-chorus-times-of.html
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-mps-plan-regarding-nis-in.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-sambada-and-dharitri-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-and-sambada-on-orissa-mps.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-assembly-concerned-over-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/statesman-and-pioneer-on-uproar-in.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/mps-of-orissa-will-demonstrate-in.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/netizens-of-orissa-make-assembly.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/new-india-press-and-telegraph-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/pioneer-newkeralacom-and.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/house-to-knock-on-pm-door-over-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-mps-join-nis-chorus-times-of.html
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-mps-plan-regarding-nis-in.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-sambada-and-dharitri-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-and-sambada-on-orissa-mps.html
News reports related to the student's convention
In English:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/daily-pioneer-on-all-orissa-student.html
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/all-orissa-student-convention-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/sambada-on-nov-20-convention-in-oriya.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-on-all-orissa-student-leaders.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/daily-pioneer-on-all-orissa-student.html
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/all-orissa-student-convention-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/sambada-on-nov-20-convention-in-oriya.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-on-all-orissa-student-leaders.html
News reports related to high court stay order
In English:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/business-standard-on-high-court-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/times-of-india-hc-stays-shifting-of.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/science-institute-stay-callcutta.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/statesmans-take-on-highcourt-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/telegraphs-take-on-high-court-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/pioneer-on-hc-stay-order-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/newswebindia123coms-take-on-highcourt.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/iiser-stayed-from-orissamatterscom.html
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-and-sambada-on-highcourt-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/dharitri-also-reports-on-high-court.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/odishacom-on-high-court-stay-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/business-standard-on-high-court-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/times-of-india-hc-stays-shifting-of.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/science-institute-stay-callcutta.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/statesmans-take-on-highcourt-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/telegraphs-take-on-high-court-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/pioneer-on-hc-stay-order-on-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/newswebindia123coms-take-on-highcourt.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/iiser-stayed-from-orissamatterscom.html
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/samaja-and-sambada-on-highcourt-stay.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/dharitri-also-reports-on-high-court.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/odishacom-on-high-court-stay-on-nis.html
News reports related to Nov 6 Convention
In English:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/centre-changes-plan-orissa-loses-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/demand-for-institute-gains-momentum.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-launches-campaign-for-central.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-launches-campaign-for-central_07.html
http://orissamatters.com/news/index.php/2005/11/07/nis-convention-demands-execution-of-earlier-decision/
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/navhind-time-orissa-launches-campaign.html
http://www.orissasambad.com/english/localnews.asp?Fs=421
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/sambadas-report-on-nis-iiser.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/centre-changes-plan-orissa-loses-nis.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/demand-for-institute-gains-momentum.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-launches-campaign-for-central.html
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/orissa-launches-campaign-for-central_07.html
http://orissamatters.com/news/index.php/2005/11/07/nis-convention-demands-execution-of-earlier-decision/
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/navhind-time-orissa-launches-campaign.html
http://www.orissasambad.com/english/localnews.asp?Fs=421
In Oriya:
http://iiser.blogspot.com/2005/11/sambadas-report-on-nis-iiser.html
Suntimes report on the Center's response
...
It now appears that there were two different proposals — one to set up four centres made during the NDA government’s tenure which was rejected by the Law Ministry and secondly a fresh proposal of the UPA government for setting up two institutes at Pune and Kolkata.
-------------------------------------
Chitta's comment:
The above is puzzling. What has the law ministry got to do with setting up of NIS?
One possibility is that the law ministry was asked if the original NIS plan can be scrapped and the same idea can be introduced as IISERs and will that allow changing of locations (adding Kolkata and removing Bhubaneswar, Allahbad and Chennai), and the law ministry probably said yes.
It now appears that there were two different proposals — one to set up four centres made during the NDA government’s tenure which was rejected by the Law Ministry and secondly a fresh proposal of the UPA government for setting up two institutes at Pune and Kolkata.
-------------------------------------
Chitta's comment:
The above is puzzling. What has the law ministry got to do with setting up of NIS?
One possibility is that the law ministry was asked if the original NIS plan can be scrapped and the same idea can be introduced as IISERs and will that allow changing of locations (adding Kolkata and removing Bhubaneswar, Allahbad and Chennai), and the law ministry probably said yes.
Saubhagya's take on the GOI affidavit
Dear Friends,
The clarification from GOI as reported by The Statesman is no surprise in Indian bureaucracy. Though we are not sure what clarification was sought by The Orissa State Public Interest Protection Council this is no answer to us.
Of course these are two separate reports but for the same nation in the same direction. Our point is either GOI has deliberately changed the name of the institutions to avoid these matters covering them under the blanket of law or it has wasted resources already spend in the same direction by it's negligence. In either way it has disrespected democracy. It has surely disrespected people of Orissa in this issue by going ahead with it’s agenda to establish a IISER in Kolkata.
Under secretary Mr. Prem Kumar clarifies “No policy decision was finalized by the Central government for setting up any science institution at Bhubaneswar,” The Statesman. We do not have the exact affidavite but if the reports at national newspapers like The Statesman is the best summery this document sure do not have answer to the injustice done to Orissa.
Please see the dates below
Nov 28 – GOI clarification
Nov 09 - Stay order
Oct 30 - Prime minister was supposed to lay the foundation in Kolkata.
Oct 27 - Union Cabinet gives its approval to GOI
Oct 26 - High court summon to GOI
GOI got Cabinet approval just two days before PM was supposed to lay the foundation of IISER in Kolkata. Without cabinet approval the stage was all set for PM to lay the foundation stone at a huge expense to the nation! Why was this hurry!!
Many of our protest/request letters (including Hon'ble Chief Ministers’s) to reconsider BBSR must have reached much before this Cabinet decision/approval. Day before Orissa high court has already issued summon? At least this news would have reached the PMO. GOI clearly neglects people of Orissa in NIS/IISER issue.
The requirement of higher institutions of Science was a need felt by the Government under one ruling party. Then the next ruling party felt that the need is more severe and wanted to intensify the effort. Then why the previous government’s finding was dismissed? Who and when they dismissed the finding? How Govt of Orissa did not get a clue?
Why did not Govt start the work from where the previous Govt had left?
The finding was for the change in type of institution not change of place. If National Institution of Science is not the need of the time but Indian Institution of Science Education and Research, a much better institution in status and much costlier in expense, is the need, why place was changed not the project in previously declared places?
What about the important finding of regional imbalance in the same report 'India Science Report' upon which the scientific advisory board is recommending these IISERs?
The next High court proceeding is fast approaching. We need to present our issue the best way and keep the high court stay order as long as possible. The Orissa State Public Interest Protection Council is our representative here. I hope the council is following the Oriyas concerns in different online medias along with the regular approaches of understanding the issue.
Our questions remain unsolved until Bhuaneswar gets the first IISER of the nation if IISER is the need of the time.
Regards,
Saubhagya Laxmi Mohapatra.
P.S. For the dates mentioned above visit the following link- http://www.worldorissa.com/News_IISER_NIS_Bhubaneswar_Orissa.htm
The clarification from GOI as reported by The Statesman is no surprise in Indian bureaucracy. Though we are not sure what clarification was sought by The Orissa State Public Interest Protection Council this is no answer to us.
Of course these are two separate reports but for the same nation in the same direction. Our point is either GOI has deliberately changed the name of the institutions to avoid these matters covering them under the blanket of law or it has wasted resources already spend in the same direction by it's negligence. In either way it has disrespected democracy. It has surely disrespected people of Orissa in this issue by going ahead with it’s agenda to establish a IISER in Kolkata.
Under secretary Mr. Prem Kumar clarifies “No policy decision was finalized by the Central government for setting up any science institution at Bhubaneswar,” The Statesman. We do not have the exact affidavite but if the reports at national newspapers like The Statesman is the best summery this document sure do not have answer to the injustice done to Orissa.
Please see the dates below
Nov 28 – GOI clarification
Nov 09 - Stay order
Oct 30 - Prime minister was supposed to lay the foundation in Kolkata.
Oct 27 - Union Cabinet gives its approval to GOI
Oct 26 - High court summon to GOI
GOI got Cabinet approval just two days before PM was supposed to lay the foundation of IISER in Kolkata. Without cabinet approval the stage was all set for PM to lay the foundation stone at a huge expense to the nation! Why was this hurry!!
Many of our protest/request letters (including Hon'ble Chief Ministers’s) to reconsider BBSR must have reached much before this Cabinet decision/approval. Day before Orissa high court has already issued summon? At least this news would have reached the PMO. GOI clearly neglects people of Orissa in NIS/IISER issue.
The requirement of higher institutions of Science was a need felt by the Government under one ruling party. Then the next ruling party felt that the need is more severe and wanted to intensify the effort. Then why the previous government’s finding was dismissed? Who and when they dismissed the finding? How Govt of Orissa did not get a clue?
Why did not Govt start the work from where the previous Govt had left?
The finding was for the change in type of institution not change of place. If National Institution of Science is not the need of the time but Indian Institution of Science Education and Research, a much better institution in status and much costlier in expense, is the need, why place was changed not the project in previously declared places?
What about the important finding of regional imbalance in the same report 'India Science Report' upon which the scientific advisory board is recommending these IISERs?
The next High court proceeding is fast approaching. We need to present our issue the best way and keep the high court stay order as long as possible. The Orissa State Public Interest Protection Council is our representative here. I hope the council is following the Oriyas concerns in different online medias along with the regular approaches of understanding the issue.
Our questions remain unsolved until Bhuaneswar gets the first IISER of the nation if IISER is the need of the time.
Regards,
Saubhagya Laxmi Mohapatra.
P.S. For the dates mentioned above visit the following link- http://www.worldorissa.com/News_IISER_NIS_Bhubaneswar_Orissa.htm
On central government's affidavit
We do not have access to the exact affidavit filed by the central government. But here are the facts as we know:
1. The press release of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Science & Technology at
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rdec2003/10122003/r1012200313.html
says:
"... The meeting was also informed of the steps initiated to improve the quality of teaching and research. It was informed that at post-graduate level a credit-based, modular approach is being introduced. UGC has recently upgraded monetary support at individual, group and department levels and has opened for colleges such incentive schemes as were earlier confined to universities. While five universities were identified this year, with potential for excellence, viz. Chennai, Hyderabad, Jadhavpur, Pune and Jawaharlal Nehru Open University, five more universities will be identified next year to promote excellence among universities especially in matters of research. Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad. ..."
2. Similarly the following UGC document from the UGC site
http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm says:
"... Dr. Joshi also informed the members about the steps initiated by the UGC for improving the relevance and quality of teaching and research, such as introduction of utility-oriented programmes along with the traditional degree; identifying the universities with potential for excellence; to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad; monitoring the universities using parameters for academic performance, research performance and governance and providing incentives to universities and colleges scoring high on these parameters. ..."
3. When we extract the relevant sentence from (1) above we have:
Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
4. When we extract the relevant phrase from (2) above we have:
Dr. Joshi also informed the members about
the steps initiated by the UGC to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
-------------------------------------------------
Starting with the above statements attributed to the HRD minister of the previous government and the decision of establishment of IISERs at Pune and Kolkata by the current government, one can draw their own conclusions.
I am not a lawyer and am not privy to the exact documents of the government other than the above mentioned links in government's own web pages. But it is clear from the above documents that "steps initiated to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad" changed to the decision of establishment of IISERs (which are basically NIS renamed) at Pune and Kolkata by the current government. This may or may not be a legal violation by the government (that the courts can sort out) but considering that Orissa does not have any institution of national importance (such as IIT, ISI, etc.), central universities and not even autonomous science and technology institutions, by not having Bhubaneswar in the list of IISERs and having Kolkata (a fine city) there
(West Bengal already has institutions of national importance such as an IIT, IIM, ISI, a central university and 2 autonomous science and technology institutions) this government has further widened the disparity and imbalance in top quality higher education opportunities and access. On what basis can the government, the SAC-PM and the planning commission justify this?
1. The press release of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Science & Technology at
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rdec2003/10122003/r1012200313.html
says:
"... The meeting was also informed of the steps initiated to improve the quality of teaching and research. It was informed that at post-graduate level a credit-based, modular approach is being introduced. UGC has recently upgraded monetary support at individual, group and department levels and has opened for colleges such incentive schemes as were earlier confined to universities. While five universities were identified this year, with potential for excellence, viz. Chennai, Hyderabad, Jadhavpur, Pune and Jawaharlal Nehru Open University, five more universities will be identified next year to promote excellence among universities especially in matters of research. Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad. ..."
2. Similarly the following UGC document from the UGC site
http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm says:
"... Dr. Joshi also informed the members about the steps initiated by the UGC for improving the relevance and quality of teaching and research, such as introduction of utility-oriented programmes along with the traditional degree; identifying the universities with potential for excellence; to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad; monitoring the universities using parameters for academic performance, research performance and governance and providing incentives to universities and colleges scoring high on these parameters. ..."
3. When we extract the relevant sentence from (1) above we have:
Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
4. When we extract the relevant phrase from (2) above we have:
Dr. Joshi also informed the members about
the steps initiated by the UGC to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
-------------------------------------------------
Starting with the above statements attributed to the HRD minister of the previous government and the decision of establishment of IISERs at Pune and Kolkata by the current government, one can draw their own conclusions.
I am not a lawyer and am not privy to the exact documents of the government other than the above mentioned links in government's own web pages. But it is clear from the above documents that "steps initiated to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad" changed to the decision of establishment of IISERs (which are basically NIS renamed) at Pune and Kolkata by the current government. This may or may not be a legal violation by the government (that the courts can sort out) but considering that Orissa does not have any institution of national importance (such as IIT, ISI, etc.), central universities and not even autonomous science and technology institutions, by not having Bhubaneswar in the list of IISERs and having Kolkata (a fine city) there
(West Bengal already has institutions of national importance such as an IIT, IIM, ISI, a central university and 2 autonomous science and technology institutions) this government has further widened the disparity and imbalance in top quality higher education opportunities and access. On what basis can the government, the SAC-PM and the planning commission justify this?
Sambada on the central gov's affidavit (in Oriya)
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Statesman on the central govts affitdavit
NIS row takes a new turn
Statesman News Service
CUTTACK, Nov. 27. — The controversy and media hype over shifting of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Orissa to West Bengal may actually fizzle out due to a ludicrous anti-climax.
The Central government has stated that no decision was ever taken by it to set up any such science institution in Bhubaneswar.
The stand taken by the Central government assumes significance as the issue had already triggered a row in the Assembly with the ruling BJD-BJP combine and the Opposition parties blaming each other for the shifting of the National Institute of Science from Orissa to Kolkata.
The Assembly had decided to constitute a House Committee to put pressure on the Centre to stall any such move.
More at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov27-statesman.pdf
Statesman News Service
CUTTACK, Nov. 27. — The controversy and media hype over shifting of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Orissa to West Bengal may actually fizzle out due to a ludicrous anti-climax.
The Central government has stated that no decision was ever taken by it to set up any such science institution in Bhubaneswar.
The stand taken by the Central government assumes significance as the issue had already triggered a row in the Assembly with the ruling BJD-BJP combine and the Opposition parties blaming each other for the shifting of the National Institute of Science from Orissa to Kolkata.
The Assembly had decided to constitute a House Committee to put pressure on the Centre to stall any such move.
More at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov27-statesman.pdf
Lalit babu's next report
...
Well on my way to airport to-day morning i went to meet Hon'ble Dharmendra Pradhan MP Lok Sabha.
He was waiting for me. He is also of the opinion that a mass movement is required to Sanction- back a NIS or IISER for Orissa. He is going to take up the case strongly in Parliament and also on our request coming to bbsr in first week of Dec'05 to chalk out the future course of action.
I have interacted with Mr Siddharta Mohanty, who is PS to Sj, Bijayanti Panda. He is besically co-ordinating all MP's for this NIS issue. He told me that a Memorandum will be submitted by MP's to PM next week. I told him there cannot be better memorandum prepared than Odiya Samaj. He asked me to e-mail him. Would X, Y, or Z frame up a memorandum and e-mail it to him? It should preferably be maximum two pages.
His Address:-
Sidharta Mohanty,
PS to MP ( Bj Panda),
2, Mahadev Rd. New Delhi.
Tel-23753430, Fax-23323355,
e-mail siddharthmohanty@sarkaritel.com
Well on my way to airport to-day morning i went to meet Hon'ble Dharmendra Pradhan MP Lok Sabha.
He was waiting for me. He is also of the opinion that a mass movement is required to Sanction- back a NIS or IISER for Orissa. He is going to take up the case strongly in Parliament and also on our request coming to bbsr in first week of Dec'05 to chalk out the future course of action.
I have interacted with Mr Siddharta Mohanty, who is PS to Sj, Bijayanti Panda. He is besically co-ordinating all MP's for this NIS issue. He told me that a Memorandum will be submitted by MP's to PM next week. I told him there cannot be better memorandum prepared than Odiya Samaj. He asked me to e-mail him. Would X, Y, or Z frame up a memorandum and e-mail it to him? It should preferably be maximum two pages.
His Address:-
Sidharta Mohanty,
PS to MP ( Bj Panda),
2, Mahadev Rd. New Delhi.
Tel-23753430, Fax-23323355,
e-mail siddharthmohanty@sarkaritel.com
Centre files affidavit in Orissa HC on NIS issue -- Pioneer
Centre files affidavit in Orissa HC on NIS issue
Pioneer News Service/ Bhubaneswar
The Centre has filed an affidavit before the Orissa High Court on shifting of the National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
On behalf of the Central Government, under secretary to the Human Resources Development Ministry Prem Kumar on Friday filed the affidavit in the High Court, stating that the Union Government had never pledged to set up the NIS in Bhubaneswar.
The Orissa Government has reacted sharply to the Centre's move. The State Government officials said it was a blatant lie on the part of the HRD Ministry. The NDA Government had promised to set up the institute in the Bhubaneswar and requested the State Government to provide land for the purpose, the officials pointed out, adding that the State had already allotted 75 acres of land in Bhubaneswar.
More at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov27-pioneer.pdf
-----------------------------------------------------------
Chitta's comments:
1. The press release of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Science & Technology at
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rdec2003/10122003/r1012200313.html
says:
The meeting was also informed of the steps initiated to improve the quality of teaching and research. It was informed that at post-graduate level a credit-based, modular approach is being introduced. UGC has recently upgraded monetary support at individual, group and department levels and has opened for colleges such incentive schemes as were earlier confined to universities. While five universities were identified this year, with potential for excellence, viz. Chennai, Hyderabad, Jadhavpur, Pune and Jawaharlal Nehru Open University, five more universities will be identified next year to promote excellence among universities especially in matters of research. Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
2. Similarly the following UGC document from the UGC site
http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm says:
Dr. Joshi also informed the members about the steps initiated by the UGC for improving the relevance and quality of teaching and research, such as introduction of utility-oriented programmes along with the traditional degree; identifying the universities with potential for excellence; to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad; monitoring the universities using parameters for academic performance, research performance and governance and providing incentives to universities and colleges scoring high on these parameters.
3. When we extract the relevant sentence from (1) above we have:
Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
4. When we extract the relevant phrase from (2) above we have:
Dr. Joshi also informed the members about
the steps initiated by the UGC to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
To me this sounds more than a pledge.
Chitta
Pioneer News Service/ Bhubaneswar
The Centre has filed an affidavit before the Orissa High Court on shifting of the National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
On behalf of the Central Government, under secretary to the Human Resources Development Ministry Prem Kumar on Friday filed the affidavit in the High Court, stating that the Union Government had never pledged to set up the NIS in Bhubaneswar.
The Orissa Government has reacted sharply to the Centre's move. The State Government officials said it was a blatant lie on the part of the HRD Ministry. The NDA Government had promised to set up the institute in the Bhubaneswar and requested the State Government to provide land for the purpose, the officials pointed out, adding that the State had already allotted 75 acres of land in Bhubaneswar.
More at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov27-pioneer.pdf
-----------------------------------------------------------
Chitta's comments:
1. The press release of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Science & Technology at
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/lyr2003/rdec2003/10122003/r1012200313.html
says:
The meeting was also informed of the steps initiated to improve the quality of teaching and research. It was informed that at post-graduate level a credit-based, modular approach is being introduced. UGC has recently upgraded monetary support at individual, group and department levels and has opened for colleges such incentive schemes as were earlier confined to universities. While five universities were identified this year, with potential for excellence, viz. Chennai, Hyderabad, Jadhavpur, Pune and Jawaharlal Nehru Open University, five more universities will be identified next year to promote excellence among universities especially in matters of research. Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
2. Similarly the following UGC document from the UGC site
http://www.ugc.ac.in/pub/jan_2004/12.htm says:
Dr. Joshi also informed the members about the steps initiated by the UGC for improving the relevance and quality of teaching and research, such as introduction of utility-oriented programmes along with the traditional degree; identifying the universities with potential for excellence; to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad; monitoring the universities using parameters for academic performance, research performance and governance and providing incentives to universities and colleges scoring high on these parameters.
3. When we extract the relevant sentence from (1) above we have:
Four national-level institutes are also being established at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
4. When we extract the relevant phrase from (2) above we have:
Dr. Joshi also informed the members about
the steps initiated by the UGC to establish four National Institutes of Sciences at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
To me this sounds more than a pledge.
Chitta
Lalit babu's meeting with the MPs
Dear Friends:
I have submitted memorandum to following MP's in their House, at New Delhi and followings are their personal opinion during the conversation.
1/ Hon'ble Archana Naik MP Lok Sabha
2/ Hon'ble Pramilla Bohidar MP Rajya Sabha
3/ Hon'ble Radhakant Nayak MP Rajya Sabha
4/ Hon'ble Bajayanti Panda MP Rajya Sabha
5/ Hon'ble Rudranarayan Pani MP Rajya Sabha
6/ Hon'ble Birabhadra Singh MP Rajya Sabha
7/ Hon'ble Sushree Devi MP Rajya Sabha
8/ Hon'ble Prasanna Acharya MP Lok Sabha
9/ Hon'ble Bikram Keshari Deo MP Lok Sabha
10/ Hon'ble Mohan Jena MP Lok Sabha
11/ Hon'ble Bhurtahari Mahatab MP Lok Sabha
12/ Hon'ble Parsuram Majhi MP Lok Sabha
13/ Hon'ble Sudam Marandi MP Lok Sabha
14/ Hon'ble Juel Oram MP Lok sabha
15/ Hon'ble Arjun Charan Sethi MP Lok Sabha
16/ Hon'ble Prasanna Patsani MP Lok Sabha
17/ Chandra Sekhar Sahu MP Lok Sabha
18/ Kharavela Swain MP Lok Sabha
I could not contact more than that alone.
Out Of the above some were available in the house and some were not. The high lighted personnalities talked to me personnaly.
Followings are their overall comments in brief:-
They are in unision that in no case they will leave this issue in this Parliament session. Their Dharana in front of Parliament has been high lighted in NDTV, Aaj Tak and all other national TV channal. They have given call motion to be taken up in the parliament next week. Some of them said if all parliamentarian unite than they can jolly well jump to the well of the house to stop the proceeding untill and unless their voice is heard.
Some of them were very vocal and felt humiliated at this decision of shifting. Some of them said that it's very good that intellectuals are coming to the fore front. Some of them said that they will get an appointment from Prime Minister and all of them along with intellectuals from different field an join.
Some of them said that as President is visiting Bhubaneswar in end of December'05, Intellectuals may meet and submit their memorandum. Some of them said that when the House Committe will come to Delhi they will accompany them. Some of them said that he will submit our memorandum to pitition committee and if we will be in problem as we are all working, i said no problem. All of them assurred of their full co- operation to our movement and rather said that it is their movement.
I am going to meet Mr Dharmendra Pradhan tomorrow before leaving for bbsr.
I have specifically written "some of them" not to identify any individual.
...
Lalit Mohan Pattnaik
I have submitted memorandum to following MP's in their House, at New Delhi and followings are their personal opinion during the conversation.
1/ Hon'ble Archana Naik MP Lok Sabha
2/ Hon'ble Pramilla Bohidar MP Rajya Sabha
3/ Hon'ble Radhakant Nayak MP Rajya Sabha
4/ Hon'ble Bajayanti Panda MP Rajya Sabha
5/ Hon'ble Rudranarayan Pani MP Rajya Sabha
6/ Hon'ble Birabhadra Singh MP Rajya Sabha
7/ Hon'ble Sushree Devi MP Rajya Sabha
8/ Hon'ble Prasanna Acharya MP Lok Sabha
9/ Hon'ble Bikram Keshari Deo MP Lok Sabha
10/ Hon'ble Mohan Jena MP Lok Sabha
11/ Hon'ble Bhurtahari Mahatab MP Lok Sabha
12/ Hon'ble Parsuram Majhi MP Lok Sabha
13/ Hon'ble Sudam Marandi MP Lok Sabha
14/ Hon'ble Juel Oram MP Lok sabha
15/ Hon'ble Arjun Charan Sethi MP Lok Sabha
16/ Hon'ble Prasanna Patsani MP Lok Sabha
17/ Chandra Sekhar Sahu MP Lok Sabha
18/ Kharavela Swain MP Lok Sabha
I could not contact more than that alone.
Out Of the above some were available in the house and some were not. The high lighted personnalities talked to me personnaly.
Followings are their overall comments in brief:-
They are in unision that in no case they will leave this issue in this Parliament session. Their Dharana in front of Parliament has been high lighted in NDTV, Aaj Tak and all other national TV channal. They have given call motion to be taken up in the parliament next week. Some of them said if all parliamentarian unite than they can jolly well jump to the well of the house to stop the proceeding untill and unless their voice is heard.
Some of them were very vocal and felt humiliated at this decision of shifting. Some of them said that it's very good that intellectuals are coming to the fore front. Some of them said that they will get an appointment from Prime Minister and all of them along with intellectuals from different field an join.
Some of them said that as President is visiting Bhubaneswar in end of December'05, Intellectuals may meet and submit their memorandum. Some of them said that when the House Committe will come to Delhi they will accompany them. Some of them said that he will submit our memorandum to pitition committee and if we will be in problem as we are all working, i said no problem. All of them assurred of their full co- operation to our movement and rather said that it is their movement.
I am going to meet Mr Dharmendra Pradhan tomorrow before leaving for bbsr.
I have specifically written "some of them" not to identify any individual.
...
Lalit Mohan Pattnaik
Friday, November 25, 2005
Samaja and Sambada on Orissa MP's protest in front of the parliament (in Oriya)
A news item at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov26-sambada.pdf
A picture at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov26-samaja.pdf
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov26-sambada.pdf
A picture at
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov26-samaja.pdf
Orissa MPs join NIS chorus : Times of India (Bhubaneswar edition) on Nov 25th
Bhubaneswar: Parliamentarians from the state on Thursday joined the
ongoing public campaign against the Centre's decision to change the site of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
At least 15 Lok Sabha (LS) and Rajya Sabha (RS) members belonging to BJP and BJD staged a dharna outside Parliament against the Centre's move. However, Congress MPs stayed away from the protest.
BJP MP Dharmendra Pradhan said, "We had requested Congress
Parliamentarians to join the dharna in the greater interests of the
state".
Pradhan said the parties were trying to raise the NIS issue in
Parliament. He added, "We have apprised our party high command of the injustice meted out to Orissa by the UPA government. We are also trying to draw support from other like-minded MPs, who feel that the Centre's action is illogical and is a sort of political appeasement".
The BJP MP said the Oriyas residing in New Delhi also strongly oppose the UPA government's action. "We are planning to take a public delegation to the Prime Minister to seek establishment of the NIS in Bhubaneswar. We began preparations for this on Wednesday evening," he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, education minister Samir Dey said the state
requires an institutin like NIS because it had no major educational
centres like IITs or IIMs.
This is the first time that intelliectural from the state have unitedly put pressure on political leaders to raise their voice for an issue that "affects the state's interests". Researchers, academicians and students from both within and outside the country launched a protest campaign soon after the Centre announced that the NIS would be set up in Kolkata.
Lately, MPs and MLAs from the state have been receiving e-mails and
phone calls from various parts of the country asking them to raise the NIS issue in Parliament as well as the Assembly.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has also sent three letters to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh on the NIS issue.
(Rajaram Satapathy)
ongoing public campaign against the Centre's decision to change the site of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata.
At least 15 Lok Sabha (LS) and Rajya Sabha (RS) members belonging to BJP and BJD staged a dharna outside Parliament against the Centre's move. However, Congress MPs stayed away from the protest.
BJP MP Dharmendra Pradhan said, "We had requested Congress
Parliamentarians to join the dharna in the greater interests of the
state".
Pradhan said the parties were trying to raise the NIS issue in
Parliament. He added, "We have apprised our party high command of the injustice meted out to Orissa by the UPA government. We are also trying to draw support from other like-minded MPs, who feel that the Centre's action is illogical and is a sort of political appeasement".
The BJP MP said the Oriyas residing in New Delhi also strongly oppose the UPA government's action. "We are planning to take a public delegation to the Prime Minister to seek establishment of the NIS in Bhubaneswar. We began preparations for this on Wednesday evening," he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, education minister Samir Dey said the state
requires an institutin like NIS because it had no major educational
centres like IITs or IIMs.
This is the first time that intelliectural from the state have unitedly put pressure on political leaders to raise their voice for an issue that "affects the state's interests". Researchers, academicians and students from both within and outside the country launched a protest campaign soon after the Centre announced that the NIS would be set up in Kolkata.
Lately, MPs and MLAs from the state have been receiving e-mails and
phone calls from various parts of the country asking them to raise the NIS issue in Parliament as well as the Assembly.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has also sent three letters to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh on the NIS issue.
(Rajaram Satapathy)
House to knock on PM door over NIS : Times of India (Bhubaneswar edition) on November 24th
House to knock on PM door over NIS
Times News Network
Bhubaneswar: The Orissa Assembly on Wednesday decided to send a House committee to the prime minister to press for the National Institute of Science (NIS).
The UPA government had decided to shift the proposed institute to
Kolkata from the state capital. The House took the decision in response to a proposal by the higher education minister Samir Dey.
Dey through a call attention motion, placed the present status of the Rs 50 crore project mooted in 2002 during the NDA government. The project was scheduled to be implemented in five years under the Utkal University. The Centre’s decision was communicated to the
vice-chancellor of the university by the UGC chairman in a letter dated July 23, 2003.
The NIS (Bhubaneswar) was one of the four such centres proposed in the country to boost higher studies in pure science as a part of long term strategy to fill the vacuum in research in fields of science, particularly in nuclear energy, space technology and bio-technology. The three other centres were proposed for Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
The state government had identified 75 acres of land on the outskirts of the city and intimated the UGC on December 12, 2003 on the matter. Dey said the departmental secretary was later sent to New Delhi to hold talks with the UGC.
The fate of the project however, took a turn after the UPA government in August decided to set up the project in Kolkata.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has since then written three letters to the PM. A PIL has been filed in the Orissa high court challenging the Centre’s decision to shift the project. The court has ordered an interim stay on the shifting of the project and directed to furnish detail information.
The NIS issue has also caught minds of thousands of Oriyas, settled in various states and even abroad, who have launched a campaign to elicit public opinion for putting a pressure on the Centre to change the decision.
Dey said an institution like NIS was necessary for Orissa as it had no major educational institutions like Indian Institute of Technology or Indian Institute of Management.
Times News Network
Bhubaneswar: The Orissa Assembly on Wednesday decided to send a House committee to the prime minister to press for the National Institute of Science (NIS).
The UPA government had decided to shift the proposed institute to
Kolkata from the state capital. The House took the decision in response to a proposal by the higher education minister Samir Dey.
Dey through a call attention motion, placed the present status of the Rs 50 crore project mooted in 2002 during the NDA government. The project was scheduled to be implemented in five years under the Utkal University. The Centre’s decision was communicated to the
vice-chancellor of the university by the UGC chairman in a letter dated July 23, 2003.
The NIS (Bhubaneswar) was one of the four such centres proposed in the country to boost higher studies in pure science as a part of long term strategy to fill the vacuum in research in fields of science, particularly in nuclear energy, space technology and bio-technology. The three other centres were proposed for Chennai, Pune and Allahabad.
The state government had identified 75 acres of land on the outskirts of the city and intimated the UGC on December 12, 2003 on the matter. Dey said the departmental secretary was later sent to New Delhi to hold talks with the UGC.
The fate of the project however, took a turn after the UPA government in August decided to set up the project in Kolkata.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has since then written three letters to the PM. A PIL has been filed in the Orissa high court challenging the Centre’s decision to shift the project. The court has ordered an interim stay on the shifting of the project and directed to furnish detail information.
The NIS issue has also caught minds of thousands of Oriyas, settled in various states and even abroad, who have launched a campaign to elicit public opinion for putting a pressure on the Centre to change the decision.
Dey said an institution like NIS was necessary for Orissa as it had no major educational institutions like Indian Institute of Technology or Indian Institute of Management.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
ETV covergae on NIS
Dear All
There was a good 7-8 minute coverage of the NIS issue in Etv. Various issues like demonstration by MPs, resolution by MLAs and interview of Dr.S.K.Tripathy and Prof. Trilochan Pradhan was shown, among others. Another good news is that it also showed the computer screen with the blogspot (http://iiser.blogspot.com) for nearly 1 minute (this was suggested to Subhranshu, the Etv person, by Dr. S.K.Tripathy).
There was a good 7-8 minute coverage of the NIS issue in Etv. Various issues like demonstration by MPs, resolution by MLAs and interview of Dr.S.K.Tripathy and Prof. Trilochan Pradhan was shown, among others. Another good news is that it also showed the computer screen with the blogspot (http://iiser.blogspot.com) for nearly 1 minute (this was suggested to Subhranshu, the Etv person, by Dr. S.K.Tripathy).
MPs of Orissa who participated in the demonstration against NIS shifting
As per Hon' MP Jual Oram, the following M.Ps. of BJP and BJD demonstrated against shifting of NIS from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata:
BJD MPs.
(1) Shri B.K.Tripathy L.S.
(2) Shri Arjun Sethi L.S.
(3) Shri Prasanna Ptsani L.S.
(4) Shri Brahamada Panda L.S.
(5) Shri Bhartuhari Mahtab L.S.
(6) Shri Archana Naik L.S.
(7) Shri B.J.Panda R.S.
BJP MPs.
(1) Shri Suren Lath R.S.
(2) Shri Rudra Narayan Pani R.S.
(3) Shri Chhatra Pal Singh R.S.
(4) Shri Jual Oram L.S.
(5) Shri M.A. Kharvavela Swain L.S.
(6) Shri B.K.Deo L.S.
(7) Smt. Sangeeta Singh Deo L.S.
(8) Shri Dharmendra Pradhan L.S.
BJD MPs.
(1) Shri B.K.Tripathy L.S.
(2) Shri Arjun Sethi L.S.
(3) Shri Prasanna Ptsani L.S.
(4) Shri Brahamada Panda L.S.
(5) Shri Bhartuhari Mahtab L.S.
(6) Shri Archana Naik L.S.
(7) Shri B.J.Panda R.S.
BJP MPs.
(1) Shri Suren Lath R.S.
(2) Shri Rudra Narayan Pani R.S.
(3) Shri Chhatra Pal Singh R.S.
(4) Shri Jual Oram L.S.
(5) Shri M.A. Kharvavela Swain L.S.
(6) Shri B.K.Deo L.S.
(7) Smt. Sangeeta Singh Deo L.S.
(8) Shri Dharmendra Pradhan L.S.
An alternative to NIS and IISER -- first draft of a proposal
Indian Institutes of Science & Technology (IIST):
An innovative proposal for a national level institute in Bhubaneswar, Orissa
This draft has been sent to one of the SAC-PM members and some Orissa MPs. Please contact chitta@asu.edu for the draft.
An innovative proposal for a national level institute in Bhubaneswar, Orissa
This draft has been sent to one of the SAC-PM members and some Orissa MPs. Please contact chitta@asu.edu for the draft.
TOI article on NIS needed
Lalit Patnaik mentioned that in today's TIMES OF INDIA, Bhubaneswar edition, the NIS issue is in the front page and it has appreciated the intellectuals outside the State and also inside the State for gearing up the movement and more so of flooding PM's and other VVIP office with e-mails.
We would appreciate it very much if someone can send the article to me, so that it can be archived. (chitta@gmail.com)
Thanks
Chitta
-------------
Heartfelt thanks to Rajaram babu for senidng the articles that appeared in TOI on Nov 24th and 25th.
Chitta 11/25/05
We would appreciate it very much if someone can send the article to me, so that it can be archived. (chitta@gmail.com)
Thanks
Chitta
-------------
Heartfelt thanks to Rajaram babu for senidng the articles that appeared in TOI on Nov 24th and 25th.
Chitta 11/25/05
A challenge for scribes and journalists
Dear all:
If one goes through the archives of this site (http://iiser.blogspot.com) one will see the tremendous coverage done by various newsmedia on the NIS IISER issue. One may not have realized it but the coverage is partly due to many concerned scribes and journalists who have written these pieces. They also deserve our heartfelt thanks.
They still have a challenge though. So far this has not made it beyond the wire services and Bhubaneswar/Orissa+ editions to the mainstream national media. Lets sincerely hope that efforts for that are on by the scribes and journalists and soon the coverage of this will be in the national media. There are many interesting angles in this story such as:
* outrageous injustice done to Orissa;
* HRD ministry's track record of ignoring states like Orissa, Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan
* A first email/blog initiated and catalyzed protest in India
* A mass protest that has been civil, and without any disruptive methods (such as rasta roko etc.)
and so on, that would be interest to all of India.
best regards
Chitta
If one goes through the archives of this site (http://iiser.blogspot.com) one will see the tremendous coverage done by various newsmedia on the NIS IISER issue. One may not have realized it but the coverage is partly due to many concerned scribes and journalists who have written these pieces. They also deserve our heartfelt thanks.
They still have a challenge though. So far this has not made it beyond the wire services and Bhubaneswar/Orissa+ editions to the mainstream national media. Lets sincerely hope that efforts for that are on by the scribes and journalists and soon the coverage of this will be in the national media. There are many interesting angles in this story such as:
* outrageous injustice done to Orissa;
* HRD ministry's track record of ignoring states like Orissa, Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan
* A first email/blog initiated and catalyzed protest in India
* A mass protest that has been civil, and without any disruptive methods (such as rasta roko etc.)
and so on, that would be interest to all of India.
best regards
Chitta
Update from Bhubaneswar
Dear All,
Please find below the updates of the activities on the issue of NIS undertaken by Agamee Odisha and some of the immediate forth coming events.
1. Student representatives have visited the honourable members of legislative assembly and given each of them a memorandum to pursue the matter in the assembly.
2. Mr Lalit Mohan Pattanaik has been given a memorandum to the MPs and a copy of the letter to the PM, each letter having a signature of nearly 250 students. Any of our members residing in New Delhi wants to be in touch with Mr.Pattanaik, please contact him on his cell or in the City International Hotel where he'd be staying. Mr Pattanaik would be visiting the MPs during his 3 days
stay in Delhi - from 24th Nov to 27th Nov.
3. Agamee Odisha members have visited and talked to Mr.J.B.Pattanaik and some of the MLAs on this issue.
4. Etv is planning to cover the issue of NIS in their prime time news on 7 pm. Mr. Subhranshu Panda who is planning this event has been told to visit http://iiser.blogspot.com and Agamee Odisha yahoogroups site to get details on this issue.
5. A peaceful/silent rally (with candle/torch) would be organized with students and senior citizens by the 1st week of December. Exact date of the event will be anounced very soon.
6. Preparations are going on for the post card campaign in colleges across the state.
With this we would request all our members to kindly come in large members to extend their help in organizing this events and keep our spirit high.
Thank you
Supriti Mishra
Agamee Odisha
Please find below the updates of the activities on the issue of NIS undertaken by Agamee Odisha and some of the immediate forth coming events.
1. Student representatives have visited the honourable members of legislative assembly and given each of them a memorandum to pursue the matter in the assembly.
2. Mr Lalit Mohan Pattanaik has been given a memorandum to the MPs and a copy of the letter to the PM, each letter having a signature of nearly 250 students. Any of our members residing in New Delhi wants to be in touch with Mr.Pattanaik, please contact him on his cell or in the City International Hotel where he'd be staying. Mr Pattanaik would be visiting the MPs during his 3 days
stay in Delhi - from 24th Nov to 27th Nov.
3. Agamee Odisha members have visited and talked to Mr.J.B.Pattanaik and some of the MLAs on this issue.
4. Etv is planning to cover the issue of NIS in their prime time news on 7 pm. Mr. Subhranshu Panda who is planning this event has been told to visit http://iiser.blogspot.com and Agamee Odisha yahoogroups site to get details on this issue.
5. A peaceful/silent rally (with candle/torch) would be organized with students and senior citizens by the 1st week of December. Exact date of the event will be anounced very soon.
6. Preparations are going on for the post card campaign in colleges across the state.
With this we would request all our members to kindly come in large members to extend their help in organizing this events and keep our spirit high.
Thank you
Supriti Mishra
Agamee Odisha
Orissa representatives have made a good start on the NIS IISER issue
The Orissa MLAs and the Orissa MPs have made a good start on the NIS IISER issue. They desreve our thanks.
But just so that we are on track, I would like to emphasize that our goal is still far away. So far the MLA's and MP's actions have resulted in good publicity in local (Bhubanewswar, Orissa) newspapers, local editions of national newspapers, and wire services.
Unfortunately, none of the national media (and national newspapers) has picked it up. In other words the rest of India does not quite know the gross injustice that has been done to Orissa. That may be neceessary before the central government feels embarassed and responsible enough to take some concrete action. I hope the MPs and MLAs have thought of actions that would lead to national media highlighting this issue.
But just so that we are on track, I would like to emphasize that our goal is still far away. So far the MLA's and MP's actions have resulted in good publicity in local (Bhubanewswar, Orissa) newspapers, local editions of national newspapers, and wire services.
Unfortunately, none of the national media (and national newspapers) has picked it up. In other words the rest of India does not quite know the gross injustice that has been done to Orissa. That may be neceessary before the central government feels embarassed and responsible enough to take some concrete action. I hope the MPs and MLAs have thought of actions that would lead to national media highlighting this issue.
Pioneer, newkerala.com and webindia123.com on the MPs protest
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov24-pioneer.pdf
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=56531
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=171607&n_date=20051124&cat=India
Orissa MPs protest shifting of science institute
New Delhi | November 24, 2005 12:15:06 PM IST
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs from Orissa Thursday went on a sit-in inside the parliament premises to protest what they alleged was regional partiality against their state.
The MPs are protesting the shifting to West Bengal of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) announced for Bhubaneswar in 2003 during the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime.
"It's regional partiality," BJD Rajya Sabha MP B.J. Panda told IANS as he and about 10 other MPs sat in protest in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the parliament complex.
... See more at.
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=56531
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=171607&n_date=20051124&cat=India
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=56531
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=171607&n_date=20051124&cat=India
Orissa MPs protest shifting of science institute
New Delhi | November 24, 2005 12:15:06 PM IST
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs from Orissa Thursday went on a sit-in inside the parliament premises to protest what they alleged was regional partiality against their state.
The MPs are protesting the shifting to West Bengal of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) announced for Bhubaneswar in 2003 during the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime.
"It's regional partiality," BJD Rajya Sabha MP B.J. Panda told IANS as he and about 10 other MPs sat in protest in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the parliament complex.
... See more at.
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=56531
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=171607&n_date=20051124&cat=India
Report from Delhi
Dear All,
Its heartening to note that our MPs are as serious about IISER issue as we are. We at Delhi met some of them yesterday and most of them we were candid to do something on this issue. Particulalrly, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan was very forthcoming and he has already initiated dialogue with other MPs and they are planning to go for a dharna today at 10.30 AM before Mahatma's statue in the Parliament vicinity. They are also going to raise the issue in the parliament. lets apreciate their role and avoid writing personal things that would hurt and divert the issue on hand.
So lets back our MPs in the earnest efforts. Some of us are trying to highlight the issue in the media. We have gone for a massive signature drive in JNU, DU, IIT, Oriya associations and together, we are doing a press relase this week.
Besides, a demonstration near parliament has been mooted as last resort, in case all these efforts in and out the Parliament go waste.
Keep the momentum and hope for the best.
Niranjan Sahoo
Its heartening to note that our MPs are as serious about IISER issue as we are. We at Delhi met some of them yesterday and most of them we were candid to do something on this issue. Particulalrly, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan was very forthcoming and he has already initiated dialogue with other MPs and they are planning to go for a dharna today at 10.30 AM before Mahatma's statue in the Parliament vicinity. They are also going to raise the issue in the parliament. lets apreciate their role and avoid writing personal things that would hurt and divert the issue on hand.
So lets back our MPs in the earnest efforts. Some of us are trying to highlight the issue in the media. We have gone for a massive signature drive in JNU, DU, IIT, Oriya associations and together, we are doing a press relase this week.
Besides, a demonstration near parliament has been mooted as last resort, in case all these efforts in and out the Parliament go waste.
Keep the momentum and hope for the best.
Niranjan Sahoo
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Samaja, Sambada, and Dharitri on the NIS issue in Orissa assembly (in Oriya)
http://www.dharitri.com/241105/story1.asp
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov23-samaja.pdf
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov24-sambada.pdf
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov23-samaja.pdf
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov24-sambada.pdf
New India Press and Telegraph on the NIS issue in Orissa assembly
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov24-newindpress.pdf
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051124/asp/jamshedpur/story_5514563.asp
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051124/asp/jamshedpur/story_5514563.asp
Update on NIS related actions in Bhubaneswar
The student convention and student leaders have done a commendable job. After the student convention called by Agami Orissa in Vani Bihar on 20th Nov'05, the students have been meeting MLAs on a daily basis in groups and submitting the resolution of 20th Nov as a part of their 5 point action plan.
Yesterday The Assemby has constituted a House Committee to take up the NIS shifting Issue with Center. Today in all leading Local daily(Samaj/Samaya...)the issue has been broadly elaborated.
It's going to be a bigger movement than Nalco Privatisation Issue. All of us must act in whatever way we can.
Odia Samaj/ Agami Odissa are certainly praisworthy in
sparking the Oriya's to take up their own cause in
unision. Odia Samaj Jindabad.
Lalit Mohan Pattnaik.
Yesterday The Assemby has constituted a House Committee to take up the NIS shifting Issue with Center. Today in all leading Local daily(Samaj/Samaya...)the issue has been broadly elaborated.
It's going to be a bigger movement than Nalco Privatisation Issue. All of us must act in whatever way we can.
Odia Samaj/ Agami Odissa are certainly praisworthy in
sparking the Oriya's to take up their own cause in
unision. Odia Samaj Jindabad.
Lalit Mohan Pattnaik.
Netizens of Orissa make assembly realise its responsibility
MPs of Orissa will demonstrate in front of parliament house
MPs of orissa will demonstrate in front of parliament house from 10 am to 11am on 24th november to press their demand , i.e NOT TO SHIFT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE FROM BHUBANESWAR TO KOLKOTA.
Jual Oram
Jual Oram
Statesman and Pioneer on the uproar in the Orissa assembly about the NIS
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov23-statesman.pdf
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov23-pioneer.pdf
http://www.baral.us/orissa/pdf/2005-nov23-pioneer.pdf
Orissa Assembly concerned over NIS shifting,set up House CommitteBhubaneswar
Orissa Assembly concerned over NIS shifting, set up House Committe
Bhubaneswar
November 23, 2005 7:43:16 PM IST
The Orissa Assembly today expressed concern over the shifting of the National Institute of Science(NIS) from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata and decided to constitute a House Committee to take up the issue.
The house committee comprising members from all political parties and headed by Speaker Maheswar Mohanty will meet the Prime Minister and Union Human Resource Development Minister in Delhi to oppose the shifting of the institute.
Orissa Assembly Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora announced the decision to constitute a house committee after members cutting across party lines demanded an all party delegation to Delhi to put pressure on the centre not to shift the NIS.
Higher Education Minister Samir Dey even in his reply to the calling attention,favoured for an all party delegation to apprise the Primer Minister and the Union Human Resource Development Minister on the issue.
He said the Chief Minister had already written three letters to the Prime Minister requesting him not to shift the NIS to Kolkata.
The state government, Mr Dey said, had already earmarked 70 acres of land for the institute.
Biju Janata Dal(BJD) members Aswani Patra, Raghunath Mohanty and Pratap Jena while participating in the debate demanded that the state government should put pressure on the UPA government not to shift the institute to Kolkata and suggested an all party delegation or House Committee to take up the issue.
Sensing the mood of the house, Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora who was on the chair said the House Committee earlier constituted to take up the development of Railways would go to Delhi on the NIS shifting issue.
But government chiefwhip Kishore Mohanty suggested a new house committee be set up for the purpose which was later accepted.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on November 11 last had stated that the shifting of the NIS would be a serious set back as the government had already selected the site for the Institute.
More at http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=170990&cat=India
Bhubaneswar
November 23, 2005 7:43:16 PM IST
The Orissa Assembly today expressed concern over the shifting of the National Institute of Science(NIS) from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata and decided to constitute a House Committee to take up the issue.
The house committee comprising members from all political parties and headed by Speaker Maheswar Mohanty will meet the Prime Minister and Union Human Resource Development Minister in Delhi to oppose the shifting of the institute.
Orissa Assembly Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora announced the decision to constitute a house committee after members cutting across party lines demanded an all party delegation to Delhi to put pressure on the centre not to shift the NIS.
Higher Education Minister Samir Dey even in his reply to the calling attention,favoured for an all party delegation to apprise the Primer Minister and the Union Human Resource Development Minister on the issue.
He said the Chief Minister had already written three letters to the Prime Minister requesting him not to shift the NIS to Kolkata.
The state government, Mr Dey said, had already earmarked 70 acres of land for the institute.
Biju Janata Dal(BJD) members Aswani Patra, Raghunath Mohanty and Pratap Jena while participating in the debate demanded that the state government should put pressure on the UPA government not to shift the institute to Kolkata and suggested an all party delegation or House Committee to take up the issue.
Sensing the mood of the house, Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora who was on the chair said the House Committee earlier constituted to take up the development of Railways would go to Delhi on the NIS shifting issue.
But government chiefwhip Kishore Mohanty suggested a new house committee be set up for the purpose which was later accepted.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on November 11 last had stated that the shifting of the NIS would be a serious set back as the government had already selected the site for the Institute.
More at http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=170990&cat=India
Orissa MP's plan regarding NIS in the upcoming parliament session (Sambada's report in Oriya)
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
We wish CM Naveen Patnaik and/or the Orissa MPs would write an op-ed piece on NIS like the following
See http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=82535
where the CM designate of Bihar writes an editorial piece titled
"When rest of India realises that it can’t let the east (Bihar) slide into
darkness".
Many of us have requested the CM of Orissa and the MPs of Orissa to write a similar op-ed piece in national newspapers in regards to the NIS issue, but to no avail so far.
where the CM designate of Bihar writes an editorial piece titled
"When rest of India realises that it can’t let the east (Bihar) slide into
darkness".
Many of us have requested the CM of Orissa and the MPs of Orissa to write a similar op-ed piece in national newspapers in regards to the NIS issue, but to no avail so far.
Addresses of PM, President, UPA Chairperson, and Planning Comission
President
DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi - 110 004
Email : presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
Fax : 011-23017290 & 011-23017824
PM
Dr. Manmohan Singh
South Block,Raisina Hill,
New Delhi, India-110011.
Telephone: 91-11-23012312.Fax: 91-11-23019545 /91-11-23016857.
email: http://pmindia.nic.in/write.htm
manmohan@sansad.nic.in
Leader of UPA
Smt. Sonia Gandhi
President:INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
24, Akbar Road,
New Delhi – 110011 ,INDIA
TEL : 91-11-23019080
FAX : 91-11-23017047
email: aicc@congress.org.in
soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in
Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission
Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission,
Government of India
Parliament Street, New Delhi – 110001 (India)
Tel.: 91-11-23096677
dch@yojana.nic.in
DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi - 110 004
Email : presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
Fax : 011-23017290 & 011-23017824
PM
Dr. Manmohan Singh
South Block,Raisina Hill,
New Delhi, India-110011.
Telephone: 91-11-23012312.Fax: 91-11-23019545 /91-11-23016857.
email: http://pmindia.nic.in/write.htm
manmohan@sansad.nic.in
Leader of UPA
Smt. Sonia Gandhi
President:INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
24, Akbar Road,
New Delhi – 110011 ,INDIA
TEL : 91-11-23019080
FAX : 91-11-23017047
email: aicc@congress.org.in
soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in
Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission
Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission,
Government of India
Parliament Street, New Delhi – 110001 (India)
Tel.: 91-11-23096677
dch@yojana.nic.in
