Berhampur, July 28: The Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER) here will begin its first academic session next month on its transit campus at the Industrial Training Institute.

The first batch of 60 students, including 20 girls, will start attending classes on August 3 or 4, said K.V. Satya Murty, IISER, Bhopal registrar, who has also been put in charge of IISER, Odisha.

Students have to be present on August 1 for the registration, he said.

"It is a challenge for me to prepare and nourish all the facilities here," he said.

The institute authorities are preparing two classrooms for the students. Only the core courses will be taught in the first year, while specialisation courses will begin from the next academic session. Satya Murty said they would develop the infrastructure if they were allotted two more floors on the transit campus.

"We have arranged hostel accommodation for girls at the Women's Polytechnics and a private apartment, 300m from the campus, for boys."

"Library, computer centre, laboratories for biology, physics and chemistry will be ready before August 1."

"We are following the IISER, Bhopal guidelines. The student-teacher ratio is 10:1. The selection process is on."

"The National Institute of Science Education and Research and the Indian Institute of Technology and Institute of Life Sciences in Bhubaneswar have assured us help in providing laboratory facilities and faculty members. The faculty members are free to take residence on rent, which we would provide them. We could also arrange accommodation for them."

Satya Murty also promised to maintain international standard and appoint faculty members accordingly.