Odisha Assembly has passed the awaited Birla Global University Bill on December 7, 2015 at 7.20 PM and has awarded the Bhubaneshwar campus of BIMTECH the status of a ‘State Private University’. The passing of the bill has paved the way for BIMTECH Bhubaneshwar to award MBA degree instead of PGDM diploma to management graduates. The Bill was passed by a voice vote.
Introducing the Bill in Odisha Assembly state higher education minister Dr. Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi, said "The objective of the bill is to impart quality education in the state through the Kolkata-based Birla Academy of Art and Culture, a non-profit making trust registered under the Indian Trust Act, 1982”
Birla Global University proposes to have 7 schools which include Management; Architecture and Planning; Social science and humanities; Law; Natural Science; Marine Science and communication that will function under the University. Once the B-school begins functioning under the University, it will award globally recognized MBA degree although the present PGDM diploma is also equivalent to MBA.
In 2009 Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata, a non-profit making Trust, had applied for a global university. However, at the material time Birla Institute of Management and Technology (BIMTECH) came up at Gothapatna, Bhubneshwar. The State Cabinet approved its proposal for a global university in 2014. The place has several other educational institutions like IIIT, IMI, NALCO, R&D Centre, Software Technology Park among others.
BIMTECH Bhubaneshwar has already been provided 29.4 acres of land by the state government at Gothapatna, Bhubaneswar. Physical infrastructure to set up the institute has already been created. BIRLA Global University according to the provisions in the Bill would be run by a board of governors, board of management, academic council and finance committee.
Smt Jayashree Mohta, Chairman, Birla Academy of Arts and Culture, Kolkata and Chairperson, Board of Governors, BIMTECH has expressed her deep gratitude to Mr Navin Patnaik, Hon’ble CM, Odisha for fulfilling the desire of her parents late Dr (Smt) Sarala Birla and Syt B K Birla by granting permission for setting up the Birla Global University.
Dr Harivansh Chaturvedi, Director, BIMTECH, Greater Noida has said that the efforts are being made to flag-off the GBU in July 2016 since 30 acres campus with all requisite facilities like academic buildings, administrative building, laboratories, library, hostel, mess, sports and games, faculty and staff accommodation is ready. As a precursor to the BGU, BIMTECH and Birla Global Institute are running a few courses in management and media.
The Birla Global University is proposed to be developed in 2 phases. The first phase of infrastructure development with an investment of Rs.150 crores has already been carried out. Starting from July/August, 2016, graduate and post-graduate course in management, economics, marine sciences, commerce, law, education, liberal and performing arts will be offered.
The second phase will start by 2020 when courses in technology, engineering and sustainability will be added in course offering. For the second phase, an investment of Rs.350 crore is proposed to be made. In all, a total Rs.500 crores of investment will be made. The Birla Family has decided to deepen their investments in the Birla Global University.
Keeping in mind the need of globalising Indian higher education institutions, BGU proposes to capitalize on the existing strong network of BIMTECH’s partnership with foreign universities and B-schools. BGU proposes to invite Foreign faculty on visiting and contractual assignment basis. Students exchange programmes are proposed to be launched to offer students opportunity go abroad to intensify their learning and Global experience.
Regarding the future of the existing Bhubaneswar Campus of BIMTECH which is currently running AICTE’s approved PGDM Programme, Dr B K Das, Advisor has said that it will be merged into the Birla Global University after launching of the new University. The existing batches of PGDM Programme will be allowed to be completed as per AICTE’s approval.
The Birla Global University (BGU) is sponsored by B K Birla Group which anchors many educational institutions, charity and has business interests in cement, tyres, rayon, textile, tea gardens and- plantations etc. The Birla Family under the guidance of Late G D Birla has always taken keen interest in the education sector and philanthropy over the past many decades. Their main contribution in education is the setting of two prestigious universities in technology education viz. BITS, Pilani and BIT, Ranchi. BITS, Pilani is known worldwide for producing game changer entrepreneurs, scientists, technologists and engineers. The Birla Family is also running more than 100 public schools across the country which are well known for their value based education.
BIMTECH, autonomous B-school offering PGDM Programmes at Greater Noida and Bhubaneswar Campus took the initiative in 2009 for setting-up Campus at Odisha for catering to the skill needs of Eastern India comprising Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and North-Eastern states like Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya. Since the Birla Family has deep roots in Eastern India particularly, Kolkata, West Bengal, Late Dr (Smt) Sarala Birla and Syt B K Birla, envisioned that the BGU should be set up at Bhubaneswar, the hub of engineering and management education in the Eastern India.
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