Shiksha Cafe- Education Headlines (September)

4 IITs Have Slipped In World Top Universities Ranking

The QS World University Rankings, featuring top 500 institutions across the globe, has revealed that the most reputed educational institutions of our country, IITs have fallen in the rankings this year. This revelation comes as a huge blow to the prestige IITs command on the education map of India. Four out of seven IITs have slipped in the world university rankings. The Business Standard has reported that IIT-Bombay has fallen 24 places, skidding from 163 position last year to 187 this year. Also, IIT-Delhi has fallen from 181 rank last year to 202 rank this year and IIT-Guwahati has fallen from 401 position to 501 this year. IIT-Kanpur has also fallen from 237 rank last year to 249 position this year. Professor Devang Khakhar, Director, IIT-Bombay, said, "We see these rankings as a feedback of how others see our institution. While these rankings do not really impact our behavior as an institute, we will have to look into the factors which led IIT-Bombay fall from the 163 position to 187."

Source: 14th September, 2010, Business Standard

IITs To Offer Courses in Medicine

The premier educational institutions of our country, IITs would soon be offering courses in medicine. To impart lectures, foreign nationals would be appointed on permanent faculty positions and students from foreign countries at the post graduate level. Mr. Kapil Sibal, the HRD Minister, presided the meeting of IIT council in which this decision was taken. He said, "We are making sure that wherever the instruction leads to a degree relating to any branch of medicine, then of course clearances from MCI under the Act will have to be taken." Also, the decision of appointing foreign faculty, not more than 10% of the total faculty strength, has been taken by the council. However, there exist some issues related to introducing some amendments to the Indian Citizenship Act, which need to be looked into.

Source: 10th September, 2010, DNA

IGNOU Expands Its Horizon To Africa Through Tele-education

Since 2008 when IGNOU first entered into contract with Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) to start its tele-education programme, it has managed to spread its wings across many countries reaching Africa recently. IGNOU has succeeded in reaching students of Ethiopia, Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Somalia, Rwanda, Senegal, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Benin and Botswana. IGNOU's latest project is funded by the Indian Government with an estimated whopping amount of Rs. 5.43 billion. Mr. Vimal Wakhlu, Director of technical division of TCIL, said, "It's a collaborative move. We have set up connectivity terminals with Ethiopian authorities for wireless communication." An official also said, "Virtual remote classrooms have enabled a two-way interaction between the teachers and students through mobile telephony and various other tools."

Source: 10th September, 2010, Headlines India

UGC: IIPM Not Authorized To Confer Degrees

The University Grants Commission (UGC), India's apex higher education regulator, has clearly issued a 'red alert' kind of public notice against the Indian Institute of Planning & Management (IIPM) declaring that the Institute is not recognized by it & not entitled to confer any degree as per Section 22 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956. The UGC, in the public notice issued said, "The public and students are also hereby informed that the universities established either by a Central Act or a State Act or an Institution deemed to the university under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act can confer or grant only those degrees which are specified by the University Grants Commission under Section 22(3) of the Act."

Source: 9th September, 2010, MSN

NIT Tiruchirapalli Director Suspended By The HRD Ministry

Prof. M Chidambaram, Director, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirappalli has been suspended by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) for his alleged misconduct and disobedience of the decisions of the Board of Governors. Mr. Kapil Sibal, HRD Minister, passed the suspension order after it was evident prima facie that Prof. Chidambaram did not pay heed to the decisions of the governing body, the apex decision-making body of any NIT. Prof. Chidambaram has been asked to move back to IIT Madras, where he was serving as a faculty member prior to his appointment as NIT Director. This suspension order has followed last month's NIT Warangal's director, Prof. Y. V. Rao's suspension based on the charges of discrepancies in admissions and poor civil construction work in the institue's premises.

Source: 9th September, 2010, Tribune India

IIM Kozhikode Has launched Open Entrepreneurship Competition

IIM Kozhikode has launched "White Knight", the 4th version of its open entrepreneurship competition. The B-school has organized this competition to execute its vision of shifting the management institute from exclusive elitism to inclusive excellence. Also, this event will bring budding entrepreneurs and motivated individuals on a common platform for mutual exchange of ideas for gainful and scalable businesses. Professor Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode, said, "IIM Kozhikode is changing the face of business education in India by bringing greater diversity than any other B-School in India that we know of. Our students engage in new ventures in business and newer adventures in the realm of ideas. I believe that innovation is all about liberating the learner in us so that we can chart new pathways for creating wealth. The real wealth of India rests in those intangibles: the ideas, imagination and aspiration of our people."

Source: 9th September, 2010, Cool Avenues