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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/BHU-rated-top-university/articleshow/5094850.cms
TNN 6 October 2009, 10:14pm IST
VARANASI: Current Science, the prestigious science journal has placed Banaras Hindu University first among Indian universities for publication of highest number of research papers in the country.
According to reports of press, publication and publicity (PPP) cell, BHU, the science journal in its latest report (September 25, 2009) has ranked BHU first amongst top 25 research universities in the country with high output of publication during 10 years period (1999 to 2008).
It may be mentioned here, earlier the university was also ranked first in the country on the basis of publications, fellowship in science, awards and quality of students by the principal scientific advisor, Government of India this year.
As per varsity spokesperson, the ranking of Indian universities in Current Science has been done on the basis of their research output and quality using a new performance index. As per report, the universities that had publications of more than 1200 research papers in the last 10 years were considered for ranking.
The BHU spokesman also said, the latest rankings had shown significant improvement since 2004, when the university was placed 10th among top research institutions in the country. BHU was also ranked sixth among leading research institutions in 2008.
Interestingly, the report of science journal has given higher citations to as many as five universities in the country including University of Hyderabad, Delhi University, Jadhavpur University, Punjab University and BHU. The report has given higher value of citation per publication, higher percentage of share of papaers from international collaboration, indicating the higher quality of excellence in research in these universities.
It is also worth mentioning that acknowledging the efforts of BHU, University Grants Commission (UGC) has given the highest grant allocation of Rs 283.76 crores to BHU in its eleventh plan, in addition to OBC budget of Rs 561.25 crores.
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Current Science article:
http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/sep252009/751.pdf
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TNN 7 October 2009, 10:22pm IST
VARANASI: The Banaras Hindu University received financial approval of Rs 23.89 crore for sanctioning of DBT-BHU Interdisciplinary School of Life
Sciences for advanced research and education from the department of biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, on Wednesday.
According to BHU spokesperson, the approval came after several rounds of meetings and presentations between BHU officials and DBT in the past months. The report of Press, Publication and Publicity (PPP) cell of the university also indicated that the financial approval had been received for a period of five years.
As per report, the Interdisciplinary School of Life Sciences, BHU, would initiate advanced research and education in the field of conservation biology, disease biology, functional genomics, microbial ecology, neurobiology, reproduction biology and stress biology.
The school would also focus on some of the specialised areas, including expression and regulation of genes, biotechnological studies of pharmaceutical and medicinal plants and microbial diversity in different habitats and stressed environment.
Rector, BHU, Prof BD Singh would be the coordinator of the school while senior faculty members of faculty of science, including Prof AS Raghuvanshi, Prof AK Tripathi, Prof Rajiv Raman, Prof LC Lakhotia, Prof MK Thakur and Prof KP Rai, would be the group leaders, facilitating new scientific projects for the school.
Later, after receiving sanction of the project, vice-chancellor, BHU, Prof DP Singh said the interdisciplinary school would prove to be a milestone for BHU in competing for global higher education and research.
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TNN 8 October 2009, 10:07pm IST
VARANASI: The new building of the Centre of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Agriculture Sciences (IAS), was inaugurated at the Banaras Hindu University on Thursday.
Inaugurating the building, Chancellor, BHU, Dr Karan Singh said the centre had shown great promise in delivering world class academic programmes in less than a year. "It reflects the collective efforts of various functional units within the university and fruitation of vision of administrators," he added on the occasion.
Vice-Chancellor, BHU, Prof DP Singh said the centre would be gainfully used for pursuing academic programmes and conducting meaningful research, especially suited for eastern region of the country. He also promised that in the near future, the centre would be developed as full-fledged faculty of food and dairy science.
Earlier, advisor, department of biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, Dr Rajesh Kapur highlighted the role of DBT in the area of food and nutritional sciences while emphasising the progress of the centre.
Director, IAS, Prof SR Singh, dean Prof RP Singh, coordinator of the centre Prof Alok Jha and other senior faculty members were also present on the occasion.
Annual Conference: The 20th Annual Conference of Indian Society Of Nephrology (ISON) started at the Banaras Hindu University on Thursday.
Vice-Chancellor, BHU, Prof DP Singh inaugurated the function. Noted international nephrologist (UK) Prof AM Davison and other office bearers of ISON were also present on the occasion.
It may be mentioned here that department of Nephrology, BHU has organised the three-day programme, covering various aspects of kidney transplantation.
Seminar: The two-day national seminar on 'Right to Information (RTI) and Libraries' began at the Central Library of the Banaras Hindu University on Thursday.
Inaugurating the function, Prof SB Singh, member, executive council (EC), BHU, urged the participants to utilise RTI to curb corruption in the country.
Rector, BHU, Prof BD Singh, in-charge (Central Library) Prof DK Singh and other members were also present on the occasion.
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Naveen Kumar, TNN 26 September 2009, 10:05pm IST
VARANASI: If you want to save your heart from getting damaged, better start eliminating the risk factors early. Ignoring them might convert them
into chronic heart disease (CHD) that may be difficult to treat in the latter part of your life. They may even paralyse your normal routine activities.
This statutory warning and precautionary note has come from senior cardiologists in the region on the eve of World Heart Day (falling on Sunday) this year.
While the health experts have advocated the need for better heart care starting from childhood, life style factors, including dietary habits, are emerging as serious factors affecting the functioning of the blood pumping organ in the body.
According to Prof PK Gupta of department of cardiology, Banaras Hindu University, the dietary habits are becoming important indicator for determining the functioning of one of the most important organs in the body. Apart from genetic factors (hereditary traits), the heart diseases are fast becoming life style diseases affecting people belonging to different age groups, he adds.
As the recent reports of out-patient department (OPD) in Cardiology, BHU indicate that over 150 patients with cardiac problems are being treated on daily basis, the disease also seems to have transcended the rural and urban divide, as a number of cases are being reported from rural areas also.
The heart diseases with their manifestations are affecting people of all age groups, no matter what place they come from, says Dr Kamta Prasad, medical superintendent, DDU hospital. It starts with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in young children and adolescents (between 5-15 years) and may take the form of CHD, hypertension and cerebrovascular stroke (heart attack) in middle-aged people, he points out.
However, most of the health experts have given a strong call for change in life style and dietary habits that could minimise the risk factors to a great extent and save the heart.
According to Dr M Rai of Medicine Department, BHU, regular physical activity and judicious selection of diet can bring an amazing change in the normal functioning of the heart besides oiling it to prepare for future degeneration in later part of life. Inclusion of green vegetables and fruits and fibres in the diet can decrease the risk factors. Similarly, avoiding junk food, alcohol and tobacco consumption (cigarettes) also boosts the functioning of the heart, he concludes.
What is World Heart Day?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared September 27 as World Heart Day to create awareness about taking proper care of heart to avoid various cardiovascular diseases that have become the major killers in the world. As per WHO figures, heart diseases and stroke are the first and second leading causes of death for adult men and women in developed countries. The recent WHO projections estimate the number of patients with chronic heart disease (CHD) to cross over two million in a year in India by 2010.
Preventive measures (lifestyle and diets)
Regular physical activity
Inclusion of vegetables, fruits and fibres in the diet
Inclusion of fish and fish oils in the non-vegetarian diet
Avoiding junk foods, alcohol and tobacco consumption
Including whole grain cereals and nuts (unsalted) in the diet
(Source: Department of Cardiology, BHU)
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Binay Singh, TNN 23 September 2009, 11:03pm IST
VARANASI: While the world leaders discussed environment at the UN Climate Summit on Tuesday, at local level in India, the Banaras Hindu
University (BHU), one of the prestigious educational institutions of the country, also set a line of action for environment conservation and sustainable development.
The university is going to establish an institute of environment and sustainable development (IESD) with a mission to carry out teaching, research and extension work. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has allocated a fund of Rs 7.50 crore for its establishment. BHU vice-chancellor Prof DP Singh said the institute would impart education about sustainable development with main research priorities like global change and atmospheric pollution, natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, alternate energy resources and socio-economic and legal dimensions of sustainable development. The university has also planned to connect the IESD with the international network of environmental institutions for better output.
Besides, the university has also introduced an annual calendar of environmental activities on the campus. The students and faculty members are motivated to follow the environmental calendar to make the campus greener and conserve the environment. The BHU V-C also presented the environment calendar to President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil during her visit to the campus. Meanwhile, the university has also begun the process of developing a biodiversity park on a piece of 500 acre of land on its Rajiv Gandhi South Campus in Barkachha, Mirzapur district.
"We are working with a multi-pronged strategy, expanding our research from laboratories to the fields," said Prof BD Tripathi, the president of National Environmental Conservation Association (NECA) and coordinator of the Centre for Environmental Science and Technology (CEST), BHU. While in laboratories, the BHU scientists are trying to minimise the existing pollution in the environment and check further release of pollutants in the atmosphere, in the fields, they also involve community for maximum output for environmental conservation. "As a preventive step to minimise the impact of climate change, we are also educating rural masses about rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging by involving them in the process," said Tripathi, adding the CEST roped in villagers in rural areas for water conservation.
"The scientists are working for developing newer technologies for pollution abatement like carbon dioxide absorption, maintenance of methane and development of hydrogen energy," said Tripathi.
It may be mentioned here that the BHU has a hydrogen energy centre. During his recent visit to the university, Prof TN Veziroglu, president of International Association of Hydrogen Energy (IAHE), Florida (US), appreciated the work at the centre. He also said he would recommend the Prime Minister of India to proceed with induce industries for commercialisation of hydrogen devices like two and three wheelers and cookers developed at BHU's hydrogen energy centre and other places in the country. He also advocated that Varanasi should be declared a Hydrogen City where hydrogen would be introduced in a phased manner, to replace fossil fuel petroleum. According to him, hydrogen energy research and development efforts at several universities and institutes of India, including BHU, are in advanced stage. Hydrogen is climate friendly and it forms the ultimate solution to climate change. He also took a ride around the campus on hydrogen fuelled three- wheeler developed by BHU centre under the guidance of Prof ON Srivastava, the principal investigator and coordinator of Hydrogen Energy Centre.
"With these activities, it can be said the BHU is contributing in a significant way for environment conservation by addressing factors responsible for global warming and climate change," maintained Tripathi.
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http://www.buffalo.edu/news/10443
Release Date: September 15, 2009
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Asian Studies Program at the University at Buffalo has received a two-year, $172,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to expand the university's undergraduate course offerings, academic exchanges and events related to South Asia.
The university will use Department of Education funding to hire a new professor of South Asian Languages and Literature, expand its course offerings in the Hindi language, add Urdu to the curriculum (Urdu is a national language of Pakistan and an officially recognized language of India), provide scholarships for study abroad in India and organize performances and lectures about this economically and strategically important region of the world.
"The Department of Education grant is very good news for our efforts to strengthen South Asian Studies at UB," said Stephen Dunnett, vice provost for international education. "It will allow the Asian Studies Program to take great advantage of the strategic institutional partnerships we have developed in India, most notably with Banaras Hindu University, which can offer our students and faculty many opportunities for research and education about Indian history and culture."
The project will include an opportunity for up to 10 current professors to study and travel to India so they can add South Asia content to existing undergraduate courses or develop new undergraduate courses on the region.
Kristin Stapleton, director of Asian studies, noted that the study tour will give UB faculty members a chance to experience Indian life and learn more about UB's partner schools. "We expect the faculty participants to return home from the study tour with a host of new ideas for incorporating South Asian material into their courses," she said.
The inaugural event of the new South Asia initiative will be a performance by Rhythm of Rajasthan in the Mainstage Theatre in UB's Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 27. The ensemble, with acclaimed dancer Sua Devi, will perform folk music from the Great Thar Desert in the Indian State of Rajasthan, featuring percussion, Sufi songs, bowed lute and double flute. Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 for students. A limited number of free tickets are available for UB undergraduates enrolled in Asian Studies courses.
The courses and programs on South Asia will be developed under the auspices of UB's new South Asia Institute, which the university plans to establish through a combination of government, foundation, corporate and individual contributions. The fundraising effort will be under the direction of UB Provost Satish Tripathi, a graduate of Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.
With the new faculty positions, courses and programs proposed in the current funding request, UB will be able to include South Asia -- alongside China, Japan, and Korea -- as an area of focus for undergraduates majoring in Asian Studies. The new undergraduate classes will also be of value to majors in other departments who would like to increase their knowledge of South Asia for career or personal reasons.
The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.
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http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Pre_placement_offers_come_raining_down_on_IITs-nid-61822.html
By siliconindia news bureau
Wednesday, 07 October 2009, 02:34 hrs
Bangalore: Even before the placement season starts in December, India's premier engineering colleges- IITs are already receiving good pre-placement offers (PPOs). All the seven IITs have seen a jump in PPOs, the job offers made to students after summer internships and before campus placements.
In the current year, all IITs have witnessed a jump in pre-placement offers (PPOs), or job offers made to students after summer internships and before campus placements, as Indian corporates have started hiring in big numbers buoyed by a revival in the economy, reports Economic Times.
"Things are better this year and we even see a 10-20 percent increase in average salaries," says Prof PK Jain who is takes care of campus placements at IIT-Roorkee.
The graduates can expect a 10-20 percent salary hike from last year when the average offers saw a 30 percent drop to around Rs. 6 lakh as the global recession and a slowing economy forced many recruiters to shelve expansion plans and cut expenses. This year, a number of companies have already drawn up plans to recruit from the top tech schools.
The state owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is planning to hire 300 students from IITs and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), according to R C Srivastava, Director, Human Resources. The salary on offer will increase around 70 percent to Rs. 10 lakh on the basis of revised pay scales on Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.
As many state owned companies have shown interest, IITs also expects big recruiters such as Larsen & Toubro, Gas Authority of India, Tata Motors, Oracle, JP Morgan and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), who on an average pick 10-15 students to return this placement season.
The hiring in MNCs in the last placement season from IITs went down to 1,606 from 3,031, according to the Ministry of Human Resource and Development. The technology companies like IBM, consultants KPMG, McKinsey, BCG and Ersnt &Young are expected back on hiring this year.
The world's largest oilfield services provider Schlumberger, which gave the highest package of $100,000 last year is also expected.
Adobe Systems will hire 4-5 graduates from each of the seven IITs, while finance companies Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank have already made some offered.
IIT-Kharagpur has received around 15-20 PPOs and expects the number to touch 40. IIT-Madras has cornered around 25 PPOs. IIT-Guwahati has 20 has seven more expected, while IIT-Roorkee expects its PPOs to touch last year's mark of 35. IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kanpur have less than 10 and five PPOs respectively.
The schools are ensuring high participation in the placement season by inviting more companies and improving facilities. "We are trying every bit not to let go of the opportunity this time," said Prof Jain, IIT-Roorkee.
IIT-Kharagpur is adding 10 new interview chambers to the figure of existing 40 and a similar figure of guest houses. The students' call centre team has called 1,000 companies as compared to 500 last year. IIT-Madras has added 300 more to last year's list of 500, IIT-Roorkee will call on 1,500 recruiters, up from 1,000 last year.
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http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/report_iit-b-goes-on-global-search-for-faculty_1291481
Mihika Basu / DNA
Saturday, September 19, 2009 9:56 IST
The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, plans to conduct a faculty recruitment drive in Chicago, Illinois, next month as part of its Faculty Alumni Network (FAN) 2009 event. The event is being held on October 11 and 12 in conjunction with PanIIT 2009.
The candidates will be interviewed in Chicago for the post of assistant professor in all departments, centres, and schools of the institute. The faculty and deans of IIT Bombay will interview and make offers to qualified candidates.
"This is the third time we are conducting such an event," said AQ Contractor, dean of alumni and corporate relations. "This kind of recruitment process makes a big difference as it shows we are aggressively going out and looking for the right people. Besides, such an initiative gives candidates the opportunity to meet and network with IIT Bombay's faculty and get a feel of the institute."
Contractor said areas were identified and departments announced their requirements, which were circulated among the IIT Bombay alumni abroad, who are part of FAN, so that they could help to identify prospective candidates. The respective departments then gave feedback based on their assessment of the applications received.
"In the previous two events, around 20 people were recruited as faculty," said AK Suresh, dean of faculty. "We have received 65 applications this time, of which 15 have been shortlisted."
Suresh said IIT Bombay has 470 faculty members and wants to recruit 380 more in the next three to four years. "The candidates have applied from universities across the US, which shows that people are very interested in IITs," he said. "It also shows that people want to come back to India. We do get lots of inquiries otherwise from people who wish to return back."
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http://www.livemint.com/2009/09/17224752/Faculty-pay-for-IITs-IIMs-at.html
Posted: Thu, Sep 17 2009. 10:47 PM IST
The teaching staff at the IITs however complain that the order doesn’t address their key concerns relating to issues of autonomy
Pallavi Singh
New Delhi: The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), whose teachers went on a mass casual leave last month to protest the Union government’s notification on their salary structure, have now received a revised notification enhancing compensation of its teachers at the entry level.
In the notification issued on Wednesday by the ministry of human resource development, which oversses education, all the posts of lecturers-cum post-doctoral fellows have been redesignated as assistant professors to be filled up on contractual basis.
The assistant professors in the IITs, Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) will also move to a payscale of Rs37,400-67,000 per month after completion of three years of service, with an academic grade pay of Rs9,000 per month, with designations remaining the same.
The ministry order also stipulates a “PhD degree with first class in the preceding degree” as the academic qualification for post of assistant professors, associate professors and professors and a minimum of 10 years experinece for post of professors with four years as assistant professors at the IITs, IIMs, IISc, NITIE Mumbai and IISERs.
Faculty at the IITs however complain that the order doesn’t address their key concerns relating to issues of autonomy. “The order addresses issues relating to lecturers’ cadres and salaries at entry level. However, it doesn’t really do much for the diluted assistant grade pay as was proposed in the Govardhan Mehta committee,” S.S. Murthy, chairman, IIT-Delhi faculty association, said.
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TNN 18 September 2009, 04:54am IST
MUMBAI: Tweaking the original notification, HRD ministry has come up with a second version of payscales for staff and faculty of centrally-funded institutes. As per the new rules, lecturers won’t be part of the regular faculty cadre in these institutes.
The notification restored earlier practice of allowing central institutes to appoint post-doctoral fellows as assistant professors, however only on contract basis. IIT and IIM faculty, not very ‘excited’ about the development, picked problems with points ‘detrimental for institution building’.
"It is very difficult to attract bright people to the teaching profession. The IITs have always had the freedom to decide whether someone should be appointed on contractual basis or taken in as permanent staff," said Bharat Seth, president of the IIT-Bombay faculty federation.
Moreover, staff across central institutes wants to hold on to the freedom they have enjoyed in having a flexible cadre. However, the ministry prescribes the percentage of people that each campus must have at every level. For instance, the notification stipulates that 10% faculty must be of assistant professors and a maximum of 40% professors can be promoted to senior grade depending on their performance.
S S Murthy, president of the All India IIT Faculty Federation, told agencies that such a cap was "illogical".
Scholastic pay, on par with allowance given to scientists in all government research bodies, was demanded by faculty from across IITs, IIMs and IISc. The new HRD notification is silent on that issue.
One of the amendments though has been the HRD ministry’s decision to allow assistant professor to move from pay band three to a higher salary, a clause that was not permitted earlier.
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http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090918/jsp/nation/story_11511670.jsp
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI
IIT Rajasthan students in a classroom
New Delhi, Sept. 17: A tussle between Congress leaders is depriving IIT Rajasthan of a permanent home two years after its conception, replacing an earlier battle the party waged over the institute with the BJP when it ruled the state.
Coaching hub Kota, proposed by the former BJP state government as the venue for the IIT but dismissed by the UPA at the Centre, has now found powerful supporters within the Congress, The Telegraph has learnt.
IIT Rajasthan students in a classroom
The reason behind their demand: they had promised Kota an IIT in the Lok Sabha elections.
The problem: others in the Congress had campaigned on bringing the same IIT to Jodhpur, home of current chief minister Ashok Gehlot.
The Congress won in both Kota and Jodhpur seats in the Lok Sabha polls and is well ensconced in Rajasthan, where it is also in power.
IIT Rajasthan, launched last year, however, continues to reside as a tenant on the IIT Kanpur campus.
“It is a strange situation where we don’t know how to proceed. So we are likely to just sit on any decision for the time being,” a top government official said.
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has, in his capacity as party general secretary, written to human resource development minister Kapil Sibal, requesting that the new IIT be set up in Kota.
Digvijay was a Congress observer for Rajasthan during the Lok Sabha polls and his letter represents concerns of several party MPs and MLAs from the southern parts of the state, sources said.
Kota MP Ijyaraj Singh, too, has met junior HRD minister D. Purandeswari, requesting that the IIT be set up in his constituency.
But accepting Kota as the venue for the new IIT will not prove easy for the HRD ministry, sources said, because of a clear position it had earlier taken against the town’s eligibility.
The Rajasthan IIT is one of eight promised by the UPA under the Eleventh Five Year Plan and was announced in 2007. Vasundhara Raje Scindia, who was then chief minister, proposed Kota, the nearest big town to her family fief in Jhalawar, as the venue.
But a central team sent to examine prospective sites advised against Kota, arguing that it was poorly connected and would not attract top teachers, students and industry.
Scindia accused then HRD minister Arjun Singh of “playing politics” over the IIT’s location. Last December, after the Congress wrested Rajasthan from the BJP in the Assembly polls, new chief minister Gehlot appointed a team to propose afresh a venue for the new institute.
The Gehlot-appointed panel recommended Jodhpur, the chief minister’s hometown.
In the Lok Sabha polls that followed a few months later, the Congress campaign for party candidate Chandresh Kumari in Jodhpur promised the IIT to the city.
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a) IIT’s To Take 600 Courses Online By 2011!
http://www.watblog.com/2009/10/09/iits-to-take-600-courses-online-by-2011/
b) Sibal show of flexibility ends IIT impasse
c) IITs, IIMs may camp on foreign shores, indicates HRD
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/iits-iims-may-campforeign-shores-indicates-hrd/371438/
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http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/62485/Top%20Stories/Will+common+entrance+spell+exam+blues%27+exit?.html
Neha Tara Mehta
New Delhi, September 19, 2009
Call it the agony of impending adulthood. Raghav Anand, a Class XII science student at Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan, finds no time to socialise or unwind on the playfield. He has given up his mobile phone connection and gone off Facebook and Orkut.
For the last two years, Anand's life has been an unending series of trips to the coaching centre to prepare for a procession of engineering entrance exams - IIT- JEE and AIEEE as well as the BITS Pilani and Delhi Technical University tests. It doesn't make matters any easier that the exams will descend upon him like an avalanche right after he has finished taking his Board exams.
For thousands of students like Anand, trapped in the vortex of multiple entrance exams, the recent announcement at the India Today State of the States Conclave by Union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal of a common entrance test for science students within the next three years will come as a huge relief.
But it denies a number of students, especially those taking the multiple law entrance exams, the straw of hope of a unified assessment process.
Moreover, it doesn't address the root cause of the multiplicity of entrance examinations.
With an average application form for an entrance exam costing Rs 1,000, give or take a few hundred, and with the number of aspirants hovering around 2.5- 3 lakh for every major exam, there's a lot of money to be made in the testing process.
This year, more than 3,80,000 students took the IIT- JEE, and only a little over 10,000 made it to the final list. Over 2,70,000 students took the Common Admission Test (CAT) for the 1,500 seats up for grabs at the IIMs.
Even for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), which is not as popular as the IIT- JEE, the number of aspirants in 2009 - 15,000 - was substantially higher than the 11,000 who took the test in 2008, its first year.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
With the painfully high rejection rate, students are left with no choice but to take a slew of entrance tests, each of them following a different pattern and requiring a different set of skills.
Hence, the growing demand for a unified testing system, on the lines of the SAT/ GRE/ GMAT format, to combat the existing confusion.
Today, as many as 30 major engineering entrance tests are being conducted around the country (and a student, on an average, takes five or six of them); medical colleges have 33 of them going, including the all- India pre- medical test of the CBSE; and management institutes have 38 of them, including CAT. "With a unified exam system, students won't need to work on different parameters for different entrance tests," says child and adolescent psychiatrist Amit Sen, who has seen several cases of complete burnout in students after their Class XII exams.
"Multiple entrance exams devalue the more broad- based Class XII curriculum. It is as if bright, ambitious children who have defined their career path need not take Board exams seriously," says Shalini Advani, director of education, Learn Today.
As students spend day and night flitting between coaching centres, it's a case of a rude awakening.
Says education consultant Abha Adams, "Students miss out on leadership opportunities and extra- curricular activities." With each entrance test using a different yardstick for assessment, students are left trying to shift goal posts all the time and negotiate their time. "Some need medication because of depression and anxiety," says Sen.
Matters don't get better for final year college students either, with the ghost of multiple competitive exams looming over college exams. Kanika Aggarwal Khandelwal, head of the department of psychology at Lady Shri Ram College, says: "A lot of times, students take competitive exams because of peer pressure. They find it harder to cope with stress."
HIGH COST, HIGHER STRESS
The complicated process means students are always on tenterhooks.
"Even if you have done well in one exam, you are continually stressed. And if you haven't done well, there is additional stress for the next test," says Arindam Lahiri, director (academics), Career Launcher.
Different coaching institutes offer different sets of skills, so "students may end up going to two to three different centres," says Adams. Parents are left with no choice but to pay through their nose. An engineering aspirant typically spends at least Rs 90,000 for a two- year coaching programme.
MBA aspirants spend about Rs 24,000 for a programme that could stretch from six to 18 months. "It's nothing but a money- making exercise," says Usha Ram, principal of Laxman Public School, and the former chairperson of the National Progressive Schools Conference.
There's also the burden of fees.
An engineering aspirant may spend about Rs 7,000- Rs 10,000 on just filing up forms; MBA candidates may spend Rs 7,000. "The CAT has been a huge source of revenue. That's how B- schools see entrance tests," says Ulhas Vairagkar, director of TIME, a popular MBA coaching institute.
The unified system already seems to work in the case of law courses, although CLAT scores are accepted only in seven top law schools in India. But even the little progress has helped make students more focused, reduced their stress levels and monetary outflow, says Lahiri.
"Before CLAT, law aspirants had to take six to seven entrance test on an average. The CLAT has brought this number down to three to four," Lahiri adds.
BETTER WAY FORWARD
Not everybody, however, is convinced of the efficacy of a unified system in bringing down stress levels. Says Arun Kapur, director of Vasant Valley School: "There is a mismatch between the number of students seeking admission to various professional colleges and that of the seats available. In this situation, I doubt we'll ever be able to get rid of stress." Meera Ramachandran, principal of Gargi College, pitches for an active role of parents and teachers in counselling students on coping with stress.
Some academicians say the unified system may cause more stress because a lot will be riding on just one test. "At least with the present system, students have the opportunity of taking another exam if they don't do well in one," says Vairagkar of TIME. Perhaps Sibal, who has taken to composing poems on "detraumatising students", would do well to think through his pronouncements and set the ball of entrance test reforms rolling.
Courtesy: Mail Today
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BANGALORE: There's good news for students who want to pursue science after standard 12 or PUC: 100 years after it was established, in a historic decision, IISc has decided to launch an under-graduate programme in science. It has tentatively planned to offer a four-year Bachelor in Science (BS) degree from academic year 2011.
IISc Bangalore
The BS degree will be unique as it will combine fundamental science with training in engineering subjects a BS student has to compulsorily take engineering courses so that avenues are open to students in terms of job prospects as well as further studies in engineering apart from continuing in basic science itself.
This decision on BS comes after two years of discussion and debate and assessment of its pros and cons. The Council, IISc's highest decision making body, recently approved it.
Three top science academies in India, including the Indian Academy of Sciences and Indian National Science Academy, were among the early promoters of the Bachelors in Science idea. The academies have felt that an undergraduate programme at the most prestigious science institution in India would excite students and enhance interest in science.
What's in store
The BS over eight semesters will be offered in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and materials science and students can choose the engineering courses from electrical, mechanical, civil and computer science. The first three semesters will have common courses, the fourth will have engineering courses and fifth to eight will be the chosen specialisation.
"An interesting feature of the BS is a student specialising in physics can take, say, 70% of physics and combine it with 30% of biology or chemistry and a chemistry student can specialise in 70% of chemistry and opt for 30% physics. The plan is to make BS flexible to give students lot of options,'' an IISc professor in charge of academic affairs, said.
Intake of 100 to 125 students for the BS is being planned so that the addition to the existing 2,500 students is about 500 over four years. The BS is being structured in such a way that the student gets into PhD directly without having to do an MS or MSc. "The BS will have a strong research orientation as we would be very excited to have students pursuing PhD in basic sciences which will be helpful to the cause of science in general. The under-graduate programme will be geared to create interest in higher studies and research. The programme will be similar to the ones at California Institute of Technology and Harvard.''
Professors said the BS is being introduced also because: "Experimental under-grad programmes are very few. Students should know where they are heading in science after four years. We hope to excite students into higher research in science.''
Modalities
* Professors working out manner in which students would be admitted to BS
* As IISc is a member of IIT-JEE, one possibility is take students through JEE based on their ranking and performance
* Another option could be to have entrance test
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Introduction
A coffee-table book on Pandit Madan Mohan MalaviyaJi is published by Mahamana MalaviyaJi Trust, Bangalore, on the 148th birth anniversary of MalaviyaJi. The book has been authored by SK Maini, K Chandramouli and Vishwanath Pandey.
Following is the introduction about the book (titled “Visionary of Modern India- Madan Mohan Malaviya”) provided by Sr. S K Maini, Managing Trustee of Mahamana MalaviyaJi Trust, Bangalore.
The brochure of the book can be viewed by clicking here. Final brochure 28 07.pdf
Message from Dr. S K Maini, Managing Trustee
I am happy to inform you that the Mahamana Malaviyaji Trust is all set to release a brief biography of Malaviyaji on 25th December 2009, the day of his 148th birth anniversary. The book will be released by a dignitary of national level during the 4th International Alumni Meet to be held in BHU, Varanasi from 25th December 2009. The book is unique and in just a couple of hours it gives a comprehensive idea of the great visionary and his valuable contributions in building Modern India. I now send you a brochure which gives a glimpse of the forthcoming book.
A person of your stature would appreciate Malaviyaji’s visionary zeal and his holistic approach in realising his dreams. You may also like the dynamic younger generation around you to understand and imbibe Malaviyaji’s value systems and carry on his rich legacy for building the twenty first century India of progress and values. To serve your lofty idea, a special cover of the book could carry your message and your name (or signature) on the blurb to enable you to send the book as a compliment by you / the Group / Company to others. For this you have to order for more than 100 books. You may please arrange to send a specimen fir the back cover.
You may like to contact all your BHU friends specially those who are doing well in business and who may like to distribute this book on Malaviya ji. You may also think of some Educational Institutions where you have influence and talk to the Managing Committees persuading them to buy a number of copies for their libraries.
While the price of the book is Rs.795/-, the pre-publication price is Rs. 650/- and for orders of 10 books and above the price is Rs. 600/-.
I sincerely hope you would consider this proposal and inform us before 31st October 2009 so that suitable action could be taken well in advance.
The amount can be sent by Cheque or DD or remitted by money transfer to our Mahamana Malaviyaji Trust, Account No. 071-559520-001 and IFSC code : HSBC0560002. The details can be intimated through letter or email giving full reference of transaction.
Looking forward for your positive response,
With best wishes from,
Dr. S. K. Maini (Mechanical 1954)
Email: skmaini@airtelmail.in
Managing Trustee
Bangalore
Trustees
* Shri K.K. Nohria (Electrical 1954)
(Retired as Chairman & Managing Director of Crompton Greaves)
Mumbai
* Shri G.S. Agarwal
Mumbai
General Editors
* Shri K. Chandramouli
* Dr. Vishwanath Pandey
* Dr. D.P. Maini
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Dr. SUDARSHAN K. MAINI-Biography
Sudarshan K. Maini is the Founder of Maini Group of Industries (started in 1973), manufacturers of India’s first electric car - REVA. Before starting Maini Group, Sudarshan Maini was the first Indian to take over MICO-BOSCH factory’s production management from a German Executive in 1968.
Loughborough University honoured him with a degree of Doctorate in Technology for his contribution to Industry in India in 2006.
He was also honoured ‘Instrumentation Society of India (ISOI)’ Award in recognition of his contribution to the development of Environment friendly automotive equipment and leadership in building institutions.
Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University conferred on Dr. SK. Maini as distinguished Alumnus Award in recognition to his Epoch Making Contribution to the Field of Propagation of Mahamana’s Ideals in 2009.
Associates of IT-BHU Alumni, Delhi conferred the distinguished IT-BHU Alumni Life Time Achievement Award 2009.
Dr. Maini is the Patron of Indian Institution of Production Engineers (India), Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India), and Fellow of Institution of Electrical Engineers (UK). He was awarded in 2004 Distinguished Fellowship of the Institute of Directors.
A firm believer of Indian ethos, values, culture and traditions, Dr. Maini is deeply interested in human resource development, entrepreneurship, quality, productivity, technology and innovation, environment, competitive manufacturing and management education.
Improving the environment and improving the living conditions of Bangalore, helping rural upliftment inlcuding education in villages and inculcating values amongst the urban youth are his major interests.
Maini Samaj Kalyan Kendra built schools in the Lakkenahalli village, & Govenahalli, Bangalore and is currently organizing cleaning of the children’s park in Bangalore.
Dr. Maini is the Managing Trustee of Gramothan Foundation with an objective to improve the quality of life by eliminating the poor from rural India in the shortest possible time.
Dr. Maini started the ‘The Environment Foundation’ to promote the Environmental activities for enriching the ‘Natural Capital’. He has also been organizing ‘The Maini – Loughborough Environmental Seminar’ since 2007 wherein the Professors come from Loughborough University, UK for delivering the lectures.
He is the Patron of ‘Friends of Tribals Society’ and a Member on the Board of Trustees of Ekal Vidyalaya Movement – Both these organizations collectively run 30,000 single Teacher Schools in Remote Villages of India.
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Mahamana Malaviya Ji Trust
Mahamana Malaviya ji Trust was formed in October 2007. The attached Brochure on Mahamana Malaviya ji gives the aims and objectives of the Trust. Dr. Maini can also be directly contacted by email.
The brochure of Mahamana Malaviya Ji Trust is attached here.
MMMji Trust Brochure.pdf We discussed about Malaviya ji with various people and found that there were very few people who knew about Malaviya ji. The idea of bringing out a ‘Coffee Table Book’ on Malaviya ji then came, so that elite / eminent people in India and abroad will have more information about relevance of his views and achievements.
Name of the publisher: Roli Books
No. of Pages: 175 Pages
No. of copies: 3000
The book can be brought from the publisher also other than the Trust.
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About Maini Group (by S. K. Maini)
Maini Group was started by me in 1973 also manufactures the first electric car in India called Reva. It is currently the world’s largest manufacturing electric car.
Over 3000 cars of which are already running in more than 20 countries – over 1000 only in London.
Two new models of Reva cars were displayed on 16th September 2009 at the famous – Frankfurt Motor show.
You can click the following link to view the unveiling ceremony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F3Ikqp6UKA.
General Motors in India have joined hands with Reva Car Co. and will transfer technology for electrifying their model SPARK. General Motors will also distribute Reva cars in India through their distributors.
Sudarshan Maini
Founder, Maini Group
‘Maini Sadan’, No. 38
7th Cross, Lavelle Road
Bangalore – 560 001
Tel: 080-40723800
Email: skmaini@airtelmail.in
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Biography on MM Malaviya
TNN 1 October 2009, 11:39pm IST
VARANASI: The Mahamana Malaviyaji Trust is all set to release a pictorial biography of Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu
University (BHU), on December 25. It is the day of the beginning of his 150th year-long Jayanti celebrations. The book has been authored by SK Maini, K Chandramouli and Vishwanath Pandey.
According to Pandey, the public relations officer and officer on special duty (publications), BHU, the book is unique and it gives a comprehensive idea of the great visionary and his valuable contributions in building modern India.
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Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi 221005, UP