Kochi | Education & Research

[Malayaali]

Kochi’s biggest school auditorium

Several of the city’s schools are going for big auditoriums to facilitate both celebratory and academic events.

A 10,000 sq ft auditorium that can accommodate over 1,000 persons will come up at the Saraswathy Vidyaniketan, Elamakkara, in a year at an estimated cost of over Rs 5 crore.

“The ground floor of the multi-storey building will be basically used as a dining hall while the rest of the space will be utilised for holding anniversaries and other celebrations.

On the academic front, we plan to conduct videoconferencing and use it as a discussion venue,” said manager Sree Kumar K S. The auditorium will have all facilities for Wi-fi connectivity, a huge screen and projector among others, he said, adding that construction works are expected to be completed in 12 months.

The auditorium which will have provisions for air-conditioning, will also have over 10 small rooms with accommodation facilities.

[vjkrishn]

Kerala to launch retail management institute

To fill the existing gap in training and development of retail skills for the growing retail industry particularly in Kerala, the State Government has announced the launch of a Retail Management Institute.

The institute is being set up jointly by Infrastructure Kerala Ltd (INKEL), Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP), Kerala Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (KIED) and Retailers Association of India (RAI).

The proposed institute will be conducting classes in the campus of KIED at Kalamassery near here.

The courses will be whetted and conducted under the aegis of Retailers Association of India, the accrediting agency for retail learning and development in India, a press release said.

The starter courses, to be conducted this year, will be certificate programmes in professional retailing skills for the front end staff in various retail units, followed by Diploma in Retail Management which will provide end-to-end training in retail management.

Those students, who complete the course successfully, will receive a course completion certificate jointly issued by District Industries Centre (DIC), K-BIP, INKEL and RAI. The certificate will bear the logo of the Kerala Government.

[Malayaali]

M.Tech In Marine Biotechnology At CUSAT

Kochi: Applications have been invited for the M.Tech (Marine Biotechnology) course conducted by the National Centre for Aquatic Animal Health Department, Marine Science Campus of Cochin University.

Admissions to the course will be made through the joint Entrance Examination conducted by the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. In order to request an application form and prospectus, a Demand Draft for Rs.260 drawn in favour of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, payable at New Delhi, must be mailed along with a self-addressed envelope of size 30 cm x 25 cm to the Section Officer (Admissions), Room No. 28, Administrative Block, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi – 110067.
The completed application form must reach the University before March 21. Students can also apply online at www.jnu.ac.in or www.jnuonline.in from February 6 to March 21 until 5 p.m. The application forms will be available by post until Mar 5. For those who apply online, the last date for submission of the confirmation page is March 28.

For more information on M.Tech courses in Marine Biotechnology, please visit www.ncaah.org. For detailed information, email to isbsingh@gmail.com or call 0484 – 2981120 or 9447631101.

[vjkrishn]

C-SiS readying to host young visitors

The Centre for Science in Society (C-SiS) at Cusat is busy getting a facelift as it will play host to students from different parts of the city and state from the first week of April. The students will be visiting the centre to enjoy the spirit of science through fun and practice.

Well-known science communicators will guide children from Class IV to Class X as they spend their summer vacation learning through laboratory activity, science park, computer and math lab and a well-stocked library. "This is the only institution functioning under a university, which grooms children to learn and love science and mathematics," said Dr K G Nair, founder director, C-SiS.

The programme will continue for 7 weeks till May end. "We are having two batches for April and May. There is a two-month programme for students who want to spend more time in laboratories," he added.

The science park is an outdoor facility where children can play and learn science principles using play models. A herbal park, butterfly garden, rainwater harvesting unit, biogas plant and the children's hall of scientists are the main attractions.

There are special pavilions for physics and biology where participants can interact with various gadgets and models. The 'See and believe' laboratory will help children do basic experiments in science. "While one set of students are out in the park and the laboratory, there is a group which sits in the library. We have a rare collection of 8000 popular science books and journalas," he said.

The fee for the single month programme is Rs 3450 and for two months in Rs 5900 inclusive of study material.

[vjkrishn]

[mohammedirshad06]

XIME has started recruitment for its Kochi campus. They are hiring very senior level professors with P.hDs and relevant experience for almost all regular management streams.

It seems, XIME will start from the upcoming academic itself

[vjkrishn]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

XIME has started recruitment for its Kochi campus. They are hiring very senior level professors with P.hDs and relevant experience for almost all regular management streams.

It seems, XIME will start from the upcoming academic itself

[Malayaali]

Navy's eyes and ears

The Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, aims at perfection. Take for instance the system integration rig on its wooded campus. It is a small room, rigged up to look like a cabin in the Indian Navy's warship, with several pieces of sonar equipment, operators' cubicles, computer consoles, and so on. Not only is the cabin's ambience similar to that of a ship's cabin but even the lighting is “low” as in a vessel. The sonar's narrow cubicles with consoles resemble those in a warship.

This year, 2012, is the golden jubilee of the NPOL. Originally named the Indian Naval Physical Laboratory, it was set up in 1952 and became part of the DRDO in 1958. It was re-christened NPOL in 1967.

S. Anantha Narayanan, Director, NPOL, said, “Our vision is to be a centre of excellence in underwater sensors and surveillance systems. This is a niche area. Nobody else in this country is working on underwater sensors and surveillance systems.” The NPOL's mission is to design, develop and integrate sonar systems for installation in the Navy's ships and submarines. The NPOL fosters the technologies, which will enable the development of sonars and associated material, and increase the understanding of ocean environment. It has partnered with the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in developing an anti-torpedo defence system called Mareech, which includes a sensor array and a decoy.

The NPOL specialises in anti-submarine warfare oceanography, which essentially is about how sound waves propagate under water in various temperature, pressure and salinity conditions. “That study is done exclusively by the NPOL, and it has an important bearing on the capability of the sonar systems that the country builds,” Anantha Narayanan said.

Sonars are early warning systems that help in the location of enemy vessels, submarines, torpedoes and sea mines. Anantha Narayanan described sonars as “essentially underwater radars”. Developing sonars is more complex compared with radars because it requires understanding the ocean's depth, salinity and temperature. While a radar uses electromagnetic waves to warn of incoming enemy aircraft or missiles, sonars use acoustic waves to warn of threats from hostile ships/submarines and torpedoes. (Electromagnetic waves get attenuated quickly in water). Transducers convert the electrical energy into acoustic energy, which propagates in water. This is processed and the findings are displayed on the operator's console for interpretation. By listening to the noise coming from under water, an experienced operator can figure out whether it belongs to a ship, a submarine or a torpedo.

Sonars are of two types: passive and active. A passive sonar picks up the radiated noise from a hostile submarine, a torpedo or schools of fish, interprets the direction in which it is coming and identifies the target. From the noise that an engine or a propeller in a ship, submarine or torpedo makes, sonars can make out their attributes. They pick up that signature, track it and thus find out the direction in which the object is moving, calculate its speed and also help in classifying it as a friend or foe. An active sonar pumps energy into the water, waits for the echo, and thus helps in finding out the distance at which the object is travelling. Active sonars are fitted on ships so that they can hunt for submarines. Submarines use passive sonars so that they can pick up the noise from ships without their (submarines) getting exposed. Sonars can be deployed from air, with helicopters lowering the transducers into water.

In the 1980s, the NPOL came up with a hull-mounted sonar called Advanced Panoramic Sonar Hull (APSOH). It was the first indigenously designed and developed ship-borne sonar system for active ranging, passive listening, auto-tracking of targets and their classification. Then it developed HUMSA (Hull Mounted Sonar Advanced), which helped naval vessels track their targets in shallow and deep waters and proved its efficiency for about 10 years even in the highly variable tropical waters.

The NPOL has now developed HUMSA-NG (new generation) and S. Kedarnath Shenoy, scientist, is its architect. The project was completed in just four years – from the drawing board to tests, fitment on a vessel and evaluation, said Anantha Narayanan. He added: “It is a third-generation sonar for surface ships that the NPOL is making. There lies the message.” The message is that it disproves the notion that the DRDO delayed the projects, he said. APSOH took seven years to develop, HUMSA five and HUMSA-NG less than four years. “So the learning curve has enabled us to deliver the products in time, and right now we are ahead of the [availability of the] ships,” the Director added.

Shenoy said that out of 10 HUMSA-NG sonars delivered to the Navy since 2009, three were installed on its ships and the integration of one was under way. Besides these 10 sonars, the Navy has placed orders for six HUMSA-NG sonars. They would be installed on destroyers, frigates and corvettes. Another sonar developed by the NPOL for installation on the Navy's EKM class of submarines is called USHUS. Besides detecting and tracking enemy submarines, vessels and torpedoes, it can be used for underwater communication and for avoiding obstacles.


S. Kedarnath Shenoy, the architect of HUMSA-NG, the sonar for surface ships, explaining the device at the NPOL in Kochi.

R. Kanakarajan, Associate Director, NPOL, said the current trend in the passive sonars deployed on submarines was to work towards low frequencies. “As we go down in frequency, the size of the sonar sensor array goes up. There are contradictory requirements: sonars should be compact, they should have low frequency and high power and should be light. These are the challenges we face when we work under water in dynamic conditions,” said Kanakarajan.

Mihir is the sonar deployed from helicopters. Its transducer is dunked under water. DRDO literature says that this sonar has been designed for the Army's Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) where weight, space and power are at a premium. The system consists of a sonar dome, acoustic and environmental sensors, a winching system, a signal conditioner and processor, a very high frequency receiver and antenna. The transducer converts the electrical energy into acoustic energy and the echo is available on display in the computer for the operator to interpret. The area covered is more because a helicopter can lower the transducer in one location, sanitise it and fly elsewhere for deploying the transducer again.

The NPOL has developed a Towed Array Data Sonar System (to detect submarines and torpedoes) in which the array alone is 200 metres long and the cable attached to it is a kilometre long. The cable and the array will be mutually buoyant. For the past seven years, the NPOL has been working on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). It has developed a miniaturised underwater acoustic sensor called hydrophone, which is the equivalent of a microphone in hand. Its architect is V. Natarajan, Project Director, MEMS Regional Centre, NPOL. This hydrophone is based on metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) and a piezo-electric sensor. The sensor measures less than one inch by one inch and weighs less than 32 grams. These miniature sensors find applications in thin-lined towed arrays for submarines, ships and unmanned surface vehicles. Natarajan said the centre had developed a conductivity, temperature and depth sensor to measure the temperature, salinity and depth of the ocean because the speed of sound in the ocean depends on these parameters and they influence the sonars' performance. “This sensor is totally indigenous,” Natarajan said.

Sameer Abdul Azeez, scientist, NPOL, has built a novel device called Tarangini, which helps rescuers to know the depth of a waterbody and the hardness of its bed. What motivated Azeez to build the contraption was the fact that a number of people drowned in waterbodies formed by abandoned quarries in Kerala.

“We are a highly focussed laboratory. We don't do anything outside underwater surveillance,” Anantha Narayanan said. In the Twelfth Plan period (2012-17), the NPOL plans to concentrate on an anti-submarine warfare suite for ships, fourth-generation HUMSA and second-generation Mareech. “We are in continuous upgrade mode because the life of a sonar system is not more than 10 to 15 years,” he said.

[e_arunsid]

NPOL was the first big thing in Kakkanad

[Malayaali]

No, there used to be a mental hospital

[Malayaali]

A sea of knowledge awaits students

Around 700 students and 38 teachers, who are on a ‘Semester at sea' under the Institute for Shipboard Education of the University of Virginia, will call at Kochi on Monday on board their ship mv Explorer.

‘Semester at sea' is a global foreign study programme operated by the institute. The travelling campus of the programme sails to between eight and 13 destinations on each voyage.

Cultural trip

Having left Bahamas on January 20, their aim is to visit 15 countries during the course of 104 days and study the culture, history, heritage, politics and economy of the countries where they land.

The Kochi stopover falls in between Mauritius and Singapore.

They will continue their voyage from here on March 17 after visiting the Taj Mahal and other historic places, said sources at the city-based Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).

The group will attend a presentation on social justice, sustainable development and democracy in India, organised by CPPR.

Built in 2002, mv Explorer is one of the fastest, safest, and technologically advanced passenger ships afloat.

More than 45,000 students from colleges and universities around the world have studied with ‘Semester at sea.'

Notable alumni and contributors include Nobel laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, and many other world leaders and global thinkers.

The students and their teachers hope to visit 15 countries on their 104-day voyage.

[Malayaali]

Build ships, float your career

Kunjali Marakkar School of Marine Engineering

Naval architecture and shipbuilding or ship technology deal with the study of the design, construction, maintenance, and repair of marine vehicles such as ships and submarines. Those who desire to became a naval architect or a ship technologist can opt for the BE or B.Tech. courses in naval architecture and shipbuilding or naval architecture and ocean engineering, which, however, are rare in India.

Ship technology

Naval architects and ship technologists are in high demand in the shipbuilding industries, naval dockyards, the Merchant Navy, shipping companies, and so on. They can join ships for duty after undergoing practical training onboard for a year and a half and receiving certification from the Directorate-General of Shipping.

In Kerala, the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) conducts a B.Tech. course in naval architecture and shipbuilding. Admission is through the Cusat Common Admission Test and an interview. Those who have passed Plus Two or equivalent examinations with 60 per cent marks in physics, chemistry, and mathematics put together and 50 per cent separately in mathematics are eligible for admission. There are 24 seats. Details may be had from www.cusat.ac.in

Indian Maritime University, Chennai, conducts a B.Tech. course in naval architecture and ocean engineering at the National Ship Design and Research Centre (university campus) in Visakhapatnam. There are 40 seats. Selection is based on the score in the Joint Entrance Examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT-JEE) and an interview. Those who have passed Plus Two or equivalent examinations with physics, chemistry, mathematics, and English with at least 60 per cent marks in aggregate are eligible for admission.

The university conducts a B.Sc. course in shipbuilding and repair for those who pass Plus Two with physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

The two courses have good job potential. Details may be had from www.imu.tn.nic.in

The IIT Madras offers a B.Tech. course in naval architecture and ocean engineering. Selection is through the JEE and an interview. Details may be had from www.iitm.ac.in

Those who have passed Plus Two or equivalent examinations with mathematics, physics, and chemistry scoring 60 per cent marks (55 per cent for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes or the physically challenged) in the first chance can appear for the JEE. Those appearing for the second year Plus Two examination may also appear for the test. In the coming years, 40 per cent weight may be given to academic merit for selection. In the private sector, AMET (Academy of Maritime Education and Training) University, Chennai, offers BE courses in naval architecture and offshore engineering and shipbuilding, repair and conversion technology. Those who have passed Plus Two with physics, chemistry, and mathematics may apply (www.ametuniv.ac.in). (The list is only indicative.)

Navy's course

The Navy offers a B.Tech. cadet-entry scheme for young men who pass the Plus Two examination with physics, chemistry, and mathematics with at least 70 per cent marks in aggregate and 50 per cent in English. Selection is based on an interview conducted by the Services Selection Board.

The selected candidates will be inducted as cadets into a B.Tech. course in electronics and communication or mechanical engineering at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. On graduating, Jawaharlal Nehru University will award the B.Tech. degree (www.nausena-bharati. nic.in).

Marine engineering

To become a marine engineer or engine officer, one should study the BE or B.Tech course in marine engineering. The job will be aboard ships carrying cargo or passengers all over the world. A marine engineer will be in charge of engine maintenance. The excellent pay and promotional opportunities make the career attractive.

Students should join the engineering course in colleges or institutes approved by the Directorate-General of Shipping. The minimum academic qualification required for admission is a pass in Plus Two or equivalent examinations with physics, chemistry, mathematics and English separately with average marks of not less than 60 per cent in the three science subjects. The candidates should have obtained minimum 50 per cent marks in English at the 10th or 12th standard. Proficiency in English language and communication skills are an added advantage. The upper age limit is 25.

Some other categories of candidates who can study the BE or B.Tech. course in marine engineering are as follows:

Candidates can directly join the second year of the course on completing the first year of the alternative training scheme approved by the Directorate-General of Shipping (this will not applicable to courses at the Marine Engineering and Research Institute [MERI], Kolkata, a unit of Indian Maritime University); first year of any stream from an engineering college with minimum 60 per cent average marks; or a three-year diploma course in mechanical, marine, electrical, or electrical and electronics engineering from college or institutes approved by the All India Council for Technical Education or the State Board of Technical Education with minimum 55 per cent aggregate marks in the final year.

Study facilities

The Kunjali Marakkar School of Marine Engineering of Cusat offers a self-financing B.Tech. course in marine engineering. Entry qualification is a pass in Plus Two or equivalent examinations with physics, chemistry, and mathematics with not less than 60 per cent marks taken together in the three subjects and 50 per cent in English in the 10th or the 12th standard examination. Selection is through the Cusat Common Admission Test and an interview.

MERI, Kolkata, offers a B.Tech. course in marine engineering. Those who have passed Plus Two or equivalent examinations with physics, chemistry, mathematics, and English with at least 60 per cent marks are eligible for admission. Selection is based on the rank obtained in the IIT-JEE and an interview. There are 246 seats (www.imu.tn.nic.in). Names of more institutes and colleges can be had from www.dgshipping.com

[Malayaali]

US students in city on a ‘costly’ tour

Students of different US varsities who are participants of the ‘Semester at Sea’ study abroad
programme during an interactive session held by the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).
Around 600 students have arrived in Kochi coast by M V Explorer as partof their 105-day academic
voyage around the globe

Nearly 600 students from the United States docked at Kochi on Monday as part of the country’s most expensive study programme.

As part of the study tour, christened ‘Semester at Sea’, participants from over 250 universities go around the globe to “extend learning beyond the classroom”.

“(It) is the most expensive education programme based in the US. Most participants get a scholarship for the 105-day academic voyage around the globe.

The scholarship alone can be roughly $25,000 per student,” Prof Lew Hinchman, of University of Virginia, said on the sidelines of an interactive session held at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).

The students’ delegation, comprising 400 girls and nearly 200 boys, had begun their voyage on January 19 from Nassau, Bahamas, and has till date covered Dominica, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa and Mauritius. On Monday, they reached the Kerala coast around 8 am.

Members of one group, consisting of 30 students doing research on world history and culture, attended the interactive session at CPPR.

Their questions varied from education and politics to health and the effects of neo-liberalisation in Kerala, reflecting the pains taken to understand “God’s Own Country”.

While they were ‘warned’ in the ship, MV Explorer, against discussing politics with “angry” Kerala residents, the interactive session saw such misconceptions disappear.

Will India become a superpower in the next 30 years? Will there be any solution to the Kashmir dispute? How does neo-liberalisation affect an average Keralite?
The questions flew thick and fast as the session gathered steam.

Ariel Bothen, 21, said: “I took a whole year off to travel around the world after graduating from Harvard University. (As part of the plan) I applied for this programme and was lucky to be selected.”

“My grandparents are from New Delhi and they would arrive here (Kochi) by Monday evening. I look forward to meeting them after a year,” said Sahana, 20, an Indian-origin student of Missouri University of Science and Technology.

[mohammedirshad06]

Cusat gets a special invitation

Cusat has been chosen as one among a few universities by the Government of India to participate in a project to unravel the properties of neutrinos. The Department of Physics at Cusat will undertake the project - Collaboration by Indian physicists on neutrino project at Fermilab, USA. The Department of Science and Technology at the Centre is funding the programme.

The total cost of the three-year project is `1.24 crore. The project is being implemented under the guidance of Prof Ramesh Babu T. Prof M R Anantharaman and Prof V C Kuriakose will be the principal co-investigators. Apart from Cusat, there are five other universities-Banaras, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jammu and Punjab- and two IITs (Guwahati and Hyderabad) from India participating in the project. Prof Brajesh Chowdry from the University of Delhi will act as the spokesperson for the entire programme.

[mohammedirshad06]

Well, it was a bit surprise for me to see this news, that Kochi is having an IB School, that too in Kakkanad

US based The Indian Public School (TIPS Global) which runs IB/IGCSE schools in Coimbatore, Chennai, Karur etc apart from Los Angeles, have its Kochi school in Edachira in Kakkanad. I guess either it might had its soft opening eariler or opening now....

The School have IB as primary school as well as senior secondary along with Cambridge IGCSE and Indian ICSE with both Day and fully residential facilities along with extensive sporting facilities



Its good to see lots of quality international schools are opening in Tripunithara-Kakkanad area....... Surely its an indication of demand for premium schools in the state's largest metropolis

[Malayaali]

I think this is their new campus in Kochi. We need more schooling facilities. Wonder Malayaali owned GEMS is not opening one here.

[Malayaali]

An unconventional method of learning

As part of extending its services to clients and students, the Kochi-based TimeNet Learning has started a Customer Proof of Concept Lab or Cpoclab in the State.

The Cpoclab , set up at multi locations in Kochi, will enable corporate clients as well as students to get a chance to see the demo of major IT products and technologies.

Mr K.V. Manoj, Director, TimeNet, said students could learn networking using multi-vendor technologies in a real time environment in the lab rather than using conventional class room training methods. Major technologies and products in the lab are from Cisco, Microsoft, IBM and Tyco.

TimeNet has integrated Cpoclab with learning to resolve the problems faced by students who pursue the conventional method of class room learning.

With Cpoclab, the company provides a curriculum which includes 3 certifications, 12 real-time oriented mini projects and one main project, which is completely real time oriented and not according to the conventional method of learning networking, he said.

Cpoclab Level 1 includes three certification courses. It includes the topics which are very common in any IT infrastructure such as Wireless, Surveillance, and Voice over IP, Email and Web Servers, and Monitoring.

The company, which has been in the IT training and solutions industry for more than 7 years, has a track record of serving more than 300 corporate and Government clients and alumni of 6,000 students placed in MNCs.

[mohammedirshad06]

Another National Centre of Excellence in Kochi

Kochi to get Bio-Pharma Centre for Science and Technology

Steps will be taken to declare the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) as a centre of national importance, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers M.K. Alagiri said on Monday.

Inaugurating CIPET's High Learning Centre at T.V.K. Industrial Estate in Guindy, he said that over the years the institute had grown into one of the best institutions in Asia by providing training in plastics engineering technology and had trained over 89,430 students. As those passing out of CIPET are getting greater prominence and turning into entrepreneurs, it was decided to announce it as a centre of national importance.

Mr. Alagiri also said a plastic waste management centre would be set up in Chennai with the help of private entrepreneurs in the public-private-partnership mode.

A Rs.30 crore bio-pharma centre for science and technology would be established in Kochi soon.

Plastic Testing Centre will be set up in Madurai at a cost of Rs.2 crore.

According to a CIPET release, the Rs.20 crore High Learning Centre has an academic block of ground plus four floors with a built-up area of 6,976 square meters for undergraduate and post-graduate students and HRD block with a built-up area of 3,199 square meters for international students.

The centre will offer two-year full-time M.Tech in plastics technology and M.E in CAD/CAM and four-year full-time B.Tech in plastics technology and B.E in manufacturing engineering.

The Centre will undertake technology support services in the areas of plastic processing, design and development of moulds and dies, plastics testing and quality control for the benefit of plastics and allied industries.

It will also undertake R&D projects in the area of advanced research in polymeric materials and CAD/CAM/CAE, the release said.

The Minister also laid the foundation for hostels for boys and girls.

[mohammedirshad06]

CUSAT will have 5 centres of higher technical educations

Five technical education centres will be opened at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) in a bid to make the institution self-sufficient and to equip itself to swim along with the latest trends in higher education. Presenting a surplus budget on Thursday, Lopez Mathew, Cusat syndicate finance convener, said that new courses will be offered and the number of seats will be increased accordingly.

The budget envisaged an expenditure of `153 crore and an income of Rs 129 crore. In the self financing sector, it expected an expenditure of Rs 42.30 crore and an income of Rs 46 crore. The Particle Physics Centre at the university will function in collaboration with Fermilab, USA, and the Atomic Energy Department.

He said that the Centre for Budget Studies as envisaged by the state government will be opened soon. The centre will study and analyse the new projects and the scope of the implementation presented in the budget.
To give a fillip to the researches done on regional needs and to conduct academic studies, regional centres will be established. “Cusat campus at Pulinkunnu in Alappuzha will be renovated soon. Courses on boosting the tourism industry inside the campus will also be given an impetus. A cash prize worth `10,000 as well as a merit certificate will be given to outstanding projects developed by final year Btech students,” he said.

With the available resources, part-time and evening courses will also be initiated. “Mtech courses in the School of Engineering and Computer Applications, an LLB evening courses in the School of Legal Studies and a short-term certificate course for those employed in the Merchant Navy at School of Marine Engineering will be initiated soon,” he said.

In an effort to tackle the financial crunch, it has been decided to cut short the expenses while enhancing the fees. Posts not sanctioned by the government will be abolished and existing staff will be redeployed to facilitate a fairly even work-load distribution.

Student intake will be increased against existing courses and new courses will be introduced, including evening courses to enhance revenue, and followed up with the state government to obtain additional non-plan grant support.
Lopez Mathews said that efforts will be made to make the university a national institution and will appeal to the Human Resource Department to include this proposal in the 12th Five-Year-Plan period.

[mohammedirshad06]

CUSAT to start four research centres

The Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) will start four research centres in different areas and will elevate the engineering centre at the varsity to a research centre.

This was announced as the varsity budget was presented by the syndicate finance committee convener, Lopez Mathew, on Thursday.

The budget expects an income of Rs 129 crore and an expenditure of Rs 153 crore. In the self-financing sector, an income of Rs 46 crore is expected while an expenditure of Rs 42.30 crore is anticipated.

The new centres are the Centre for Enabling Technologies for the Aged, Centre for Particle Physics, Centre for Advanced Materials and Centre for Alternate Energy.

To ease the financial crisis faced by the varsity, the budget proposes to raise the fee for all courses on the basis of a syndicate sub-committee report.

The fees in the recognised colleges under the university will also be increased. Apart from the annual recognition fee, each student will be charged Rs 1,000 per semester.

All posts functioning without the sanction of the government will be cancelled and employees will be re-deployed.

A ‘K.M. Mani Centre for Budget Studies’ will be set up at a cost of Rs 10 lakh to study the implementation and other aspects of projects proposed in the various budgets across the state, including that of local bodies.

The number of seats for various courses too will be increased and various part-time courses will be started. The university will approach the Centre for making it a Central Government institution.

CUSAT aims more higher

The Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) on Thursday approved its annual budget for 2012-13 that envisages a five-pronged strategy to overcome the ongoing financial crisis, including a hike in fee for all the courses offered by the varsity.

Presenting the budget proposals at the Syndicate meeting held here, Lopus Mathew, convener of the standing committee on finance, recommended that the fee for B.Tech. courses be aligned with the fee structure approved by the State government for self-financing courses.

Suggesting that the affiliated institutions of Cusat should pay a student registration fee of Rs.1, 000 per semester from the new academic year onwards, Prof. Mathew said that this will be in addition to the existing annual recognition fee of Rs.10 lakh per institution.

Stating that increasing student intake and introducing new courses were part of the five-pronged strategy, Prof. Mathew proposed introduction of new academic courses including evening/part-time courses. New courses will be offered using the existing facilities.

The budget has proposed that the School of Engineering and Department of Computer

Applications can introduce M.Tech. courses while the School of Legal Studies could come up with an evening course in LL.B. Short-term certificate programmes for those employed in the Merchant Navy sector can be offered by the Kunjalimarakkar School of Marine Engineering, it said.

As part of the efforts to strengthen computerisation in all areas of administration, the budget has allocated Rs.8 lakh for the Centre for Information Resource Management and Rs.2 lakh for International Relations and Academic Admissions (IRAA) wing of the university.

The budget has recommended a detailed power audit on the campus to ascertain the actual power consumption in the university. It has also suggested setting up appropriate energy saving models to save power.

The budget has earmarked Rs.24 lakh for augmentation of substation II and Rs.36 lakh for standardisation of the electrical installation panel board in the administrative office building. An assistance of Rs.5 lakh has been made for rainwater harvesting projects and ground water re-charging techniques on the campus.