Defence research and development secretary VK Saraswat presents a certificate to a student at the 10th convocation of the National Institute of Technology in Rourkela on Saturday. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 19: National Institute of Technology, Rourkela has approached the Odisha government for allocation of 2.5 acres in the state capital for establishing an extension centre.

The NIT authorities plan to run its various distance education programmes from the Bhubaneswar centre.

The authorities have also approached the government for the allotment of 400 acres in Rourkela for expansion of its present campus and for establishment of a second campus as well. This was announced at the 10th convocation of institute.

The director of NIT, Rourkela, Sunil Kumar Sarangi, also said that the institute would start a series of new courses, including a B.Tech. in food process engineering, an M.Tech. in industrial design, an integrated M.Sc. in life science, an M.Sc. in earth and atmospheric science, a B.Arch. and an M.Arch. from the next academic year.

At the convocation, defence research & development secretary V.K. Saraswat gave away the degrees to 890 persons, who included 30 Ph.D. holders.

Tithy Sahu of computer science and engineering department won the Best Graduate of the Year title, while Bijay B. of civil engineering department was adjudged the Best Postgraduate of the Year.

Life science student Chandan Kanta Das was selected as the best student in the M.Sc./M. A. discipline. Animesh Kumar Srivastava of the NIT’s school of management was chosen as the best MBA student.