Sambalpur, Sept. 23: The state's first Indian Institute of Management in Sambalpur began its academic session today with an orientation programme for its first batch of students.

The event was held on the institute's temporary campus at the Silicon Institute of Technology in Sason.

Despite initial hiccups, students are excited about beginning their classes here and said they are happy with the resources and infrastructure made available to them at the temporary campus.

Most of them arrived only a few days ago, but they are thrilled to be studying at the country's 19th IIM. The faculty of IIM Indore would be taking classes here for the time being and institute director R.T. Krishnan has been given additional responsibility of director, IIM Sambalpur. The students expect quality education during their tenure here.

Preetam Rana of Bhubaneswar, who was working with a major software company, said he is looking forward to the academic session. "After completing my BTech from KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, I was working in the software sector. I had appeared for CAT and when I got a call from IIM Sambalpur, I took sabbatical leave and came here to pursue management."

He said communication is an issue at the campus. "But we have been said that we would be provided buses. That should solve the problem," he said.

Similarly, Aparna G. of Thiruvananthapuram, was a website designer but left her job to enrol at the institute. "The facilities for students are good. I'm happy with the accommodation. Also, the faculty is great. I have no regrets that I left my job to come here," she said.

The 49 students, including nine girls, who have taken admission here, attended the orientation. The students were addressed by Krishnan, who expressed satisfaction at the available infrastructure at Silicon campus. He said two faculties of IIM Indore - Pawan Singh and Vijaya Gupta - have come here to take classes.

"The faculty of IIM Indore and guest faculties, who come to the IIM Indore, will also be delivering lecturers at IIM Sambalpur," said Krishnan. He said the focus was to impart quality education and contribute to the region.

The co-ordinator of the institute, Pawan Singh, said classes would commence from Thursday. He said IIM Sambalpur had the second largest batch among the six new IIMs set up in the country.

Rupesh Tiwari, another student, who joined IIM after leaving his corporate job said, "As the faculties and guest faculties of IIM, Indore are to take the classes here, we are hopeful that like the other IIMs of the country, we would be imparted with quality education here also."

The academic session was formally inaugurated by technical education minister Sanjay Das Burma. He said the state government is committed to improve the facilities at IIM Sambalpur.