BJB Autonomous College in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, March 17: After the introduction of career counselling sessions and special coaching classes to prepare students for various competitive exams, the principal of BJB Autonomous College has several other plans, including setting up a placement cell, this academic session.

BJB Autonomous College was provided with a special grant of Rs 1.5 crore for the 2010-12 session after being accorded the “College with Potential for Excellence” status by the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, last April.

With this label, BJB became the first college from the state and one of the 158 colleges in the country to have received UGC recognition. Under this status, five departments — English, Geography, Physics, Botany and Commerce — have got the “UGC Star Status”. Around half the grant amount has been spent in the first year on procuring IT-enabled equipment such as laptops, projectors, laboratory equipment, photocopy and scanning machines, information communication technology (ICT) gadgets, furniture, seminar library enrichment such as, books and journals for all departments on a priority basis. Using the funds, the departments regularly conduct national and international seminars and workshops, field visits and outreach programmes.

In this academic session, the rest of the money will be spent on establishing a placement cell, air-conditioned conference room with a seating capacity for 100 persons, a multi-gym, canteen, indoor sports hall, facilities for badminton, table tennis and renovation and air conditioning of Room 102 (auditorium).

Automation of the library and a system called Network Resource Centre (which will allow the principal to communicate with all departments in the three blocks – arts, science and commerce without having to step out of his office) are also in the pipeline.

“With a computerised library, we will create a database of all the books that we have in stock. By typing down the name or author of a book, one can even find out where a particular book has been shelved,” said Dusmanta Sahu, principal, BJB Autonomous College.

After a performance appraisal, the Star Status conferred by UGC for a period of two years may be extended depending on the availability of funds with the commission, said Sahu.

“Due to the CPE status, we have got the advantage in getting UGC grant which will be utilised for the all-round development of the college and to provide the best of facilities to our students,” he said, adding efforts were on for grooming students through special classes in order to enhance their employability.

Students of this premier autonomous institution expressed happiness with the improved facilities and development work being undertaken by the college authorities. “Earlier, the teachers used chalks and blackboards during seminars and practical classes. “These have now been replaced by modern technology such as, laptops and projectors. These facilities allow us to follow courses better,” said Debasish Rana, a final-year chemistry student. From the students’ point of view, this UGC status is a remarkable feat. Everything seems organised.

“The boy students are very happy because of the emphasis on sports development and indoor sports complex,” said Archana Behera, a first-year student of biotechnology. Basudev Satpathy, head of the star-rated geography department, said his was the first department to utilise the funds. We have even invited students of other colleges to attend classes here so that they can use IT-enabled gadgets which are not available in their institutions,” he said.

SHILPI SAMPAD

Bhubaneswar, March 17: After the introduction of career counselling sessions and special coaching classes to prepare students for various competitive exams, the principal of BJB Autonomous College has several other plans up his sleeve for this academic session.

The college was provided with a special grant of Rs 1.5 crore for the 2010-12 session after being accorded the “College with Potential for Excellence” status by the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, last April. With this label, BJB became the first college from the state and one of the 158 colleges in the country to have earned this UGC recognition. Under this status, five departments – English, Geography, Physics, Botany and Commerce – have got the “UGC Star Status”.

Around half the grant amount has been spent in the first year on procuring IT-enabled equipments such as laptops, projectors, lab equipments, photocopy and scanning machines, Information Communication Technology (ICT) gadgets, furniture, seminar library enrichments such as books and journals for all the departments on a priority basis. National and international seminars and workshops, field visits and outreach programmes are also being conducted regularly by the departments with the funds.

This academic session, the rest of the money would be spent on establishing a placement cell, air-conditioned conference room with a seating capacity for 100 persons, multi gym, canteen, indoor sports hall, facilities for badminton, table tennis and renovation and air conditioning of Room 102 (auditorium).

Automation of the library and a system called Network Resource Centre (which would enable the principal to communicate of all departments in the three blocks – Arts, Science and Commerce – without having to step out of his office) are also in the pipeline.

“With a computerized library, we would create a database of all the books that we have in stock. By typing down the name or author of a book, one can even find out where a particular book has been shelved,” said Dusmanta Sahu, principal of BJB Autonomous College.

After a performance appraisal, the Star Status conferred by UGC for a period of two years may be extended depending on the availability of funds with the Commission, said Sahu.

“Due to the CPE status, we have got the advantage in getting UGC grant which would be utilized for the all round development of the college and to provide the best of facilities to our students,” he said, adding efforts are on for grooming students through special classes in order to enhance their employability.

Students of this premier autonomous institution expressed happiness with the improved facilities and development work being undertaken by the college authorities. “Earlier, the teachers used chalks and blackboards during seminars and practical classes which have now been replaced by modern technology such as laptop, projector and other equipments which is easy to follow,” said Debasish Rana, a final year student of Chemistry.

“From the students’ point of view, this UGC status is a remarkable feat. Everything seems organised and smooth. The boy students are very happy with the emphasis on sports development and indoor sports complex,” said Archana Behera, a first year student of Biotechnology.

Basudev Satpathy, head of the star-rated Geography department, said his was the first department to utilize the funds. “We have even invited students of other colleges to attend classes here so that they can use IT-enabled gadgets which are not available with their respective colleges,” he said.