Governor SC Jamir hands over a PhD degree to a scholar at the 6th convocation of Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Rourkela. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 18: Chairman of the All-India Council of Technical Education S.S. Mantha wants the concept of community colleges to be aggressively promoted in the state to enhance the employment potential of youths.

He was speaking at the sixth convocation of Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) in Rourkela today.

The higher education department is scouting for partners to set up seven such colleges in various districts of the state under the ministry of human resource development’s community college scheme. “We will work with the Odisha government to expedite the process,” said Mantha.

The seven community colleges are proposed to be set up at Khalikote Autonomous College in Ganjam, Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Dharanidhar Autonomous College in Keonjhar, Vikram Deb Autonomous College in Jeypore, MPC Junior College in Baripada, Government Autonomous College in Rourkela and Government Autonomous College in Bhawanipatna.

To begin with, the state higher education department will have an agreement in the public-private-partnership mode for two courses — tourism and hospitality and retail trade — on a pilot basis. Although, classes in the community colleges were supposed to begin from this academic session, work has been delayed because of the cyclone and subsequent flood.

Speaking at the convocation today, governor and chancellor S.C. Jamir said: “I am sure young boys and girls studying in the university will draw inspiration from the great man in whose name the university has come up and become worthy successors to the grand legacy of Biju babu and be dedicated to the cause of motherland. That will be a fitting tribute to him.”

BPUT vice-chancellor J.K. Satpathy said the university would launch masters programmes in four subjects —VLSI and embedded system, machine design, computer science and engineering and power systems engineering.

On the occasion, Partha Sarathi Mohapatra of Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology at Sarang received the Arjun Bhuyan Gold Medal for securing the highest cumulative grade point average amongst all engineering graduates in a year.

BPUT Students’ Protection Council president Biplab Prakash Mohanty flayed the varsity officials for not distributing the certificates at the convocation.