Archive for January, 2010
Odisha Govt. accorded status of ‘Dental College and Hospital’ to the dental wing at SCB Medical College; PG seats in Govt medical colleges to be increased
Following is a report from The Pioneer:
The Centre has given its nod to the State’s demand to increase the number of seats in the three Government medical colleges. As per the announcement, the number of seats in PG (Post Graduates) and specialist courses has been increased.
While 76 seats will be added to the existing the strength in PG courses, eight seats will be added in the specialist courses. In PG course, 36 seats will be added in SCB Medical College, 36 seats in VSS Medical College, Burla and 20 seats in MKCG Medical College Berhampur.
Similarly, eight seats will be added in the specialist courses in the SCB Medical College, Cuttack. Admission in the increased seats will come into effect from 2010-11 session. In another development, the Government accorded the status of ‘Dental College and Hospital’ to the existing dental wing at SCB.
EU funded Indian Centre for Contemporary Research established in Poland
Following is a report from IANS published in The Hindu:
An Indian Centre for Contemporary Research has been set up by the European Union at Warsaw University to cater to a growing interest in India in Europe.
“The centre will meet the demands of the students from Central and East European countries and it will act as a bridge between Indian universities, particularly Jawaharlal Nehru University and Central University of Hyderabad, along with other EU funded centres in the European Union countries,” said Marie-Theresa Duffy Hausler, the representative of EU in Poland.
“This new baby has to be properly nourished and let us make him healthy so that it could be a model for other EU funded institutions,” she added.
“We are honoured that the EU commission has selected Warsaw University for its pioneer step to promote understanding between EU and India in the educational field. The centre will take up a Masters Course on Indian Studies shortly and that too in English language so that it could meet the requirements of EU students,” said Pawel Wajczehowski, Poland’s vice minister for foreign affairs.
“It is a great day for India that EU has given a proper status to the emerging power of India. There is no doubt India has progressed tremendously well in the last 15 years and the profile of India deserves a better understanding of India, rather than an old exotic India label in European Union countries,” said Rajesh Vashenav, the Indian charge d’affaires at the inauguration ceremony at the Senate Hall of the university.
“We in our Hyderabad University will give a big support to the newly established centre. We are ready to host the first joint seminar in January 2011,” said Prakash Sarangi, pro-vice chancellor of the University of Hyderabad, who was invited to the ceremony.
There was a big competition among the EU countries to establish an Indian Studies Centre but the EU Commission selected Poland and Denmark among 27 countries. The centre will get specialists from other European countries along with teachers from India.
Indian govt team visiting mining site of Niyamgiri hills to probe land grab charge against Vedanta
Following is a report by IANS published in Yahoo India News:
Bhubaneswar, Jan 30 (IANS) A central team is visiting a mining site in Orissa’s Niyamgiri hills to probe the allegation against British mining major Vedanta that it had grabbed forest land, officials said Saturday.
The union ministry of environment and forests team, led by senior official Usha Ramnath, visited Niyamgiri hill in the district of Kalahandi and inspected the site to find out if the mining major has flouted government guidelines, district collector R. Santhanagopalan told IANS.
The two-member team that arrived in the state Thursday is expected to hold discussions with local tribals and officials before departing for New Delhi Monday, he said.
It is the second union forest and environment ministry team to visit the site in the past one month in the wake of allegations that the company had carried out construction work on government land in violation of ministry guidelines.
Vedanta Alumina, part of the Anil Agarwal-promoted Vedanta Resources Plc, has built an alumina refinery at an investment of $800 million at the foot of the Niyamgiri hills, where production has already started.
The firm, which is currently sourcing bauxite from other states at market rates, said mining permission in the hills was essential for it to reduce cost of production.
The project to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri hills – held sacred by the locals and awaiting central nod – has been vehemently opposed by residents and social activists.
A state investigating team had conducted a probe in November in the same site, some 600 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, and said it did not find any illegal construction activities by the company.
‘The construction was done in non-forest area which the government has already handed over to the firm, and it is not unlawful,’ Santhanagopalan, who had led the state government team, said.
‘There was no construction by the firm either found in the mining lease area or outside of the plant area,’ he said.
The union forest and environment ministry teams have however not revealed their findings.
Faculties from Kota (Rajasthan) to open IIT study centre in Bhubaneswar
Following is a report from The Pioneer:
In a bid to enable more students from Odisha to qualify for the IIT and JEE entrance, ABLES Educations, Kota (Rajasthan) has decided to open its study centre in the capital. It would be its first centre in eastern India. Worthwhile to mention, Kota is famous for producing highest number of IITians in the country.
Addressing a Press conference here, Head Operations, ABLES Education Shiv Prakash Vijay said with his 28 high quality centres across the country, the institute has been able to help a number of students to qualify the tough examinations like IIT, AIEEE and medical test. “Around 30 per cent of our total faculties are from IIT back ground,” he said, adding that it selects its faculty and teachers through all -India recruitment programmes with preference for IIT and NIT graduates.
“Out of the totally 8,000 qualified for the IIT, 12 per cent are from our institutes,” he said, adding that there are regular tests for students like daily tests, simulator test and online test. “Bhubaneswar has the potential to become Kota of the East,” he added.
He further said one student has to pay Rs 50,000 to Rs 55,000 for the enrollment in the Bhubaneswar institute. Academic Director, ABLES Education Dr Bijoya Mishra said the new centre would function from April. “We have not yet decided the location of the centre,” she said, adding that all the faculties of the centre would come from Kota.
Senior Faculty members Venkar Panikiran, Rajat Gupta, eminent educationist Prof Priyambada Hejmadi were present on the occasion.
Ignace Tirkey among six sportspersons for Padma Shri
Following is a report by IANS published in Yahoo:
New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Six sportspersons got Padma Shri in the Republic Day honours list announced by the government Monday.
The winners were Ignace Tirkey (hockey), Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan (motor sports), Ramakant Vithal Achrekar (cricket), Saina Nehwal (badminton), Vijender Singh (boxing) and Virender Sehwag (cricket).
Kosal Discussion and Development Forum 