Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 27, 2007
FORMING STUDENTS unions in private engineering colleges in the state is a strict no-no but the scenario will change if chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has his way.
Speaking at a rally of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Bhattacharjee said: “There should be students’ representation in the administration of all private engineering colleges in the state. I will take steps to make it happen.”
The 58 private engineering colleges, which are affiliated with the West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT), does not have any provision for students’ representation in its governing body. The WBUT too does not have any such provision.
“The act that led to the formation of the university does not have any provision to allow students’ representation in the executive council or in the governing body of affiliated colleges. To make that happen, the Assembly will have to amend the act,” said A. R. Thakur, WBUT vice-chancellor.
Apart from the WBUT, the National University of Juridical Sciences, Health University and Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur does not have any provision for students’ representation in its executive council, which the state now wants to amend.
“Calcutta University, Jadavpur University and all other state universities have students’ representation in its administration. None of them have been harmed by it. On the contrary, it has been a big help. We are open to it,” said Thakur.
The union move has been a long-time demand of the SFI. “We feel that all education institutions must have democratic environment for both students and teachers. However, that is not the case with private engineering colleges. The administration should understand that the institution belongs to the students too,” said Sudip Sengupta, state president of SFI.
With students’ representation missing in private engineering colleges, they do not have any forum to voice their opinion or register complaints. “Absence of students’ representation makes the administration-student relation similar to that between an owner and a labourer. The students cannot raise their voice about infrastructure problem or any other issue. In case they do so they face disciplinary action. Why should they tolerate this injustice,” asked Sengupta.
The SFI leadership said students’ union has its positive effect. “We often hear of students ransacking private engineering colleges to protest against lack of infrastructure. If there is a union the students will become more responsible and restrained. They will learn how to address an issue and the college administration too will understand what students want,” said Sengupta.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Boardroom turns into stage for budding managers
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 18
What has management got to do with theatre? Well if the students of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIMC) is to be believed, theatre would help them to become better managers!
The IIMC organised a drama workshop “A Journey into Theatre” by Nandikar between September 15 and 17. Stalwarts like Rudraprasad Sengupta, Goutam Halder, Debshanker Halder and Swatilekha Sengupta conducted the workshop. About 45 first year students participated.
Explaining how the workshop would help students, Shipra Sinha, president of the IIMC dramatics cell, said, “Management is about understanding people, getting into their heads, and then empathising with them. Management is a lot about theatre. While you are acting you become some one else. The workshop has helped us to understand others. Theatre also helps us to improve our presentation skill.”
The workshop began with a dance sequence choreographed by Goutam Halder. The sequence was an assembly of over twenty 15 second routines assembled to form a medley. Singing and acting classes followed this routine. The students felt that the workshop would help them to become a team person. “Dance sequence needs team work and cooperation. We were divided into groups and moved as one unit. We realised how to teamwork functions and what happens if a group of people work together to achieve a goal,” said Sinha.
Theatre is also about being bold or even fearless at times. Rudraprasad told students, “Theatre is life.” With subjects such as organisational behaviour in their course, students who took part in the workshop felt the workshop would be useful for them.
“The pauses between sentences that one performs on stage, is like a conversation at the workplace. Communication, that is so vital to employees as a whole, is the fulcrum around which theatre revolves. Communication here is not restricted to the spoken word only. It is about that stare the actor gives his fellow artiste, which one often could get from the boss. It is all about articulating oneself to perfection, which would define organisational communication to a tee,” said Sinha.
The theatre workshop also helped students to boost their public speaking skills. “From this workshop we have learnt that a good actor gets into the skin of the character. In the same way when one has to address a large audience you will have to speak with conviction,” said Sinha. Raman Thakral, a student who had difficulty in communicating said, “The workshop helped me understand myself.”
For many students present at the workshop singing and dancing was a first. In the words of Sunil Natraj, a first year student, “I have never sung in the bathroom, let alone on stage. And dance is taboo for me. Yet when I did this, I felt terrific.”
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 18
What has management got to do with theatre? Well if the students of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIMC) is to be believed, theatre would help them to become better managers!
The IIMC organised a drama workshop “A Journey into Theatre” by Nandikar between September 15 and 17. Stalwarts like Rudraprasad Sengupta, Goutam Halder, Debshanker Halder and Swatilekha Sengupta conducted the workshop. About 45 first year students participated.
Explaining how the workshop would help students, Shipra Sinha, president of the IIMC dramatics cell, said, “Management is about understanding people, getting into their heads, and then empathising with them. Management is a lot about theatre. While you are acting you become some one else. The workshop has helped us to understand others. Theatre also helps us to improve our presentation skill.”
The workshop began with a dance sequence choreographed by Goutam Halder. The sequence was an assembly of over twenty 15 second routines assembled to form a medley. Singing and acting classes followed this routine. The students felt that the workshop would help them to become a team person. “Dance sequence needs team work and cooperation. We were divided into groups and moved as one unit. We realised how to teamwork functions and what happens if a group of people work together to achieve a goal,” said Sinha.
Theatre is also about being bold or even fearless at times. Rudraprasad told students, “Theatre is life.” With subjects such as organisational behaviour in their course, students who took part in the workshop felt the workshop would be useful for them.
“The pauses between sentences that one performs on stage, is like a conversation at the workplace. Communication, that is so vital to employees as a whole, is the fulcrum around which theatre revolves. Communication here is not restricted to the spoken word only. It is about that stare the actor gives his fellow artiste, which one often could get from the boss. It is all about articulating oneself to perfection, which would define organisational communication to a tee,” said Sinha.
The theatre workshop also helped students to boost their public speaking skills. “From this workshop we have learnt that a good actor gets into the skin of the character. In the same way when one has to address a large audience you will have to speak with conviction,” said Sinha. Raman Thakral, a student who had difficulty in communicating said, “The workshop helped me understand myself.”
For many students present at the workshop singing and dancing was a first. In the words of Sunil Natraj, a first year student, “I have never sung in the bathroom, let alone on stage. And dance is taboo for me. Yet when I did this, I felt terrific.”
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Face the music for piracy on mobile
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 20, 2007
IF YOUR cellphone memory card is full with illegally downloaded songs, courtesy your local mobile phone store, then both you and the shop owner will now be branded as music pirates and might end up behind bars.
India has become the first country in the world to crack the whip on music piracy through illegal downloading of songs in mobile phones. The Indian Music Industry (IMI), a non-profit organisation whose members includes major record companies like Saregama India Ltd. (HMV), Universal Music (India), Tips, Virgin Records, and several other prominent national and regional labels, will now train the Kolkata Police to nab the shop owners who charge customers and illegally download songs on their mobile phone’s memory cards.
The annual loss incurred by the government, telephone service providers and the copyright holder due to this malpractice is more than Rs 150 crore. “Music piracy through mobile phone is a little demon but if not nipped in the bud it will grow out of proportion. Instead of catching people using memory chips filled with illegal downloads it will be easy to nab such shopkeepers who provide the service. Therefore, we are training our people who will in turn train sub-inspectors in Kolkata on how to catch such shopkeepers and collect evidence against them,” said IMI general secretary Savio Desuza.
Post-training the police will use a special software to know if a particular computer has illegally downloaded MP3 files. “The police will now know how to detect music pirates and collect evidence against them. It’s a highly technical job, but once the crime is proved the accused can be fined between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh and face upto two years’ imprisonment,” Desuza added.
Out of 159 million mobile phone users in the country a good number of people are now using sets with memory cards to store songs and other data. If songs are downloaded from service providers then all the associated parties share the revenue. But several mobile phone stores illegally download and transfer more than 200 songs on memory cards for as low as Rs 50-100.
Apart from equipping the police with requisite training to catch such music pirates, the IMI is sending letters to mobile phone companies to make their dealers stay away from such illegal activities.
Transferring songs and ring tones from one mobile to another via blue tooth and infrared also amounts to music piracy. “Mostly youngsters do this and they are unaware how the music industry loses out on crores of revenue for such illegal data transfer. We are also talking to mobile phone companies to tackle the problem,” Desuza added.
India is among the top 10 countries affected by music piracy and loses nearly Rs 450 crore to pirated music.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 20, 2007
IF YOUR cellphone memory card is full with illegally downloaded songs, courtesy your local mobile phone store, then both you and the shop owner will now be branded as music pirates and might end up behind bars.
India has become the first country in the world to crack the whip on music piracy through illegal downloading of songs in mobile phones. The Indian Music Industry (IMI), a non-profit organisation whose members includes major record companies like Saregama India Ltd. (HMV), Universal Music (India), Tips, Virgin Records, and several other prominent national and regional labels, will now train the Kolkata Police to nab the shop owners who charge customers and illegally download songs on their mobile phone’s memory cards.
The annual loss incurred by the government, telephone service providers and the copyright holder due to this malpractice is more than Rs 150 crore. “Music piracy through mobile phone is a little demon but if not nipped in the bud it will grow out of proportion. Instead of catching people using memory chips filled with illegal downloads it will be easy to nab such shopkeepers who provide the service. Therefore, we are training our people who will in turn train sub-inspectors in Kolkata on how to catch such shopkeepers and collect evidence against them,” said IMI general secretary Savio Desuza.
Post-training the police will use a special software to know if a particular computer has illegally downloaded MP3 files. “The police will now know how to detect music pirates and collect evidence against them. It’s a highly technical job, but once the crime is proved the accused can be fined between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh and face upto two years’ imprisonment,” Desuza added.
Out of 159 million mobile phone users in the country a good number of people are now using sets with memory cards to store songs and other data. If songs are downloaded from service providers then all the associated parties share the revenue. But several mobile phone stores illegally download and transfer more than 200 songs on memory cards for as low as Rs 50-100.
Apart from equipping the police with requisite training to catch such music pirates, the IMI is sending letters to mobile phone companies to make their dealers stay away from such illegal activities.
Transferring songs and ring tones from one mobile to another via blue tooth and infrared also amounts to music piracy. “Mostly youngsters do this and they are unaware how the music industry loses out on crores of revenue for such illegal data transfer. We are also talking to mobile phone companies to tackle the problem,” Desuza added.
India is among the top 10 countries affected by music piracy and loses nearly Rs 450 crore to pirated music.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Sunday, September 16, 2007
They were my golden years...
Professor Damodar Acharya took over as the director of IIT Kharagpur on June 30, 2007. In his first every media interview Acharya told Mou Chakraborty about his association with the institute and his future plans
How does it feel to come back to your alma mater? Tell us a little bit about your association with IIT Kharagpur.
I have been with this institute for 37 years barring about four and one-half years when I was on lien to Biju Patnaik University of Technology and All India Council for Technical Education. Thus I was never away from IIT as I had my office, quarters and even students pursuing their research work. For two and a half years I have been teaching postgraduate students on weekends. So, this is not really homecoming after a long gap. It is, in fact, one of shouldering greater responsibilities, like becoming a head of the family. While it feels good one is constantly reminded of one’s responsibility of how to make the family stronger and better with the assured welfare of all.
You are the first director of the institute who was also its alumnus. You are also known as a very good administrator, which means more expectation from students, teachers and the whole academia. How will you cope with so much expectation?
Being an alumnus and also a faculty for over three decades, one enjoys the advantages of knowing the system well. One also is passionately attached to the institution and has full appreciation of its rich culture and heritage. I also know people personally and believe in using informal channels of communication in solving many problems. At the same time there are disadvantages like others know about one’s weaknesses. Coping with the high expectation of students, teachers and the entire IIT community including the alumni is no doubt a pleasant challenge. I am happy to say that I have been able to get cooperation and confidence of the entire IIT community.
Please share some of your memories as a student and a teacher?
The six years I spent in IIT as a student were the golden period in my life and helped shape my personality. I learnt more through personal interaction that I had with my teachers. This possibly is the unique feature of IIT system.
IIT-KGP is the first IIT of the country and one of the most respected institutions in the world, how do you visualize its future? What are your plans for the institution?
IIT Kharagpur is one of the best engineering institutes in the country. It is supported by the Data Quest IDC) rankings. The IIT appears in Shanghai ranking of top 500 institutions in the world. It has an excellent academic environment and a teacher-student relationship. The first challenge for the institute is to maintain its leadership position. Its infrastructure including hostels and housing requires urgent renewal. This simultaneously provides an opportunity to give a new look to the campus and an environment appropriate to a world-class institute. IIT is known by its pockets of excellence in both education and research. The next 5 years should see the creation of several such islands of excellence.
As the dean of sponsored research and industrial consultancy system at IIT-KGP, you initiated intellectual property rights (IPR) movement, what new things you want to do as a director?
IIT Kharagpur has definitely done well in the area of sponsored research and industrial consultancy. In the field of IPR movement, the institute has obtained large number of patents, transferred many technologies and even ventured into the arena of offering a law degree programme to engineers/scientists to make them patent attorneys and technical law experts. The effort should now be to go global in attracting leading universities, institutions and industries to the task of Intellectual Property creation through joint research and development.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
How does it feel to come back to your alma mater? Tell us a little bit about your association with IIT Kharagpur.
I have been with this institute for 37 years barring about four and one-half years when I was on lien to Biju Patnaik University of Technology and All India Council for Technical Education. Thus I was never away from IIT as I had my office, quarters and even students pursuing their research work. For two and a half years I have been teaching postgraduate students on weekends. So, this is not really homecoming after a long gap. It is, in fact, one of shouldering greater responsibilities, like becoming a head of the family. While it feels good one is constantly reminded of one’s responsibility of how to make the family stronger and better with the assured welfare of all.
You are the first director of the institute who was also its alumnus. You are also known as a very good administrator, which means more expectation from students, teachers and the whole academia. How will you cope with so much expectation?
Being an alumnus and also a faculty for over three decades, one enjoys the advantages of knowing the system well. One also is passionately attached to the institution and has full appreciation of its rich culture and heritage. I also know people personally and believe in using informal channels of communication in solving many problems. At the same time there are disadvantages like others know about one’s weaknesses. Coping with the high expectation of students, teachers and the entire IIT community including the alumni is no doubt a pleasant challenge. I am happy to say that I have been able to get cooperation and confidence of the entire IIT community.
Please share some of your memories as a student and a teacher?
The six years I spent in IIT as a student were the golden period in my life and helped shape my personality. I learnt more through personal interaction that I had with my teachers. This possibly is the unique feature of IIT system.
IIT-KGP is the first IIT of the country and one of the most respected institutions in the world, how do you visualize its future? What are your plans for the institution?
IIT Kharagpur is one of the best engineering institutes in the country. It is supported by the Data Quest IDC) rankings. The IIT appears in Shanghai ranking of top 500 institutions in the world. It has an excellent academic environment and a teacher-student relationship. The first challenge for the institute is to maintain its leadership position. Its infrastructure including hostels and housing requires urgent renewal. This simultaneously provides an opportunity to give a new look to the campus and an environment appropriate to a world-class institute. IIT is known by its pockets of excellence in both education and research. The next 5 years should see the creation of several such islands of excellence.
As the dean of sponsored research and industrial consultancy system at IIT-KGP, you initiated intellectual property rights (IPR) movement, what new things you want to do as a director?
IIT Kharagpur has definitely done well in the area of sponsored research and industrial consultancy. In the field of IPR movement, the institute has obtained large number of patents, transferred many technologies and even ventured into the arena of offering a law degree programme to engineers/scientists to make them patent attorneys and technical law experts. The effort should now be to go global in attracting leading universities, institutions and industries to the task of Intellectual Property creation through joint research and development.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Now age bar for JEE aspirants
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 11, 2007
THE WEST Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) is set to witness a slew of changes from next year. After barring state outsiders from taking the exam, the WBJEE board has decided to introduce a new age bar. Those aiming to crack the JEE will have to be aged between 17 and 24.
This will be for the first time that WBJEE will have age restriction. So long there was no restriction on age or the number of attempts for WBJEE aspirants. “We wanted to restrict the number of attempts to three, but did not go ahead with it on the request of several student organisations. Now, we have decided that as long as a student is between 17 and 24 years of age he can take JEE,” said N. R. Banerjea, board chairman.
The board has also decided to change the exam pattern. JEE had introduced multiple-choice questions (MCQ) from 2005. But in 2008, there will be 80 per cent MCQ and 20 percent objective type questions. “The objective type questions will have to answered in one to three words,” Banerjea said.
Engineering aspirants, however, will have to score 50 per cent marks in Class XII board exam with a combination of physics, chemistry and mathematics. Passing in all these three subjects will be necessary.
“Till date only the medical aspirants had to score 50 per cent combining physics, chemistry and biology but now engineering aspirants will also have to achieve that score,” he said Banerjea. He added they must pass in English.
In JEE 2008, both medical and engineering aspirants will have to take physics and chemistry exam of 50 marks each. In addition, aspiring medicos will have to take a biology test and for engineering aspirants it will be mathematics.
“Unlike 2007, in 2008 JEE we will give extra weightage to any subject as the total marks for each subject has been decided according to its emphasis,” said Banerjea.
He said in view of the medical scam and bar on outstation students domicile certificates would be strictly monitored.
To make the exam system foolproof there would be no centres outside Bengal. The only exception would be Agartala.
“We have formed six sub-committees to take care of various aspects of the exam process,” Banerjea said. The committees will also decide on introducing elements like taking fingerprints of students to zero in on nab fake candidates. “The sub-committees will give their suggestion by September end and only then a final decision will be taken,” he added.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindutsantimes.com
Kolkata, September 11, 2007
THE WEST Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) is set to witness a slew of changes from next year. After barring state outsiders from taking the exam, the WBJEE board has decided to introduce a new age bar. Those aiming to crack the JEE will have to be aged between 17 and 24.
This will be for the first time that WBJEE will have age restriction. So long there was no restriction on age or the number of attempts for WBJEE aspirants. “We wanted to restrict the number of attempts to three, but did not go ahead with it on the request of several student organisations. Now, we have decided that as long as a student is between 17 and 24 years of age he can take JEE,” said N. R. Banerjea, board chairman.
The board has also decided to change the exam pattern. JEE had introduced multiple-choice questions (MCQ) from 2005. But in 2008, there will be 80 per cent MCQ and 20 percent objective type questions. “The objective type questions will have to answered in one to three words,” Banerjea said.
Engineering aspirants, however, will have to score 50 per cent marks in Class XII board exam with a combination of physics, chemistry and mathematics. Passing in all these three subjects will be necessary.
“Till date only the medical aspirants had to score 50 per cent combining physics, chemistry and biology but now engineering aspirants will also have to achieve that score,” he said Banerjea. He added they must pass in English.
In JEE 2008, both medical and engineering aspirants will have to take physics and chemistry exam of 50 marks each. In addition, aspiring medicos will have to take a biology test and for engineering aspirants it will be mathematics.
“Unlike 2007, in 2008 JEE we will give extra weightage to any subject as the total marks for each subject has been decided according to its emphasis,” said Banerjea.
He said in view of the medical scam and bar on outstation students domicile certificates would be strictly monitored.
To make the exam system foolproof there would be no centres outside Bengal. The only exception would be Agartala.
“We have formed six sub-committees to take care of various aspects of the exam process,” Banerjea said. The committees will also decide on introducing elements like taking fingerprints of students to zero in on nab fake candidates. “The sub-committees will give their suggestion by September end and only then a final decision will be taken,” he added.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindutsantimes.com
State awards teacher but forgets to give her pension
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 5, 2007
Jaba Mazumdar, a retired teacher, received top honours from the state government on Wednesday in the presence of the chief minister and Governor. But she is yet to receive her pension more than a year after her retirement.
While addressing the gathering, Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi urged the state government to ensure that pensions and salaries are paid on time. “Today some teachers met me and said if I could help them ensure that the government pays pension and gratuity and their salary on the first day of every month. Will the state government be able to fulfil this small demand of theirs,” asked Gandhi. “Of course,” said Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
Jaba Mazumdar, a retired teacher of Bidhan Chandra Memorial Government Girls High School was one of the ten teachers who received the award. During her 37 years tenure as Bengali teacher of the school she has contributed a lot. But though she retired on June 30 2006, Mazumdar is running from pillar to post for her pension.
Unlike the state-aided institutions, the teachers working in government schools get their pension through finance department and not the district inspector. During her service, Mazumdar had shifted from a state-aided institution to a government school. So when the time came to claim her pension there was some complications.
Though the school education minister Partha De was present at the programme, Mazumdar did not press her case directly. “The file is now going from one desk to another. I do not want anybody’s help. I have become a teacher because I wanted to be in this profession. Even today I feel attached to my school and I can only hope that this problem will be solved very soon,” she said.
However, Mazumdar is not the only teacher going through this hassle. Two of her colleagues retired from the same institution are waiting for their pensions. “Currently I am trying to get attached to an NGO to offer free teaching for needy students. No matter how much problem a teacher has to face I would always like to be one in my next birth,” an emotional Mazumdar said.
The school education minister is not aware of her situation. “We try to ensure that all teachers get pension after their retirement. However, if any of them are not getting their pension, we will take up the mater,” said De.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 5, 2007
Jaba Mazumdar, a retired teacher, received top honours from the state government on Wednesday in the presence of the chief minister and Governor. But she is yet to receive her pension more than a year after her retirement.
While addressing the gathering, Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi urged the state government to ensure that pensions and salaries are paid on time. “Today some teachers met me and said if I could help them ensure that the government pays pension and gratuity and their salary on the first day of every month. Will the state government be able to fulfil this small demand of theirs,” asked Gandhi. “Of course,” said Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
Jaba Mazumdar, a retired teacher of Bidhan Chandra Memorial Government Girls High School was one of the ten teachers who received the award. During her 37 years tenure as Bengali teacher of the school she has contributed a lot. But though she retired on June 30 2006, Mazumdar is running from pillar to post for her pension.
Unlike the state-aided institutions, the teachers working in government schools get their pension through finance department and not the district inspector. During her service, Mazumdar had shifted from a state-aided institution to a government school. So when the time came to claim her pension there was some complications.
Though the school education minister Partha De was present at the programme, Mazumdar did not press her case directly. “The file is now going from one desk to another. I do not want anybody’s help. I have become a teacher because I wanted to be in this profession. Even today I feel attached to my school and I can only hope that this problem will be solved very soon,” she said.
However, Mazumdar is not the only teacher going through this hassle. Two of her colleagues retired from the same institution are waiting for their pensions. “Currently I am trying to get attached to an NGO to offer free teaching for needy students. No matter how much problem a teacher has to face I would always like to be one in my next birth,” an emotional Mazumdar said.
The school education minister is not aware of her situation. “We try to ensure that all teachers get pension after their retirement. However, if any of them are not getting their pension, we will take up the mater,” said De.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Second round of counselling in WBJEE
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 2, 2007
There is some good news for engineering aspirants. The authorities have decided to hold a second round of counselling after the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has given a green light to a new engineering college in the state.
In a meeting held recently, the Technical Education Department has decided to hold a second round of counselling for the successful candidates of West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE).
“Though counselling was over but with AICTE giving approval to one institution we have decided to conduct another session. They have allowed some colleges to increase their seats and so more vacancies have been created,” said Sajal Dasgupta, director of technical education.
There are about 15000 seats in engineering colleges, all of which have been filled up in the first round of counselling. About 800 new seats have been created in the engineering colleges in the state. The AICTE has also given permission to some of the existing institutions to introduce new subjects. Some colleges have also increased their seats in some subjects from this academic session.
The coordinator of Central Selection Committee (CSC) for Engineering and Technology Ajit Kumar Chattopadhyay said, “We are yet to receive any written communication from the technical education department. But I have heard that they have decided upon the second round of counselling.”
Though the second phase of counselling will start from this month no date has been announced. The first round concluded with rank number 28003. So the second round of counselling will start from rank number 28004. “We concluded our counselling at 27000. However, the outstation quota could not be filled up and hence we had to interview another thousand students,” said Chattopadhyay.
In 2006, the CSC had called students up to the rank of 75000 because most of them did not seek admission in private colleges. But his year counselling was conducted without any hitch. In 2007, 1,10,144 students sat for the WBJEE. Among them 45,000 students were featured in the WBJEE engineering and technology merit list. The counselling begun at Howrah Sara Sadan from June 25 and went on for a month.
(Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com)
Kolkata, September 2, 2007
There is some good news for engineering aspirants. The authorities have decided to hold a second round of counselling after the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has given a green light to a new engineering college in the state.
In a meeting held recently, the Technical Education Department has decided to hold a second round of counselling for the successful candidates of West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE).
“Though counselling was over but with AICTE giving approval to one institution we have decided to conduct another session. They have allowed some colleges to increase their seats and so more vacancies have been created,” said Sajal Dasgupta, director of technical education.
There are about 15000 seats in engineering colleges, all of which have been filled up in the first round of counselling. About 800 new seats have been created in the engineering colleges in the state. The AICTE has also given permission to some of the existing institutions to introduce new subjects. Some colleges have also increased their seats in some subjects from this academic session.
The coordinator of Central Selection Committee (CSC) for Engineering and Technology Ajit Kumar Chattopadhyay said, “We are yet to receive any written communication from the technical education department. But I have heard that they have decided upon the second round of counselling.”
Though the second phase of counselling will start from this month no date has been announced. The first round concluded with rank number 28003. So the second round of counselling will start from rank number 28004. “We concluded our counselling at 27000. However, the outstation quota could not be filled up and hence we had to interview another thousand students,” said Chattopadhyay.
In 2006, the CSC had called students up to the rank of 75000 because most of them did not seek admission in private colleges. But his year counselling was conducted without any hitch. In 2007, 1,10,144 students sat for the WBJEE. Among them 45,000 students were featured in the WBJEE engineering and technology merit list. The counselling begun at Howrah Sara Sadan from June 25 and went on for a month.
(Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com)
IIMC bid to overcome faculty crisis
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 3, 2007
One of the premier management institutions in the country, IIMC is facing a shortage of teachers. But they are formulating ways of getting round the problem.
IIMC current faculty strength is 70 and authorities are trying to fill up 20 positions. The problem they are facing is the lack of quality instructors. And with the implementation of the 27 per cent OBC quota, it will require 125 more in the coming years. Though the institute wants to maintain 1:7 teacher student ratio, due to funds crunch and unavailability of quality teachers, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has asked the institution to maintain a 1:14 teacher student ratio.
“Irrespective of implementation of OBC quota, IIMs will have to increase their intake, but the shortage of teachers has become a major impediment. I have thought of some schemes to increase our faculty strength systematically. We have had some discussions but the schemes will be officially adopted only after it is discussed and passed in the faculty council meeting,” said IIMC director Shekhar Chaudhuri.
The first formula that IIMC will consider is taking in people who have studied in reputed institutions and served in high managerial positions for more than a decade. IIMC authorities feel that way the institute will get faculty with industry experience, which in turn will be beneficial for students.
But then everyone from the industry might not prove to be good teachers. So the institute plans to put them through a training program. “Industry people interested in becoming teachers would have to undergo a one-year program after which we will select our faculty from amongst them,” said Chaudhuri.
The institute also knows it would be difficult to lure such people away from their high-paid jobs. To get round that problem, bright students who have completed their PhD in any topic might be considered. During the last academic session less than 10 students took up the fellowship program but not all of them end up becoming teachers. Hence taking in PhDs from other streams could be a winning formula. Once the students are screened and selected they could take a preparatory course and work with the existing faculty for one to two years and then go on to become full time faculty members. “Those having a PhD already have the knack for research and are very academic minded. They could prove to be good teachers,” the IIMC director said.
The institute will also consider the option of taking teaching assistants who would help the faculty. Since remuneration of teachers is not high compared to many other sectors, IIMC is also planning to secure corporate donations and alumni grant to create a pool from which they can offer more money to the faculty.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 3, 2007
One of the premier management institutions in the country, IIMC is facing a shortage of teachers. But they are formulating ways of getting round the problem.
IIMC current faculty strength is 70 and authorities are trying to fill up 20 positions. The problem they are facing is the lack of quality instructors. And with the implementation of the 27 per cent OBC quota, it will require 125 more in the coming years. Though the institute wants to maintain 1:7 teacher student ratio, due to funds crunch and unavailability of quality teachers, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has asked the institution to maintain a 1:14 teacher student ratio.
“Irrespective of implementation of OBC quota, IIMs will have to increase their intake, but the shortage of teachers has become a major impediment. I have thought of some schemes to increase our faculty strength systematically. We have had some discussions but the schemes will be officially adopted only after it is discussed and passed in the faculty council meeting,” said IIMC director Shekhar Chaudhuri.
The first formula that IIMC will consider is taking in people who have studied in reputed institutions and served in high managerial positions for more than a decade. IIMC authorities feel that way the institute will get faculty with industry experience, which in turn will be beneficial for students.
But then everyone from the industry might not prove to be good teachers. So the institute plans to put them through a training program. “Industry people interested in becoming teachers would have to undergo a one-year program after which we will select our faculty from amongst them,” said Chaudhuri.
The institute also knows it would be difficult to lure such people away from their high-paid jobs. To get round that problem, bright students who have completed their PhD in any topic might be considered. During the last academic session less than 10 students took up the fellowship program but not all of them end up becoming teachers. Hence taking in PhDs from other streams could be a winning formula. Once the students are screened and selected they could take a preparatory course and work with the existing faculty for one to two years and then go on to become full time faculty members. “Those having a PhD already have the knack for research and are very academic minded. They could prove to be good teachers,” the IIMC director said.
The institute will also consider the option of taking teaching assistants who would help the faculty. Since remuneration of teachers is not high compared to many other sectors, IIMC is also planning to secure corporate donations and alumni grant to create a pool from which they can offer more money to the faculty.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
PRESTIGIOUS INI STATUS: JU teachers fume, BESU celebrates
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 7, 2007
IT’S A tale of two campuses — Jadavpur University (JU) and the Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU), Shibpur. It’s a study in contrast. While teachers at the JU are annoyed with their bosses for pulling out of the race for Institute of National Importance (INI), their BESU counterparts celebrated higher education minister Sudarshan Roychoudhuri’s announcement on Friday that the university would be accorded the prestigious status soon. The INI tag is set to come at a time when BESU turns 150 in November.
Upset with the bosses for letting them down, JU teachers alleged that the university was short listed for the INI status but the authorities pulled out of the race and settled for a one-time grant.
“It was a politically motivated move. The authorities discussed the issue with only a few teachers and placed it before the university’s executive council, which is an administrative body. The matter was not placed before academic forums like the board of studies or the faculty council,” said JU professor and general secretary of the All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA) Tarun Nashkar.
They feel the university would suffer once the BESU becomes Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST). “It’s only natural for the best students not to opt for JU. We want the university to reconsider its decision as the Anand Krishnan Committee is yet to shut doors on the issue,” Nashkar said.
The mood on the BESU campus was upbeat on Friday. The higher education minister’s announcement that BESU would soon get INI tag brought cheers to all. “As per the Centre’s communication we feel that the INI bill will be introduced in Parliament in the winter session,” Roychoudhuri said at a seminar at the varsity.
But BESU bosses are in a hurry. They are pursuing the Central and the state governments to confer the INI status before November by bringing an ordinance. The Centre is drafting the INI Bill and once it gets the President’s assent, Shibpur’s BESU will be known as the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology.
In another development, the ABUTA has decided to request the higher education ministry to fill up vacant teaching positions in universities across Bengal. “About 30 per cent teaching positions are lying vacant in JU. In other universities it is 60 per cent. This is hampering teaching and research work,” Nashkar said.
ABUTA will also take up the issue with chancellor of state universities Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Roychoudhuri. The outfit has warned of ‘action’ if their demand is not met.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 7, 2007
IT’S A tale of two campuses — Jadavpur University (JU) and the Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU), Shibpur. It’s a study in contrast. While teachers at the JU are annoyed with their bosses for pulling out of the race for Institute of National Importance (INI), their BESU counterparts celebrated higher education minister Sudarshan Roychoudhuri’s announcement on Friday that the university would be accorded the prestigious status soon. The INI tag is set to come at a time when BESU turns 150 in November.
Upset with the bosses for letting them down, JU teachers alleged that the university was short listed for the INI status but the authorities pulled out of the race and settled for a one-time grant.
“It was a politically motivated move. The authorities discussed the issue with only a few teachers and placed it before the university’s executive council, which is an administrative body. The matter was not placed before academic forums like the board of studies or the faculty council,” said JU professor and general secretary of the All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA) Tarun Nashkar.
They feel the university would suffer once the BESU becomes Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST). “It’s only natural for the best students not to opt for JU. We want the university to reconsider its decision as the Anand Krishnan Committee is yet to shut doors on the issue,” Nashkar said.
The mood on the BESU campus was upbeat on Friday. The higher education minister’s announcement that BESU would soon get INI tag brought cheers to all. “As per the Centre’s communication we feel that the INI bill will be introduced in Parliament in the winter session,” Roychoudhuri said at a seminar at the varsity.
But BESU bosses are in a hurry. They are pursuing the Central and the state governments to confer the INI status before November by bringing an ordinance. The Centre is drafting the INI Bill and once it gets the President’s assent, Shibpur’s BESU will be known as the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology.
In another development, the ABUTA has decided to request the higher education ministry to fill up vacant teaching positions in universities across Bengal. “About 30 per cent teaching positions are lying vacant in JU. In other universities it is 60 per cent. This is hampering teaching and research work,” Nashkar said.
ABUTA will also take up the issue with chancellor of state universities Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Roychoudhuri. The outfit has warned of ‘action’ if their demand is not met.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Student drowns inside Jadavpur University
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 14, 2007
Tragedy struck Jadavpur University on Friday, when a third-year student drowned in a pond inside the campus. The youth had gone for a swim after a football match.
The students’ unions of arts, science and engineering streams had organised a football tournament and a match between the maths and English departments were slated for Friday. Subhashish Mukherjee, third-year B Sc student of the maths department was playing for his side. A good player, he went for a swim in a pond near the metallurgy department at 5pm after the match got over. N ot knowing how to swim, Subhashish drowned. He was rushed to EEDF nursing home and then to AMRI, where he was declared dead.
According to university authorities, the accident could have been avoided if pupils had followed norms set by the university. “We have repeatedly asked students not to go into the pond. There are three notice boards around the pond cautioning them. This is not a school and it is not possible for us to put a fence around all our ponds to make pupils follow orders,” said Rajat Bandopadhyay, registrar of the university.
A pall of gloom fell over the campus after news of the drowning spread. “I am terribly shocked to know a young boy died inside campus. This boy I am told did not know swimming. The three students’ unions organising the football meet cannot deny their responsibility. They should have stopped students from stepping into the pond after the match was over,” said Bandopadhyay.
According to authorities, security guards tried to prevent Subhashish from going for a swim. But, according to them, the youth exchanged words and went for a swim anyway. Following the mishap, the security and friends rescued Subhashish and took him to a nearby nursing home.
Some students, however, alleged that the uncaring attitude of a nursing home also had a hand in the student’s death. “He used to tell us that he could swim and I was shocked to hear he had drowned. We took him to EEDF, but initially they denied him admission. Only after cajoling they agreed but they left him unattended for a long time. They also did not give him oxygen and requested us to take him to AMRI. And after we brought him to AMRI he died. If EEDF had attended to him immediately and administered oxygen, he might have survived,” said Sujoy Konar, a third-year maths student and a friend of the victim.
The youngster’s teachers are equally shocked. “He was a bright and jolly student. Because of that, he was popular amongst both students and teachers. The incident has saddened us deeply,” said Dipak Kesh, a professor of the maths department.
The police have not yet ruled out foul play. “Initial investigations do not indicate any foul play, however, we would be able to clarify only after we get the post-mortem report,” said SP South 24-Parganas Praveen Kumar.Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 14, 2007
Tragedy struck Jadavpur University on Friday, when a third-year student drowned in a pond inside the campus. The youth had gone for a swim after a football match.
The students’ unions of arts, science and engineering streams had organised a football tournament and a match between the maths and English departments were slated for Friday. Subhashish Mukherjee, third-year B Sc student of the maths department was playing for his side. A good player, he went for a swim in a pond near the metallurgy department at 5pm after the match got over. N ot knowing how to swim, Subhashish drowned. He was rushed to EEDF nursing home and then to AMRI, where he was declared dead.
According to university authorities, the accident could have been avoided if pupils had followed norms set by the university. “We have repeatedly asked students not to go into the pond. There are three notice boards around the pond cautioning them. This is not a school and it is not possible for us to put a fence around all our ponds to make pupils follow orders,” said Rajat Bandopadhyay, registrar of the university.
A pall of gloom fell over the campus after news of the drowning spread. “I am terribly shocked to know a young boy died inside campus. This boy I am told did not know swimming. The three students’ unions organising the football meet cannot deny their responsibility. They should have stopped students from stepping into the pond after the match was over,” said Bandopadhyay.
According to authorities, security guards tried to prevent Subhashish from going for a swim. But, according to them, the youth exchanged words and went for a swim anyway. Following the mishap, the security and friends rescued Subhashish and took him to a nearby nursing home.
Some students, however, alleged that the uncaring attitude of a nursing home also had a hand in the student’s death. “He used to tell us that he could swim and I was shocked to hear he had drowned. We took him to EEDF, but initially they denied him admission. Only after cajoling they agreed but they left him unattended for a long time. They also did not give him oxygen and requested us to take him to AMRI. And after we brought him to AMRI he died. If EEDF had attended to him immediately and administered oxygen, he might have survived,” said Sujoy Konar, a third-year maths student and a friend of the victim.
The youngster’s teachers are equally shocked. “He was a bright and jolly student. Because of that, he was popular amongst both students and teachers. The incident has saddened us deeply,” said Dipak Kesh, a professor of the maths department.
The police have not yet ruled out foul play. “Initial investigations do not indicate any foul play, however, we would be able to clarify only after we get the post-mortem report,” said SP South 24-Parganas Praveen Kumar.Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Govt engineering colleges shout out ‘outside’ students
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 10, 2007
THE STATE on Monday shut the doors of government-run engineering colleges on students living outside West Bengal. Such students can still take the WBJEE but, irrespective of rank, they can seek admission only to private engineering colleges.
The government gave its two autonomous universities the freedom to follow or ignore this rule, but Jadavpur University welcomed the idea and appeared set to shut out outstation students. “We had wanted such a decision,” vice-chancellor S.K. Sanyal said.
The other university, Bengal Engineering and Science University, will decide after consulting the Centre. “We are slated to become an Institute of National Importance and whatever we do now is will be subject to the Centre’s approval,” vice-chancellor N.R. Banerjea said.
Apart from the two universities, the state has six government engineering colleges —two in Kolkata, including one at Salt Lake, and one each in Kalyani, Jalpaiguri, Serampore and Behrampore. Together with the two universities, they offer nearly 2,100 of the state’s 17,000 engineering seats.
In the last two years, outstation students filled up 25 to 35 per cent in government engineering colleges. The state-run medical colleges, in contrast, take in no one from outside under a policy already in place. The decision on engineering will come into effect from next year.
Higher education minister Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury justified the decision. “Other states have such a policy and we don’t want Bengal to be an exception. Like those states, we too have to think of our own students,” he said.
The state wants its own students to benefit from the subsidised fees at government colleges, which charge only Rs 10,000 a year as tuition fee. “Private colleges charge Rs 43,000 as tuition fee and there are other expenses as well,” an official said.
The WBJEE will also do away with most of its outstation centres, retaining only one (Agartala) out of the present 14. “There are logistics problems, so students will have to come here. We are keeping Agartala as a consideration for Northeast students,” the minister said.
The WBJEE board will meet on Tuesday to discuss changes in the pattern and administration for next year’s examination. The minister wants objective-type questions along with multiple-choice ones. Rules for obtaining domicile certificates will also be tightened.
mou.chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 10, 2007
THE STATE on Monday shut the doors of government-run engineering colleges on students living outside West Bengal. Such students can still take the WBJEE but, irrespective of rank, they can seek admission only to private engineering colleges.
The government gave its two autonomous universities the freedom to follow or ignore this rule, but Jadavpur University welcomed the idea and appeared set to shut out outstation students. “We had wanted such a decision,” vice-chancellor S.K. Sanyal said.
The other university, Bengal Engineering and Science University, will decide after consulting the Centre. “We are slated to become an Institute of National Importance and whatever we do now is will be subject to the Centre’s approval,” vice-chancellor N.R. Banerjea said.
Apart from the two universities, the state has six government engineering colleges —two in Kolkata, including one at Salt Lake, and one each in Kalyani, Jalpaiguri, Serampore and Behrampore. Together with the two universities, they offer nearly 2,100 of the state’s 17,000 engineering seats.
In the last two years, outstation students filled up 25 to 35 per cent in government engineering colleges. The state-run medical colleges, in contrast, take in no one from outside under a policy already in place. The decision on engineering will come into effect from next year.
Higher education minister Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury justified the decision. “Other states have such a policy and we don’t want Bengal to be an exception. Like those states, we too have to think of our own students,” he said.
The state wants its own students to benefit from the subsidised fees at government colleges, which charge only Rs 10,000 a year as tuition fee. “Private colleges charge Rs 43,000 as tuition fee and there are other expenses as well,” an official said.
The WBJEE will also do away with most of its outstation centres, retaining only one (Agartala) out of the present 14. “There are logistics problems, so students will have to come here. We are keeping Agartala as a consideration for Northeast students,” the minister said.
The WBJEE board will meet on Tuesday to discuss changes in the pattern and administration for next year’s examination. The minister wants objective-type questions along with multiple-choice ones. Rules for obtaining domicile certificates will also be tightened.
mou.chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
WBJEE not to be scrapped, reforms in offing
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 6, 2007
The state is not thinking of scrapping the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination but is planning reforms to make the system foolproof. A meeting in this regard will be held on September 11.
After that meeting, the board will sit for another with the government on September 13 to propose reforms in the exam system. The government was toying with the idea of scrapping WBJEE entirely or reforming the exam system after a recent scam concerning the medical JEE was exposed in July. The racket involved candidates clearing the medical entrance by sending dummy candidates instead to take the exam on their behalf.
Following the discovery, higher education minister Sudarsan Roychoudhuri provided the WBJEE board with some time for self-introspection and had announced in the Assembly that a meeting with the board would take place in September. “We want to make the system as foolproof as we can. For this we would not mind if we have to conduct more than one meeting but we will try to do everything by September,” Roychoudhuri said.
“On September 11 we will discuss and decide upon the date for the coming year’s WBJEE and various reforms related to it. Some administrative matters connected to the exam will also be discussed,” said N.R. Banerjea, chairman of WBJEE board. The government will again meet on July 13 to give final shape to the reforms.
The state had earlier shown interest in adopting the Tamil Nadu model, which does not have any JEE exam for engineering and medical admissions and instead decides on the basis of Class XII results. But now the government only wants to adopt certain aspects, which includes its counselling system. The higher education minister had also asked for possible suggestions to reform the WBJEE model. “I have received quiet a number of suggestions. Even today a medical student gave me some suggestions and we will discuss all of them,” Roychoudhuri added.
Among other things to be discussed during the meeting would be the possible scrapping of multiple-choice questions. Many academics have voiced their opinions against it and the government is also having second thoughts of continuing with the system.
Also on the agenda is strengthening invigilation at exam centres and the state also plans to do away with outstation exam centres for better monitoring. This is because the higher education ministry feels many of the dummy candidates were able to take the exam due to poor invigilation.
The ministry is also considering taking fingerprints of WBJEE candidates, to prevent fake candidates and wants the WBJEE board to become strict about photographs used by examinees, since many aspirants that had sent dummies had used blurred photographs.
There would other changes specific to the WBJEE medical exam also. Many MBBS students want the WBJEE board to increase the number of attempts to take the exam in the eligibility criteria and the government will also discuss that during the meeting.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 6, 2007
The state is not thinking of scrapping the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination but is planning reforms to make the system foolproof. A meeting in this regard will be held on September 11.
After that meeting, the board will sit for another with the government on September 13 to propose reforms in the exam system. The government was toying with the idea of scrapping WBJEE entirely or reforming the exam system after a recent scam concerning the medical JEE was exposed in July. The racket involved candidates clearing the medical entrance by sending dummy candidates instead to take the exam on their behalf.
Following the discovery, higher education minister Sudarsan Roychoudhuri provided the WBJEE board with some time for self-introspection and had announced in the Assembly that a meeting with the board would take place in September. “We want to make the system as foolproof as we can. For this we would not mind if we have to conduct more than one meeting but we will try to do everything by September,” Roychoudhuri said.
“On September 11 we will discuss and decide upon the date for the coming year’s WBJEE and various reforms related to it. Some administrative matters connected to the exam will also be discussed,” said N.R. Banerjea, chairman of WBJEE board. The government will again meet on July 13 to give final shape to the reforms.
The state had earlier shown interest in adopting the Tamil Nadu model, which does not have any JEE exam for engineering and medical admissions and instead decides on the basis of Class XII results. But now the government only wants to adopt certain aspects, which includes its counselling system. The higher education minister had also asked for possible suggestions to reform the WBJEE model. “I have received quiet a number of suggestions. Even today a medical student gave me some suggestions and we will discuss all of them,” Roychoudhuri added.
Among other things to be discussed during the meeting would be the possible scrapping of multiple-choice questions. Many academics have voiced their opinions against it and the government is also having second thoughts of continuing with the system.
Also on the agenda is strengthening invigilation at exam centres and the state also plans to do away with outstation exam centres for better monitoring. This is because the higher education ministry feels many of the dummy candidates were able to take the exam due to poor invigilation.
The ministry is also considering taking fingerprints of WBJEE candidates, to prevent fake candidates and wants the WBJEE board to become strict about photographs used by examinees, since many aspirants that had sent dummies had used blurred photographs.
There would other changes specific to the WBJEE medical exam also. Many MBBS students want the WBJEE board to increase the number of attempts to take the exam in the eligibility criteria and the government will also discuss that during the meeting.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Magazine from IIM to hit stands
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 12, 2007
A NEW finance magazine will soon hit the stands. For a change, students of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, Bangalore and Ahmedabad will bring it out.
Money Manager — a first of its kind pan-IIM magazine — will be coordinated and published by the Finance Clubs of all the three IIMs.
Nivedita Joshi of IIMC, Ashish Kumar of IIMA and Sumit Kumar of IIMB conceived the idea of a pan-IIM finance magazine two months back. They feel that despite the huge rise in jobs in the financial services sector in India, there are very few avenues for students to publish their original ideas and research work. Money Manager, they argue, will fill the void.
Apart from those studying at the three IIMs, students of the country’s top 10 B-schools have been invited to write for Money Manager. The contributors will have to write on corporate finance, behavioural finance, private equity, quantitative finance, financial market and financial instruments.
“Articles are already pouring in. Most financial magazines deal with the latest happenings, but our magazine will let would-be managers to express their ideas on the specified topics,” said Punee Jain, head of IIMC’s Finance Club.
Ecstatic about their new endeavour, first-year student Shubham Singal said: “Finance Club members of the three IIMs have formed editorial teams. While students from top B-schools are sending articles, our panel of professors will select them. The editorial teams will then edit them and handle the production aspects.”
Singhal added: “Faculty members will also select three best articles from every issue and the authors will win cash prize.”
The magazine will have three issues per year and global investment bank Merrill Lynch has been roped in as the sponsor. The 52-page first edition will be launched this month. Students of all the three IIIMs will get the magazine free, while those in the top 10 B-schools will get it through e-mail.
“As profit is not on our minds we have not put a price tag to the magazine. But once we stabilise we will decide on how to reach the market beyond IIMs. We might think of offering subscription to corporate houses. In that case we need to fix a price for Money Manager. At a later stage we also plan to invite past students and corporate bosses to write for it,” said Jain.
The magazine think-tank is starting a blog to spread the word about the magazine among students of the three IIMs. Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 12, 2007
A NEW finance magazine will soon hit the stands. For a change, students of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, Bangalore and Ahmedabad will bring it out.
Money Manager — a first of its kind pan-IIM magazine — will be coordinated and published by the Finance Clubs of all the three IIMs.
Nivedita Joshi of IIMC, Ashish Kumar of IIMA and Sumit Kumar of IIMB conceived the idea of a pan-IIM finance magazine two months back. They feel that despite the huge rise in jobs in the financial services sector in India, there are very few avenues for students to publish their original ideas and research work. Money Manager, they argue, will fill the void.
Apart from those studying at the three IIMs, students of the country’s top 10 B-schools have been invited to write for Money Manager. The contributors will have to write on corporate finance, behavioural finance, private equity, quantitative finance, financial market and financial instruments.
“Articles are already pouring in. Most financial magazines deal with the latest happenings, but our magazine will let would-be managers to express their ideas on the specified topics,” said Punee Jain, head of IIMC’s Finance Club.
Ecstatic about their new endeavour, first-year student Shubham Singal said: “Finance Club members of the three IIMs have formed editorial teams. While students from top B-schools are sending articles, our panel of professors will select them. The editorial teams will then edit them and handle the production aspects.”
Singhal added: “Faculty members will also select three best articles from every issue and the authors will win cash prize.”
The magazine will have three issues per year and global investment bank Merrill Lynch has been roped in as the sponsor. The 52-page first edition will be launched this month. Students of all the three IIIMs will get the magazine free, while those in the top 10 B-schools will get it through e-mail.
“As profit is not on our minds we have not put a price tag to the magazine. But once we stabilise we will decide on how to reach the market beyond IIMs. We might think of offering subscription to corporate houses. In that case we need to fix a price for Money Manager. At a later stage we also plan to invite past students and corporate bosses to write for it,” said Jain.
The magazine think-tank is starting a blog to spread the word about the magazine among students of the three IIMs. Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
IIT tie-up with US varsity to train schoolteachers
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 15, 2007
IIT Kharagpur has agreed to a tie-up with University of California, Berkeley (UCB) in the US, to start a teachers’ training academy exclusively for schoolteachers. The focus would be on improving and updating teaching methods for science subjects in the secondary and higher secondary levels.
“The idea was mooted by Nobel laureate professor George F Smoot of UCB, who is currently visiting the institute, and we thought we should take up the proposal,” said Damodar Acharya, director of IIT-KGP, after the institute’s 53rd convocation.
The joint programme will focus in developing curriculum, course materials to be used and course content to train teachers. Emphasis will be on teaching of science subjects and ways of making it interesting and acceptable to pupils. Modern teaching techniques and aids along with an updated knowledge of science is what the programme is aiming to do.
Apart from the regular science subjects such as, physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology, teachers will be given exposure to other subjects like cosmology, environmental science, climate change and energy.
Talking about the collaboration, Smoot said, “UCB already has one such programme, but we are going global with the project, and would be including India also.” The project has gained popularity in the US and the varsity has tie-ups in Kenya, Japan and China. “We are starting off in Indian with IIT Kharagpur, but slowly we would like to be associated with other IITs to get maximum reach,” the Nobel laureate added.
Commenting on the new initiative, the chairman of the board of governors at IIT-KGP Sanjiv Goenka, said: “The dialogue with UCB has already begun. There is a shortage of well-trained teachers in our schools and IIT Khargapur wants to do its part to improve the situation. In the past we had undertaken faculty development programmes for teachers of engineering colleges across the country and now we want to do it for schoolteachers. Our prior experience will surely help us.”
Course material for the undertaking will be conceptualised by December this year. While some teachers will be trained on IIT KGP campus, who will become master trainers, training will also be available online.
The IIT is also going on a massive infrastructure development drive. The institution has been sanctioned Rs 300 crore for developing its infrastructure, which would include construction of 100 class rooms, 200 tutorial rooms and six laboratories. The institute also inaugurated a women’s hostel accommodating 250 on Saturday. The institution is also setting up a tea research centre for Rs 16 crore, a coffee research centre for Rs 3 crore, a telecom research centre for Rs 12 crore and a steel research centre for Rs 20 crore. The institute will spend another Rs 50 crore to develop a research facility on fabrication of semi conductors.
“We are coming up with an energy park, an IT park and a medical biotechnology park. Many Indian and foreign institutions and companies have expressed their desire to use these facilities. Damodar Valley Corporation has offered to invest Rs 100 crore on our energy park project,” said Acharya.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 15, 2007
IIT Kharagpur has agreed to a tie-up with University of California, Berkeley (UCB) in the US, to start a teachers’ training academy exclusively for schoolteachers. The focus would be on improving and updating teaching methods for science subjects in the secondary and higher secondary levels.
“The idea was mooted by Nobel laureate professor George F Smoot of UCB, who is currently visiting the institute, and we thought we should take up the proposal,” said Damodar Acharya, director of IIT-KGP, after the institute’s 53rd convocation.
The joint programme will focus in developing curriculum, course materials to be used and course content to train teachers. Emphasis will be on teaching of science subjects and ways of making it interesting and acceptable to pupils. Modern teaching techniques and aids along with an updated knowledge of science is what the programme is aiming to do.
Apart from the regular science subjects such as, physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology, teachers will be given exposure to other subjects like cosmology, environmental science, climate change and energy.
Talking about the collaboration, Smoot said, “UCB already has one such programme, but we are going global with the project, and would be including India also.” The project has gained popularity in the US and the varsity has tie-ups in Kenya, Japan and China. “We are starting off in Indian with IIT Kharagpur, but slowly we would like to be associated with other IITs to get maximum reach,” the Nobel laureate added.
Commenting on the new initiative, the chairman of the board of governors at IIT-KGP Sanjiv Goenka, said: “The dialogue with UCB has already begun. There is a shortage of well-trained teachers in our schools and IIT Khargapur wants to do its part to improve the situation. In the past we had undertaken faculty development programmes for teachers of engineering colleges across the country and now we want to do it for schoolteachers. Our prior experience will surely help us.”
Course material for the undertaking will be conceptualised by December this year. While some teachers will be trained on IIT KGP campus, who will become master trainers, training will also be available online.
The IIT is also going on a massive infrastructure development drive. The institution has been sanctioned Rs 300 crore for developing its infrastructure, which would include construction of 100 class rooms, 200 tutorial rooms and six laboratories. The institute also inaugurated a women’s hostel accommodating 250 on Saturday. The institution is also setting up a tea research centre for Rs 16 crore, a coffee research centre for Rs 3 crore, a telecom research centre for Rs 12 crore and a steel research centre for Rs 20 crore. The institute will spend another Rs 50 crore to develop a research facility on fabrication of semi conductors.
“We are coming up with an energy park, an IT park and a medical biotechnology park. Many Indian and foreign institutions and companies have expressed their desire to use these facilities. Damodar Valley Corporation has offered to invest Rs 100 crore on our energy park project,” said Acharya.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
UGC proposes semester system
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 15, 2007
EXAMINATION SYSTEM in colleges and universities across the country might be in for an overhaul if the University Grants Commission (UGC) has its way. The UGC wants to introduce semester system, along with grades, in the under graduate and postgraduate levels.
Chairman of the UGC Prof. S. K. Thorat revealed this while addressing a session on the 11th five-year plan at Jadavpur University. The two-day session was kicked-off on Saturday with more than 50 vice-chancellors from various universities in eastern Indian attending it.
“Our colleges and universities follow one-time examination system. But conducting year-end annual exam and promoting students on the basis of it is not scientific. The semester system is more scientific and it is time to implement it,” Thorat said.
Thorat has also proposed to start grading system in college and university exam as is done in Class X and XII board tests. “It is a scientific approach. However, in the initial years if grade is awarded along with marks and then the marking system is completely abolished it will not be of any problem for both students and teachers,” said one of the vice-chancellors present at the meet.
In the 11th five-year plan the UGC has received some proposals for starting semester system and gradation in UG and PG studies. However, before taking a final decision in the matter, the UGC is discussing the proposal in all the four zones of the country.
After the proposal is discussed threadbare, the UGC will conduct a centralised meeting and send the final proposal to the ministry of human resource development for approval.
Thorat also felt that the measure would increase the gross enrolment ratio in higher education throughout the country. “The gross enrolment ratio in higher education in Indian is 10 per cent but in developed countries like the US it is 15 per cent. We will like to increase the ratio to 15 per cent by 2012 and implementation of the semester and gradation systems will give this initiative a big boost,” said Thorat.
Thorat also felt that in order to increase the enrolment ratio all institutes of higher learning will have to increase the mobility of students from one institution to another for research or for pursuing various subjects.
Thorat, however, touched a sensitive issue when he proposed a revision in fees in colleges and universities.Mou.Chakraborty@hindustatimnes.com
Kolkata, September 15, 2007
EXAMINATION SYSTEM in colleges and universities across the country might be in for an overhaul if the University Grants Commission (UGC) has its way. The UGC wants to introduce semester system, along with grades, in the under graduate and postgraduate levels.
Chairman of the UGC Prof. S. K. Thorat revealed this while addressing a session on the 11th five-year plan at Jadavpur University. The two-day session was kicked-off on Saturday with more than 50 vice-chancellors from various universities in eastern Indian attending it.
“Our colleges and universities follow one-time examination system. But conducting year-end annual exam and promoting students on the basis of it is not scientific. The semester system is more scientific and it is time to implement it,” Thorat said.
Thorat has also proposed to start grading system in college and university exam as is done in Class X and XII board tests. “It is a scientific approach. However, in the initial years if grade is awarded along with marks and then the marking system is completely abolished it will not be of any problem for both students and teachers,” said one of the vice-chancellors present at the meet.
In the 11th five-year plan the UGC has received some proposals for starting semester system and gradation in UG and PG studies. However, before taking a final decision in the matter, the UGC is discussing the proposal in all the four zones of the country.
After the proposal is discussed threadbare, the UGC will conduct a centralised meeting and send the final proposal to the ministry of human resource development for approval.
Thorat also felt that the measure would increase the gross enrolment ratio in higher education throughout the country. “The gross enrolment ratio in higher education in Indian is 10 per cent but in developed countries like the US it is 15 per cent. We will like to increase the ratio to 15 per cent by 2012 and implementation of the semester and gradation systems will give this initiative a big boost,” said Thorat.
Thorat also felt that in order to increase the enrolment ratio all institutes of higher learning will have to increase the mobility of students from one institution to another for research or for pursuing various subjects.
Thorat, however, touched a sensitive issue when he proposed a revision in fees in colleges and universities.Mou.Chakraborty@hindustatimnes.com
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Thumbprints to block JEE frauds
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 27, 2007
THE STATE’S JEE candidates will go through a series of thumbprint checks ahead of next year’s examination, a move to weed out fake candidates.
“Last year many dummy candidates took the entrance, which should not have happened. No we are taking every possible step to ensure that only genuine candidates appear,” said N.R. Banerjea, chairman of the West Bengal JEE Board.
Candidates will give their left thumb impressions on at least three occasions. The first impression will be on the application form, the second on the attendance sheet and the third on the optical marker reader (OMR) — the sheet on which they will answer multiple-choice questions. The board may also ask them for their thumb impressions on the objective-type answer-sheet. If any of the later impressions fail to match the first, the candidate will be put under the scanner.
The thumb impression is part of a procedure followed in IIT-JEE. “It will be one of the steps to check dummy candidates. If any dispute arises on the identity of a candidate, forensic experts will examine the thumb prints and the truth will come out,” the board chairman said.
In another step against dummies, the board will do away with using scanned photographs and ask each candidate to submit six originals. One of these will be on the attendance sheet and another on the admit card, which will be laminated so that no one can tamper with it.
Last year, a coaching centre had sent several dummy candidates. This time, no coaching centre will be allowed to issue forms and prospectuses. These will be available only with United Bank of India (UBI) offices in West Bengal and Tripura. Like the thumb impression, this too is a procedure followed in IIT-JEE, as well as CAT.
“The form will have three parts, one of which will be with the candidate, one with the bank and the third with the board. To prevent cheating, one or both parents of each candidate must sign the form,” the board chairman said.
mou.chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
BOX
· Thumb prints at three stages, starting from filling the form and ending in the examination hall
· Six original photographs, including one each on admit card and attendance sheet
· Form, prospectus only at UBI offices in Bengal and Tripura, none with coaching centres. Copy of form with board, parents’ signature necessary
Kolkata, September 27, 2007
THE STATE’S JEE candidates will go through a series of thumbprint checks ahead of next year’s examination, a move to weed out fake candidates.
“Last year many dummy candidates took the entrance, which should not have happened. No we are taking every possible step to ensure that only genuine candidates appear,” said N.R. Banerjea, chairman of the West Bengal JEE Board.
Candidates will give their left thumb impressions on at least three occasions. The first impression will be on the application form, the second on the attendance sheet and the third on the optical marker reader (OMR) — the sheet on which they will answer multiple-choice questions. The board may also ask them for their thumb impressions on the objective-type answer-sheet. If any of the later impressions fail to match the first, the candidate will be put under the scanner.
The thumb impression is part of a procedure followed in IIT-JEE. “It will be one of the steps to check dummy candidates. If any dispute arises on the identity of a candidate, forensic experts will examine the thumb prints and the truth will come out,” the board chairman said.
In another step against dummies, the board will do away with using scanned photographs and ask each candidate to submit six originals. One of these will be on the attendance sheet and another on the admit card, which will be laminated so that no one can tamper with it.
Last year, a coaching centre had sent several dummy candidates. This time, no coaching centre will be allowed to issue forms and prospectuses. These will be available only with United Bank of India (UBI) offices in West Bengal and Tripura. Like the thumb impression, this too is a procedure followed in IIT-JEE, as well as CAT.
“The form will have three parts, one of which will be with the candidate, one with the bank and the third with the board. To prevent cheating, one or both parents of each candidate must sign the form,” the board chairman said.
mou.chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
BOX
· Thumb prints at three stages, starting from filling the form and ending in the examination hall
· Six original photographs, including one each on admit card and attendance sheet
· Form, prospectus only at UBI offices in Bengal and Tripura, none with coaching centres. Copy of form with board, parents’ signature necessary
Sanskrit has 2.5-lakh takers and counting
Mou Chakraborty & Zia Haq
Kolkata/New Delhi, September 21, 2007
RECENTLY, 32 Muslim students went up to the head of Kashmir University’s Sanskrit department S.Razdan, requesting her to help them learn Sanskrit. Surprised at their interest, Razdan wrote to the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan’s Jammu coordinator, Professor Vishwamurthy Shastri.
The boys’ interest in what’s often considered a dead language is not a one-off case. Doctors, lawyers and even housewives across the country are rediscovering the classical language that goes back 4,000 years.
The latest report of the country's apex body for Sanskrit learning under the Union HRD ministry --- the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan --- reveals that between 2004 and 2006, over 2.5 lakh people have learnt Sanskrit through its “non-formal course”. Among them are 500 doctors, as many lawyers, 4,000 businessmen, 8,000 housewives and 20,000 retired professionals.
The institute had started the course as a pilot project in 2004 with just 5,000 students at 100 centres. Today, there are over 1,000 centres nationwide. “It is remarkable that none who enroll do so for a degree, but for the love of the language. Remember it's a non-formal course,” said the Sansthan's national coordinator Ratan Mohan Jha.
In Kolkata, the new-found interest in Sanskrit has led the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University to open the School of Indian Heritage from the current academic session. “People who know science do not know Sanskrit and those who know Sanskrit do not know science. Increasingly, the scientific community is showing an interest in our ancient science but for that, they will have to know Sanskrit,” said Swami Atmapriyananda, vice-chancellor of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University.
But why is there a sudden interest in the language. Dr. Atulananda Ramteke, who runs the Agile Orthopaedic Clinic in New Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh, said: “Principles of ancient Sushruta medicine always attracted me. That is why I had opted for the course.”
“The language has so much rhythm, it brings peace to your mind even when you are highly stressed. And once you learn Sanskrit you know how to solve complex management problems,” said S. Gautma, a management graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. He is now pursuing a course in Sanskrit from the Ramakrisha Mission Institute of Culture at Golpark.
letters@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata/New Delhi, September 21, 2007
RECENTLY, 32 Muslim students went up to the head of Kashmir University’s Sanskrit department S.Razdan, requesting her to help them learn Sanskrit. Surprised at their interest, Razdan wrote to the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan’s Jammu coordinator, Professor Vishwamurthy Shastri.
The boys’ interest in what’s often considered a dead language is not a one-off case. Doctors, lawyers and even housewives across the country are rediscovering the classical language that goes back 4,000 years.
The latest report of the country's apex body for Sanskrit learning under the Union HRD ministry --- the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan --- reveals that between 2004 and 2006, over 2.5 lakh people have learnt Sanskrit through its “non-formal course”. Among them are 500 doctors, as many lawyers, 4,000 businessmen, 8,000 housewives and 20,000 retired professionals.
The institute had started the course as a pilot project in 2004 with just 5,000 students at 100 centres. Today, there are over 1,000 centres nationwide. “It is remarkable that none who enroll do so for a degree, but for the love of the language. Remember it's a non-formal course,” said the Sansthan's national coordinator Ratan Mohan Jha.
In Kolkata, the new-found interest in Sanskrit has led the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University to open the School of Indian Heritage from the current academic session. “People who know science do not know Sanskrit and those who know Sanskrit do not know science. Increasingly, the scientific community is showing an interest in our ancient science but for that, they will have to know Sanskrit,” said Swami Atmapriyananda, vice-chancellor of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University.
But why is there a sudden interest in the language. Dr. Atulananda Ramteke, who runs the Agile Orthopaedic Clinic in New Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh, said: “Principles of ancient Sushruta medicine always attracted me. That is why I had opted for the course.”
“The language has so much rhythm, it brings peace to your mind even when you are highly stressed. And once you learn Sanskrit you know how to solve complex management problems,” said S. Gautma, a management graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. He is now pursuing a course in Sanskrit from the Ramakrisha Mission Institute of Culture at Golpark.
letters@hindustantimes.com
Friday, September 14, 2007
State Cracks the Whip on Teacher's Cane
Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 13
TEACHERS GUILTY of corporal punishment, beware. If the government gets to know of it, the government will step in, investigate, and punish you if it finds you guilty.
The punishment will depend on the degree of corporal punishment. It could be as trivial as a verbal warning for minor cases, but serious instances would entail a halt to increments, suspension or even dismissal.
The government’s decision is binding on state-run and state-aided schools. Private schools, too, will be given a set of guidelines, which they may or may not follow.
“We are very serious about stopping corporal punishment in schools. If we come to know about any such incident, we will take up the matter directly and take disciplinary action,” school education minister Partha De said on Thursday, after a meeting on the subject.
The minister discussed corporal punishment with representatives of his department, the directorate of school education, the primary and Madhyamik boards, the higher secondary council, district school inspectors and all teachers’ organisations. The meeting also included health department representatives, psychiatrists, paediatricians and experts on adolescent health.
The minister asked teachers’ organisations for suggestions by September 20. “We will then decide how to deal with teachers who are guilty of corporal punishment. We will set up a mechanism of monitoring such incidents and put someone in charge. We want the plan in effect once schools reopen after Durga Puja,” he said.
De urged the teachers to be particularly cautious with girls. He asked them “not to touch them under any circumstances and also make the girls aware that no one should touch them”.
The government plans to counsel both teachers and parents and explain that they should not put pressure on children. Teachers will also be taught anger management.
“Teachers should understand that instead of hitting or scolding there are scientific ways to handle an unruly child. A psychological insight into the child’s brain will help teachers to address the problem. They can also find ways of relieving stress,” the minister said. mou.chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
Kolkata, September 13
TEACHERS GUILTY of corporal punishment, beware. If the government gets to know of it, the government will step in, investigate, and punish you if it finds you guilty.
The punishment will depend on the degree of corporal punishment. It could be as trivial as a verbal warning for minor cases, but serious instances would entail a halt to increments, suspension or even dismissal.
The government’s decision is binding on state-run and state-aided schools. Private schools, too, will be given a set of guidelines, which they may or may not follow.
“We are very serious about stopping corporal punishment in schools. If we come to know about any such incident, we will take up the matter directly and take disciplinary action,” school education minister Partha De said on Thursday, after a meeting on the subject.
The minister discussed corporal punishment with representatives of his department, the directorate of school education, the primary and Madhyamik boards, the higher secondary council, district school inspectors and all teachers’ organisations. The meeting also included health department representatives, psychiatrists, paediatricians and experts on adolescent health.
The minister asked teachers’ organisations for suggestions by September 20. “We will then decide how to deal with teachers who are guilty of corporal punishment. We will set up a mechanism of monitoring such incidents and put someone in charge. We want the plan in effect once schools reopen after Durga Puja,” he said.
De urged the teachers to be particularly cautious with girls. He asked them “not to touch them under any circumstances and also make the girls aware that no one should touch them”.
The government plans to counsel both teachers and parents and explain that they should not put pressure on children. Teachers will also be taught anger management.
“Teachers should understand that instead of hitting or scolding there are scientific ways to handle an unruly child. A psychological insight into the child’s brain will help teachers to address the problem. They can also find ways of relieving stress,” the minister said. mou.chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
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