New Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Odisha

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the ex-post facto approval for formation of an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

It has been decided that IISER, Berhampur will be established and run from in a transit/ temporary campus from the Academic Year 2016-17, which will involve a cost of Rs.I52.79 crore, for the initial three years (2016-19), and ex-post facto approval of starting the academic session of 2016-17 from 1st August, 2016.

The state government will provide the land free of cost, a release said.

EdCIL, a PSU of Ministry of HRD, Government of India has been asked to submit a proposal for preparation of detailed project report for the permanent campuses. Thereafter the process for setting up of the campus would start, the release said.

The Cabinet has also approved the introduction of a Bill, namely, the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016 (Appendix-Ill) in Parliament for inclusion of IISER, Tirupati and IISER, Berhampur in the Second Schedule of National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (NITSER) Act, 2007 (29 of 2007) with such modifications/ changes of the drafting and consequential nature as may be considered by the Legislative Department.

The Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) have been declared as Institutes of National Importance under the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education & Research (NITSER) Act, 2012.

Earlier there were five IISERs -- Kolkata, Pune, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram.

The IISER at Tirupati was established in 2015.

To increase the presence of IISERs in various tates/ geographical locations to cater to the need for quality education in science and research, the Union Finance Minister, in his Budget Speech (2015) had announced setting up of an IISER in Odisha.