IISER Odisha to come up at Berhampur

IISERs are a group of premier science education and research institutes in the country

The Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER) would come up in the southern city of Berhampur.

“The state government would provide 200 acres of land for IISER. Academic session would commence from 2016-17,” said state minister for employment, technical education & training Sanjay Dasburma.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced the establishment of IISER in Odisha in the Budget for 2015-16.

"Today is a historic day for the people of Odisha since chief minister Naveen Patnaik today decided to set up IISER at the life line of southern Odisha, Berhampur in Ganjam district", Dasburma told reporters here.

"Berhampur has necessary infrastructure like road, rail and air connectivity, which is in conformity with the central guidelines. This apart, the state government is committed to provide temporary campus facility for this institute of national importance in and around Berhampur", he added.

The IISERs are a group of most premier science education and research institutes in the country. These institutions have been declared by an Act of Parliament as institutions of national importance and are intended to be the IITs of basic sciences. The institutes were created by the Government of India, through the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), under The National Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

Five IISERs have already come up in the country at Kolkata, Pune, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvnanthapuram. In the 2015-16 Budget, two new IISERs were announced for Odisha and Nagaland.