NISER Bhubaneswar, India

BHUBANESWAR: The teachers and the student community have hailed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement of establishing a National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) here.

‘‘It’s a long cherished dream fulfilled,’’ said a beaming Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University L N Mishra. ‘‘Orissa has struggled hard to get its due. Finally, students will get an opportunity to avail of cutting edge research facilities on the home turf,’’ Mishra added.

He hoped that the institute would spur increased research activities in the State and generate employment opportunities. ‘‘Besides, we expect good work on fundamentals in areas like Physics and Chemistry,’’ he said.

Expressing satisfaction over the announcement, IIT aspirant Jugal Bagga said students interested in basic research activities could bank on the institute.

NISER will impart five-year integrated M.Sc courses in core and emerging branches of science after Plus Two. Integrated M.Sc/PhD programmes after graduation will also be offered.

While announcing its establishment, the Prime Minister said emphasis would be laid on generating scientific manpower of high quality that could directly find placement in various R&D centres in the country as well as the industry.

The course curriculum will be at par with that adopted by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research but with emphasis on branches of science relevant for better utilisation of natural resources. The course will be designed especially keeping in mind the mineral reserves in the State and its marine resources.

Students will be given reasonable stipend and time for research activities. Campus interviews and placement, either in job securing centres like BARC, and IGCAR or PhD giving centres like TIFR and Indian Institute of Sciences is also in the offing.

The project will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, the existing infrastructure of Institute of Physics and an additional 30 acres of land in an adjoining location will be utilised to start courses in select subjects like Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry and Biology.

In the second phase, 200 acres of land will be acquired within the City limits and then the activities will be expanded to new domains commensurate with the socio-economic needs of the region.

# posted by chitta @ 7:45 AM