The Hon. Minister for
Human Resource Development
Government of India
New Delhi.
Sub: Proposal for the conversion of I.S.M. University, Dhanbad to IIT Dhanbad.
We, the students of Indian School of Mines University (ISMU), Dhanbad are writing to you on a matter that holds great significance to our prestigious institution and to the nation. It is well known that I.S.M. University is at par with the illustrious IITs in terms of quality of education imparted, research and intake of students. The admission of undergraduate students is carried out through the IIT-JEE which ensures a rich intellectual capital. Hence, it rightfully deserves the conversion to an IIT. The proposal for conversion of ISM into an IIT had been strongly recommended by the Evaluation and Review Committee set up by the Government of India, 1994, headed by Prof. S. Sampat (Ex Director IIT Kanpur and Madras) as Chairman. This was further followed up by a unanimous decision by the General Council of ISM.
Sir, we would like to bring to your kind notice that I.S.M. University, Dhanbad, an autonomous institution under the aegis of the MHRD, is one of the oldest technical institutions of the nation having a legacy of pioneering work in earth science and energy sector since its inception in the year 1926. It has consistently produced leaders in these fields and has immensely helped in laying the foundation of organizations such as ONGC, CIMFR and CIL, thus playing a significant role in nation building. The alumni of the institute have been contributing greatly to the frontiers of research and have held prominent positions in major government and private organizations.
The IIT system consists of unparalleled institutions which are benchmarks for excellence in different technical sectors. Inclusion of ISMU in the IIT system would ensure that the mineral and petroleum industry of India too will be attractive to the best minds of the country as ISMU is already a pioneer in these fields. These sectors owe their foundation to I.S.M. University and are presently guided by its distinguished alumni. The university also boasts of well-established Electronics, Computer Science, Mechanical, Electrical, Basic and Applied Sciences and Management departments with experienced faculty and state of the art laboratories providing a strong research platform. As an answer to the present environmental crisis being faced by the world, ISMU has introduced a unique course in Environmental Engineering. Students graduating from this department are going to play a key role in this aspect of development of the country. It is also noteworthy that the institute has maintained a good placement record even in times of recession, something which is reflected in the fact that we were ranked 8th in National Surveys in leading magazines such as Outlook among government engineering institutions.
In spite of lucrative employment prospects for the graduates of ISMU; it fails to attract the best talents, as students and as faculty, of the country, mainly because of not having the brand equity of IIT. Converting ISMU Dhanbad to IIT Dhanbad will not only add to the already iconic stature of the institute but also ensure that the best minds continue to be attracted to the institution in order to pursue excellence in academics and research. Also, greater financial resources can bring about innovation, adaptability and creativity, all of which are essential for competing as a technical education institution of international standards and indisputable excellence.
With the Government of India keen to strengthen the higher education structure of the country by developing new IITs, it is our strong and well-considered opinion that a well established institution of the stature of I.S.M. University be converted to IIT Dhanbad. This will also serve the purpose of developing the educational infrastructure in the state of Jharkhand and add glory and prestige to this mineral rich state, which so far lacks an institution of the status of an IIT. And ISMU is by far the only institute at par with the IITs in Jharkhand and the whole of eastern India.
Hence, we propose that I.S.M. University Dhanbad be converted to IIT Dhanbad and be allotted resources and funds at par with the existing IITs.
Eagerly awaiting your support.
Regards,
ISMU Students Community
#1 by Aashis on August 5th, 2009
nice fact introduced..
but please emphasise on how misleading the ism name gets sometimes
and also when it was introduced to iitjee and the reason for it.i think we need to boast about ourselves a bit more.also think about saying something about the cultural activites along with the academics.
#2 by chandershekhar on August 5th, 2009
nice one…
but we need to put more stress on the good qualities or facts about it….
1. as it was the third deemed university
2. it was the 2nd coll of mining after royal school of mining , london
3. only coll which is providin petroleum engineers to the country for such a long time
4. n it will totally change the synerio of the mineral capital of india (jharkhand)
as the companies will also look for those energy sectors of jharkhand which are avoided till now
#3 by Pankaj Kumar jain on August 5th, 2009
everyone should know the importance of mining industry in the building of the nation. this fact cannot be denied that the developed countries are developed because of their mining technologies which are much better than that of used in India. we the Indians are still lagging behind. why?
our mining sector needs to be given importance. ism is already a well established college concentrated mainly on mining, mineral, petroleum, geology and geophysics. it should not be degraded by removing it from iitjee, instead it should be made iit dhanbad so that every student who has passed iitjee would know the importance of this college and ism will get talented students. If this is done the seats available in each and every branch will not remain empty.
#4 by Nikhil on August 5th, 2009
Subject:A might be error in the format of the letter addressed to professors and other dignitaries.
Dear Friends,
First of all let me congratulate you all for the endeavors, which you all are putting in, in this cause.
I would like to draw your attention towards “the address part of the letter”.You open the letter saying “Dear sir” or “sir ” every time you address the reader,but the reader(it might be a professor/teacher,with regard to the letter to be presented to various professors of ISM),might be a women .So you got to be cautious as far as the gender aspect is not clear to you.
A possible suggestion would be incorporation of Dear sir/Ma’am or Dear sir/Madam, whichever according to you suits best.
#5 by raj ankur on August 6th, 2009
we need to bold certain fact such as only iit in jharkand emphasising that jharkhand is backward state and a converting an old gold of this state will provide a moral boost to people here in educational field..we need give hrd some good political boost becoz election is near hear….also few points such as 2rd deemed university…and ismu is like a educational heritage to us and is a milestone in education of earth science.. etc..etc should be added..material is definetly good but we should put it in better way such tat impact is max.
thank u nd best of luk to us all
#6 by Zeus on August 9th, 2009
the following is an excerpt from the march 2006 Journal of ISM
look if this matter helps u in making the petition more appealing
FROM THE CHIEF EDITOR’S DESK
The country is poised to move from the developing to the developed country’s fold due
to its vibrant knowledge workforce, improving economy and the resultant world-class
infrastructure for a quantum jump in the Science and Technology excellence.
The Indian Economy is enjoying growth rates that are competitive of even the most
developed economies, next only to the other growing economic power, China. The mineral and
metal sectors in consonance with the IT, Biotechnology , Manufacturing, Nuclear Science and
Space Technology and other sectors is slated to play a major role in this growth scenario.
Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, a premier institute of excellence for more than eight
decades has, while consolidating its core competence in the Earth Sciences, Environmental
Sciences, Physical, Chemical and Mathematical Sciences, Petroleum, Mining and Mineral
Engineering, expanded into areas of Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical,
Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Management etc in the last decade.
In view of the above two factors- India’s growing knowledge superpower status and
ISM’s widening of its academic and research base, it was felt that ISM should be a medium
for exchange of knowledge, a window for showcasing India’s excellence in Science and
Technology and the incubator for inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary R& D interaction
within India and abroad.
Journal of Indian School of Mines is the result of such a dream being turned into reality
and has reached this stage of the inaugural issue due to patronage of the Indian and
International scientific fraternity, ISM’s administration and my faculty colleagues.
This first issue showcases the invited scientific and technical papers from eminent
academicians and researchers. The next issues would, assuredly, feature peer reviewed
contributions.
R Venugopal
Chief Editor,
Journal of Indian School of Mines
#7 by rahul garg on August 9th, 2009
wud like to point just a little grammatical error…
3rd para 2nd line………
Inclusion of ISMU in the IIT system would ensure that the mineral and petroleum industry of India “too will be attractive to the best” minds of the country as ISMU is already a pioneer in these fields
instead
“too will attract the best”
anyways……….keep up the gud work……cheers!!
#8 by Devender Mishra on August 9th, 2009
Regards to all
This letter is the outcome of an assiduous team effort.
I would like to suggest a point. ‘Jharkhand as a Beneficiary’ must be avoided as it is visible in the closing paragraph of the petition. In fact this conversion will benefit whole nation and perhaps the world also. We will have the unique excellence in the sphere of Earth Science.
It must not be a state specific subject.
#9 by Deshabrata Banerjee on August 9th, 2009
Regards to all
It is very important and beneficial for our nation to convert IIT from ISM because it gives lot to our nation. Minning, Petrolium and Earthscience departments of this institutes have unique excellence among all over India. This institutes serves for nation from 1926. If it will convert to IIt then it will give lot more to the nation and to the people of India.
#10 by Kanhaiya Lal on August 10th, 2009
1- We also can details about Earth Science Department and other post graduate deptt.
2-They are also coming through all India exams and getting job worldwide.
3-We can also discuss about if it become an IIT ,it’ll beneficial to Jharkhand people and inspiration to locals .I think we must add about our xtra curricular activities also such as blood donation,”Kartavya”,etc.
#11 by Manish Kumar on August 10th, 2009
This is an excellent leter – I commend you guys on the efforts being put into place.
Would advise you to engage with the faculty a little more and get them onboard. A similar letter from the professors and deans would have a double impact – they too have a problem if ISMU doesnt become an IIT
#12 by SOMEN GHOSH on August 10th, 2009
ISM petro , mining & other eath science branches r much better than many branches in iits, even though these branches r not able attract top jee rankers just because it is ISM Dhanbad not IIT Dhanbad. I would request to add these informations also in the letter.
#13 by A R Dixit on August 10th, 2009
It is really an appreciable step, initiated by the students. In my suggestion you must start online signature in different categories like students, alumni, faculty members and staff of the institute. You must also provide a link on main website to reach this site.
#14 by Dr. PP Bahuguna on August 11th, 2009
A letter sent to Shri Arjun Munda after telephonic talks with him:-
Sir,
The Indian School of Mines (ISM) Dhanbad is a premier educational institute in the fields of Mining and allied branches which is one of its kinds in Asia and is at present bracketed with IITs (viz. IITs, IISc and ISM). This institute has similar faculty requirements and pay scales as that in IITs and has its admission of students through IIT Joint entrance examinations.
This institute which can be considred as a jewel in the crown of Jharkhand state is now being planned to be downgraded to lower category by pulling it out of IIT Joint Entrance system
and IIT Club.
Almost all the states have been planned to be given an IIt by the Central Govt. Even much smaller states of Uttarakhand and Himachal prades have each got an IIT but in Jharkhand instead of having an IIT the IIT grade institute i.e. ISM Dhanbad is being down graded.
It will not be out of context to mention that BHU-IT which was in a lower category than ISM and which joined the IITJEE much after the ISM has already been announced to be converted into an IIT thus UP now is having two IITs – at Kanpur and now at Varanasi: if one considers undivided up before Uttarakhand came into existence there are now 3 IITs including IIT Roorkee, but in Jharkhand instead of having an IIT, another IIT grade institute (ISM Dhanbad) is being downgraded by Union Ministry of HRD.
The conversion of ISM into an IIT will cost the centre at the most about 30% of the cost of a new IIT.
We are writing to you to save this institute and kindly persuade the Central Govt for its conversion into IIT, something which was verbally agreed earlier when a new IIT was sought for Jharkhand by the then Education Minister of Jharkhand.
A request letter to Shri Kapil Sibal , Hon. Union Minister, MHRD, for the conversion of ISM Dhanbad to IIT with the reasons for doing the same is sent herewith as an attachment to this mail.
We appeal to you will help by using your good offices to write, raise in the parliament and persuade the government in getting it done.
Our this letter may please be considred as SOS to save this institute. It is also requested to mobilise support from all other MPs from the state (irrespective of their political affiliation). We could not get their e-mail IDs but a concerted efforts of all MPs from the state is surely going to have impact and this institute can be saved from downgraded by converting it to an IIT.
Thanking you ,
yours faith fully,
Dr. P P Bahuguna,
President, ISMU Teachers Association,
ISM Dhanbad
#15 by pranav on September 8th, 2009
The letter requesting for the conversion of ISM university into an IIT is an admirable effort. It is important to consider the contribution that the institute has made in the field of mining and its allied branches. it has helped the nation from producing good leaders to the formation of reputed organisations ONGC, CIMFR and CIL. Thus it is totally correct to give ISM university the title of IIT.