Magadh University (MU) administration has allowed students of all affiliated colleges, including those, which are subject to probe regarding their affiliation and other irregularities, to fill up the examination form for Degree part I of the session 2004-2005. The date of commencement of the examination will be notified soon. This was announced by the MU Pro Vice Chancellor (P-VC) Dr R P Sharma while inaugurating the annual sports at J N L College, Khagaul on 8 Dec. He said the ban imposed on the college under probe was lifted in the larger interest of students as it would benefit over one lakh students who had been waiting for examination for over six months. Following a report of irregularities in admission and affiliation, the university had banned the students of about 50 affiliated colleges to take their examination in March. Sharma said the MU Branch Office situated in the State capital had already been directed to accept the examination forms from the colleges of this locality. The P-VC asked all MU colleges to promote vocational courses, which have better employment opportunities than the conventional subjects. He also assured the college to provide all help for promoting games and sports on campus. Earlier, the NCC cadets presented a guard of honour to Sharma following which he inaugurated the function by lighting a traditional mashal and releasing colourful gas balloons. Presiding over the function, principal Dr Baban Singh said the college had removed encroachment of about 12 katthas of land and developed a playground on campus from its internal resources. He sought permission from MU to start post-graduate teaching in four subjects. Asha Devi, MLA of Danapur, announced to construct a pucca road from Moti Chowk to the college gate. A large number of boys and girls participated in various events including race, long jump and high jump. The three-day sports will conclude on December 10.

News of Magadh University

Jamia Milia Islamia University is starting a new PG Diploma course on Child Rights with support from a Swedish NGO. The one-year course is expected to commence by January 2006. The course content will focus on a lot of issues including law, social work and sociology. The university also plans to rope in guest lecturers, said Rakshanda Jalil, media coordinator, Jamia.

Notification

The Harvard Business School (HBS) will finally have a presence in India. The famed Ivy League institution has announced the opening of its India Research Centre in Mumbai only the fifth foreign centre after Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Paris. In the works for a while, the Mumbai centre will focus on research connected with Indian companies pursuing new ventures in a globalised economy, foreign firms looking for opportuties in India, and policy-makers working to create a competitive environment. The new centre enables HBS faculty to study one of the worlds most important economic regions during a time of significant transformation, said Richard Vietor, the schools senior associate dean and faculty chair for Asia. In addition to research, the Mumbai centre will also have selected executive education courses, conducted by HBS faculty. Two such courses are slated for January 2006; one on negotiation and the other on family-owned businesses. Prof Krishna Palepu, senior associate dean for international development says the new initiative would help HBS to expand ties with prominent business leaders, universities and researchers across India. It will also help cultivate a constructive dialogue between Indian and other business leaders. Heading the Mumbai centre will be Ajay Mookerjee, who earned a doctorate in business administration from HBS in 1988 and went on to take up a string of executive assignments with such top firms as GE Capital, AIG and Capital One. An increasingly important player in the global economy, India will continue to drive the social and capital markets that shape our world. It is essential for Harvard Business School to have a presence in India and contribute to increased understanding of key issues in the area, Mookerjee commented.

Three Kiosks Are Added At The Try science Room At The Birla Planetarium

Want to know what’s happening at the Houston Science Centre or the Centre at Canberra, Australia? Web cameras at the three IBM kiosks in the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre at the Birla Planetarium can take one around the world and beyond. IBM Global Services on 2th Nov expanded its education initiative in Tamil Nadu adding three kiosks at the Try Science Room at the Planetarium with a view to enhance the importance of science and foster the spirit of scientific quest among the youth. Jalaja Pillai, Manager, Corporate Community Relations, said Try Science was a project for children that used technology to make science teaching progressive. It is part of a worldwide initiative to make science and technology fun, non-instructional and self-explanatory. The three kiosks in Chennai are part of 100 kiosks around the world. The kiosks have been designed in collaboration with the New York Hall of Science and Association of Science and Technology Centres. The latter has a network of 450 Science and Technology Centres, of which the one at Chennai is a member.

Observation

P. Iyamperumal, Executive Director, said science was nothing but observation and the kiosks helped children observe various scientific experiments and phenomena. The kiosk has Internet facility between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. when the web camera is enabled and children can watch exhibits at other centres around the world. Two hundred students participated in the inauguration of the centre by C.Ve. Shanmugam, Minister for Education arid Commercial Taxes. The Minister said the Government was happy to be part of IBM’s initiative to bring an easier and better way for children to learn science and generate an interest in the subject across Tamil Nadu. “This is a good example of how corporates can support and bring about a change in the community. In this case, IBM has combined its technical expertise with the expertise of educators and teachers to help make a real difference to children’s education,” he said. Vaidyanathan Venkataraman, Communication-Specialist, IBM, said the website contained on and off-line multimedia activities that changed continually, as new experiences and exhibits were created for visitors. IBM also had similar initiatives in the field of education through EXITE (Exploring Interests in Technology and Engineering), KidSmart, Mentoring and On Demand Community across the country, working with various age groups, he said

News of IBM

British Province Changing Post-Study Work Norms

After Singapore, New Zealand and Ireland, it is now the turn of Scotland to open its doors to Indians to study and reside there. The British province is changing its post study work permit, with an aim to woo international students to come in bigger numbers. Last year, more than 2,000 students from India went to enrol in various Scottish universities. This is little over 12 % of all Indian students enrolling in various British universities. The province is now trying make its easier for Indian students to enrol in various university courses and then follow it up with a job. The number of students going from India to study in Scotland has trebled over the last five years. India ranks third, after the US and China, in terms of the number of overseas students coming to study in Scotland. Scotland recently launched a scheme whereby students can work there for two years without a spedal work permit after graduating with any degree be it graduation, masters or doctorate -from a Scottish university. The Fresh Talent visa extension scheme is designed to help overseas graduates from Scottish institutions to stay and work in Scotland, said Nicol Stephen, deputy First Minister and minister for enterprise and lifelong learning of Scotland. This scheme is valid for a period of one year after graduation and has been worked out in conjunction with the UK Home Office. Apart from opportunities for work, the UK government is aggressively working on a proposal to streamline the immigration procedures with purpose of making the system more transparent and easier to comprehend by the applicants. Under the proposed five year strategy on immigration, a new point system is being evolved whereby visas will be granted based on criteria such as qualifications, talent and skills. Scotland, which has over 21 universities and colleges, is actively promoting courses in fields such as information technology, energy, life sciences and financial sectors to international students

IIM-C is coming up with a full-fledged one-year PGDM, exclusively for executives with a minimum of five years job experience. This is the first time in 10 years that the institute has floated a full-time, residential diploma. This diploma course was approved at our last board meeting on October 29. We were working on the programme since February of 2005. The course will be rolled out by midL2006, Sekhar Choudhury, IIMCS director, told. The rationale behind launching such a course is the changing students profile in the two-year PGDM that IIMC or other IIMS traditionally run. Over the last few years, around 70% of the students enrolling for the two-year postgraduate management diploma programme have at least one-year of work experience. A significant percentage of the students are found to have put in over two years on a job. While a smaller number are seen to be having more than five years of experience, Prof Chaudhuri said.

News of IIM-C

THE HRD Ministry has decided to make reservation for scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other backward caste students mandatory in foreign universities opening their campuses in India. A top ministry official told Hindustan Times that a special section has been incorporated in the Bill on foreign universities after the law ministry’s intervention. The ministry told us that since a constitutional amendment is being sought to make the reservation mandatory, it should be made applicable for all types of private institutes including foreign universities, an official said. The ministry made changes in the draft Bill to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament and has stipulated minimum 25 per cent reservation. The ministry recommended fee waiver for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students as well as those from weaker sections. The states, however, will have the power to increase the quota. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have sought reservation of up to 50 per cent whereas Punjab. wants minimum 25 percent reservation. The reservation desired ranges from 20-50 per cent. The states can decide on the quota with us stipulating the minimum quota, an official said. None of the states have objected to the draft legislation, through they have expressed different viewpoints on how-to enforce it. The ministry is contemplating setting up a separate body for foreign universities, which will regulate the fee structure and type of courses to be allowed. Till such a body is constituted the University Grants Commission will register the universities, an official said. The UGC is also being empowered to make regulations under the new law.