Berhampur, Aug. 4: Science education in the country got a boost as 67 students of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Odisha stepped into a new classroom on its transit campus at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) here today.

"We had our biology and chemistry classes held today. Though the infrastructure facilities are yet to be fully functional, teachers and faculty members are very good," said Anish Koner, a student from Bengal.

Sk Sajahan Ali from Midnapore in Bengal said: "The Wi-Fi is not yet functional. But, the Ananya Aagan apartments, which is situated around 500 metres from the IISER campus and being used as a hostel is well-furnished. It provides good amenities, along with food."

Anirudh Moza of New Delhi also praised the hostel facilities. "The teachers are very soft spoken here," he said.

Nitin Mahanty, a resident of Bhubaneswar, said: "According to the timetable, the classes would start at 9am on every working day and go on till 8pm. As the laboratories are yet to be operational, we are now having only theory classes."

Uttam Das of Gosaninuagaon in Berhampur said he was happy for being a part of the IISER Odisha. "I enjoyed the two classes on biology and chemistry, and it was a nice experience with a lot of interactions. I also enjoyed the library. The laboratories will be ready within two weeks, and we hope the studies would be speeded up then," said Uttam.

A Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited worker, who was working to connect Internet and Wi-Fi on the campus, said the link would be operational by this evening. But, it would take at least a week to provide Wi-Fi on the campus.

ITI Berhampur principal Rajat Panigrahi, who was helping and co-ordinating the IISER team, said the institute was touted as the IIT of science education. "The aura of education in the IISER would be so high that students of the ITI on the same campus would greatly benefit," Panigrahi said.

The registration for admission was conducted on August 1. The IISER arranged hostel facility for girls at the Womens' Polytechnic situated near the IISER transit campus.

Sudhir Rout, the convener of the Forum for Ganjam, an organisation spearheading the agitation for establishment of the IISER, distributed sweets among the students. "It is a dream come true," Rout said.