Gross injustice to Orissa:Announced National Inst. of Sc. in Bhubaneswar renamed & shifted

This blog chronicles a movement to correct an injustice and get an IISER to Odisha. In 12/2003, the then HRD minister and the president had announced 4 National Inst. of Sc.(NIS) at Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Pune and Allahabad. The 2004-05 announcements of IISERs at Pune and Kolkata overrode that. Thus ensued a successful movement to correct this injustice, especially with respect to Odisha.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

 

NDTV News " Protests in Orissa over shifting NIS venue"

archives

• October 2005
• November 2005
• December 2005
• January 2006
• February 2006
• March 2006
• April 2006
• May 2006
• June 2006
• July 2006
• August 2006
• August 2015

Most important Links

• * The whole issue in a booklet form (pdf, 3.37 mega bytes)
• * Glaring imbalance in HRD-NH funding: Orissa a big loser
• * Denying basic human rights to citizens of Orissa and Bihar
• * Summary: Nov'29 2005
• * The 45 page UGC document
• * Center for promoting an equitable India
• * Mentions President's formal announcement on NIS
• * July 2003 UGC letter to Utkal U
• *HRD Resource hijack by PM and FM to their constituencies and allies: you be the judge
• * Join yahoo group on NIS IISER
• * Latest News: NIS + Orissa
• * Latest News: NIS + Bhubaneswar

Quick history; journalist storylines

• * Summary: Nov'29 2005
• * Press release 1 : Subterfuge ..
• * Nov 6 convention fact sheet
• * Open letter to PM -- please send a similar letter
• * On-line petition -- please sign
• * Letter to the planning commission
• * Short Press release 1
• * Press release 2 : Bhubaneswar has all the needed attributes ...
• * Nov 6 convention resolution
• * Nov 20 all Orissa student convention press release
• * Storylines of interest for a journalist
• * www.orissalinks.com - an old archive

NIS related documents and excerpts

• * The 45 page UGC document on NIS, mentions Bhubaneswar, mentions Orissa government efforts on land acquisition
• * Local copy of the above document
• * GOI PIB - mentions Bhubaneswar
• * GOI PIB local copy
• * UGC report - mentions Bhubaneswar
• * Local copy of the above report
• * Mention of President's formal announcement on NIS (1 in Bhubaneswar)
• * Mention of President's formal announcement on setting up of 4 NIS (1 in Bhubaneswar)
• * The President's speech on 28th Dec 2003 (mentions an NIS in Bhubaneswar)
• * Official letter from UGC chair to Utkal VC -- excerpts
• * July 2003 UGC letter to Utkal U
• * CM writes to PM - 23rd Aug 05
• * CM writes to PM - 29th Sept 05
• * CM writes to PM - 11th Nov 05
• * Response in Lok sabha - Dec 20th 05
• * Response in Rajya Sabha - Dec 20th 05

The subterfuge (NIS becomes IISER -- No Bhubaneswar)

• * The first hint of subterfuge (see 3rd and 4th para from bottom)
• * Subterfuge unfolds -- Now NIS in Kolkata & Pune (see 4th para from the bottom)
• * IISER announcement - PIB report
• * IISER Cabinet approval
• * IISER is NIS renamed -- even WB CM confuses
• * IISER is NIS renamed 2 -- The Statesman confuses
• * NIS = IISER: the story (Gloating over the hijack in WB)

The Irony: PM's talk vs action

• * Sept 28 speech of PM (see last senetence)
• * Same day he approves the heist - Bhubaneswar out!
• * Speech mentioning vision of an equitable India (9th para, last but one sentence)

HRD ministry's sidelining of Orissa over the years

• * Glaring imbalance in HRD-NH funding: Orissa a big loser
• * HRD ministry organizations and institutions
• * 2004-2005 budget of the above institutions
• * 2005-2006 budget of the above institutions (see part7, sbe58)
• * Central Universities (NONE in Orissa)
• * Institutions of National importance (NONE in Orissa)
• * 2005-2006 budget of the above institutions (see part7, sbe58, sbe90)
• * Autonomous Sc. and Tech Institutions (NONE in Orissa)
• * 2004-2005 budget of the above institutions
• * 2005-2006 budget of the above institutions (see part7, sbe82)
• * HRD Tech Education part of annual report
• * HRD Univ and higher education part of annual report
• * Unequal distribution of mega-higher education institutions across India
• * HRD spends roughly 10-15 times more in WB than in Orissa
• * Request for Central university in Orissa ignored while establishing them elsewhere.
• * Shortlist of existing institutions to be upgraded to IITs (NONE in Orissa) (Regional balance out the window! Why NITs were not considered?)
• Detailed 2004-2005 budget
• Detailed 2005-2006 budget (see part 7)
• * 2006 HRD premier higher education budget analysis (spreadsheet, blatant favouritism and budget grabbing by PM and FM)
• * 2005 HRD premier higher education budget analysis (spreadsheet, anlytic paper)
• * Denying basic human rights to citizens of Orissa and Bihar: March 06 (a paper)

The protest: What can I/we do?

• * What not to do? NO rasta roko, rail roko etc. please!
• * Open letter to PM -- please send a similar letter
• * On-line petition -- please sign
• * I am an elected represetative. What should I do?
• * I am deeply concerned by this. What should I do?
• * What can our group do in Orissa?
• * What can our group in Delhi/Bangalore/Mumbai/etc. do?
• * An appeal to Oriyas -- please act
• * I am not from Orissa. Why should I care?
• * An appeal to Indians - Manoj Pradhan
• * Appeal to common citizens - Dr. Digambar Patra

Contact lists and links

• * The President, PM and Smt. Gandhi
• * SAC-PM members (pdf)
• * SAC-PM and planning commission member emails (Why didn't they ensure fairness?)
• * The Planning Commission of India
(Why did they rubberstamp the HRD ministry's proposal without looking at regional balance?)
• * Indian Media
• * News media accredited to GOI - web pages (a big list)
• * GOI site to file grievances (contact person's emails)
• * Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs
• * Orissa MPs
• * BJP MPs etc. (Hope they raise the issue in parliament and in Delhi.)
• * Orissa journalists
• * Orissa related egroups

Suggested Solutions

• * Short term: If I were the PM ...
• * A win-win solution: initial thoughts
• * A win-win solution: first draft of a proposal
• * Long term: If the PM really cared
• * New IIT designations
We hope Prof. Mungekar(member, education, planning commission)'s view -new IITs in states with no IIT or IIM-prevails.

Selected National and international media coverage

• * Hindustan Times: Nov 29th 2005
• * Hindsutan Times: Dec 14th 2005
• * Pioneer: Dec 22nd 2005
• * Hindu, Business Line: Jan 9th 2006
• * Asian Age and International Herald Tribune, Feb 12th 2006
• * Hindustan Times, Feb 14th 2006
• * Indian Express, May 26th 2006
• * Indian Express editorial page article, July 1st 2006

Selected local press coverage -- in English

• * Recent News: NIS + Orissa
• * Recent News: NIS + Bhubaneswar
• * New india Express, Aug 24 2005
• * NRO's rue shifting of NIS. Oct 10 2005.
• * Under whose spell! Oct 7 2005
• * Eminent personalities write. Oct 26 2005.
• * High court gets involved. Oct 27 2005.
• Nov 6 Convention on NIS IISER
• * Pioneer 1
• * Pioneer 2
• * webindia123.com
• * newkerala.com
• * orissamatters.com
• * Navhind Times
• * Sun Times
• High Court Stay order, Nov 9-10:
• * Business Standard
• * Times of India
• * Calcutta Telegraph
• * Statesman
• * Telegraph (quotes us)
• * Pioneer
• * news.webindia123
• * Orissamatters.com
• * CM to PM again. Nov 12 2005.
• * Nov 20 student's convention reports
• * Orissa assembly resolution and MP's protest

Selected local press coverage -- in Oriya

• * Samaja, Aug 18 2005
• * Samaja, Aug 19 2005
• * Sambada, Aug 19 2005
• * Samaja editorial, Aug 20 2005
• * Sambada, Aug 24 2005
• * Samaja, Sept 2 2005
• * Sambada, Oct 8 2005
• * Samaja, Oct 8 2005
• NOV 6 Convention on NIS IISER * Sambada
• HC stay order: Nov 9-10 * Samaja, Sambada * Dharitri * Odisha.com
• * Orissa CPI-CPI(M), Samaja, Nov 11 2005.
• * Nov 20 student's convention reports
• * Orissa assembly resolution and MP's protest

Related blogs and sites

• * Central University in KBK and other backward district clusters of India
• * Regional balance as well as academic excellence in upgrading institutions to new IITs
• * Orissa related links
• * Orissamatters.com
• * Worldorissa.com's coverage on NIS
• * Orissa Links - A central place to watch out for Orissa (coming soon)
• * A blog article about our effort

Thanks to

• http://www.blogger.com/
• Google News
• http://www.isandt.com/