Name of the Institution: OSMANIA UNIVERSITY

Name of the Institution: OSMANIA UNIVERSITY

REPORT FOR THE YEARS: 2005-2006

Part A:

The plan of action chalked out by the IQAC in the beginning of the year towards quality enhancement and the outcome achieved by the end of the year.

The primary task of the IQAC was to monitor the progress made on the suggestions made by the various Committees appointed by the University to prepare status reports on the issues raised in the Peer Team Report 2001.

The recommendations of these Committees were thoroughly discussed at a number of IQAC meetings and an action plan, based on the suggestions given by the Committees, was prepared on all the issues raised in the Peer Team Report. The IQAC then requested the University to place the suggestions of the IQAC before the academic/administrative bodies of the university, wherever necessary, for initiating further action. The decisions taken at the appropriate bodies are being implemented for the sustenance and enhancement of quality.

Further, IQAC planned and organized a one-day Seminar on “Institutional Preparation for Re-Accreditation by NAAC” (on 21 June 2006) to bring about an awareness of the importance of the actual implementation of the programmes, and to minimize the differences of perception, if any, among its various constituents and thus prepare the institution for re-accreditation.

Part B:

1. Activities reflecting the goals and objectives of the institution:

The University has embarked on a series of initiatives during 2005-06:

a) University-Industry Hub: The University-Industry Hub, started in

2005-06, seeks to promote a healthy interface between the university and the industry for mutual benefit and advancement of knowledge. The Hub seeks to address the concerns of the industry by making available the expertise of the University faculty at one central facility on the campus.

The objectives of the Hub are:

· To generate skilled human resources who are market ready and can be ‘quick starters’ on obtaining employment in the industry

· To extend the intellectual capital, infrastructure and research support available in the University to the industry for promoting rapid economic and industrial growth

· To devise courses in emerging fields of knowledge in consultation with the industry

Some of the proposed activities of the Hub are:

· Resource Sharing

· Technology Incubation Centre

· Collaborative Research

· Development and Strengthening of Curriculum

· Upgrading the academic skills of industrial personnel

· Adjunct positions and establishment of Chairs

· Sabbatical leave for faculty to work in industrial scenario

· Student internship

· Student placements

The Hub would house the following:

· Office of the Director and Coordinators

· Office space for the collaborating industries and corporate houses

· Research Development and Consultancy Cell (RDCC)

· Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC)

· Technology-Business Incubator (TBI)

· Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)

· Centre for Qualitative Methods (CQM)

· e-class rooms

· Conference rooms

· Library

· Cafeteria

(b) Restructuring and introduction of new courses: The following aspects

have been addressed while designing/redesigning new courses:

- interdisciplinary approach

- credit based system

- introduction of need based modules

- encouraging cross disciplinary and cross faculty participation

- common instruction in all PG courses for common courses

- project work in industry

- guest faculty drawn from the industry

- global competitiveness

programmes. It has 600 videos, 150 audios and 300 CDs. This has given the necessary impetus to start an e-learning programme in tune with advances in Information and Communication Technologies.

Digitizing of Learning Resources: Digitization of manuscripts and rare books available in the Osmania University Library which was started last year is being continued.

(d) Research Support: The University promotes synergy between teaching and research, and encourages its faculty to undertake research and thus contribute to the advancement of knowledge. Several research projects have been started in the year 2006.

(e) The University has recently taken over the facilities of Indo-American Center for International Studies (formerly known as ASRC) to develop it into an Advanced Research center for Humanities and Social Sciences

(f) The University has initiated the process of establishing the Prof. C.R. Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Sciences.

2. New academic programmes initiated (UG and PG):

(i) Regular:

(a) M. Sc. Geo-informatics—Department of Geography

(b) M. Sc. Forensic Science (Revived)—Department of Chemistry

(d) PG Diploma in Management & International Business

(e) P.G. Diploma in Medical Informatics

(f) P.G. Diploma in Hospital Billing

(g) P.G. Diploma in Health Insurance

(h) P.G. Diploma for Physician’s Assistant

(i) P.G. Course in Bio-Medical Electronics

(ii) Distance Education (under Center for Distance Education):

(a) M. Sc. Statistics

(b) PG Diploma in Bio-informatics

(iii) UG Courses (under Center for Distance Education):

New combinations introduced in B.A.

(a) Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics

(b) Mathematics, Economics and Statistics

(d) Geography, English Literature and Public Administration

(e) Geography, English Literature and Sociology

3. Innovations in curricular design and transaction:

Innovative new courses have been started in the year 2006 with the main emphasis on interdisciplinary approach, credit based system, need based modules, encouraging cross disciplinary and cross faculty participation, common instruction in all PG courses for common courses, project work in industry.

4. Inter-disciplinary programmes started:

The following new courses started in 2006 are of interdisciplinary nature with participation of different departments / industry/institutions

(1) M. Sc. Geo-informatics

(a) Participating Departments: Geology/Geo-physics + CSE

(2) M. Sc. Forensic Science

(a) Participating Departments: Chemistry + Physics + Botany + Zoology

(b) Other collaborating Institutions: Directorate of Forensic Science,

Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India

(3) B. Tech. (Bio-technology)

(b) Participating Departments : Botany + Zoology + Technology

(4) M. Phil. (Policy Studies)

(a) Participating Department: Political Science

(b) Other collaborating Institutions: College of Air War Fare

(5) PG Diplomas:

(a) P.G. Diploma in Medical Informatics

(b) P.G. Diploma in Hospital Billing

(d) P.G. Diploma for Physician’s Assistant

(i) Participating Department: English, Computer Science

(ii) Other collaborating Institutions: Corporate Hospitals

5. Examination reforms implemented:

Some of the reforms implemented during the year are:

· Spot valuation was introduced for MBA & M.Com Courses on par with other UG and Professional Courses.

· Identity Cards were issued to all the evaluators at the Spot valuation Centre after proper verification.

· Identity Cards were issued to all the staff of the Examination Branch.

· Security arrangements were strengthened by deploying more security personnel at the proper points.

· With out valid Entry Pass, outsiders are not being allowed inside the Examination Branch.

· A system of issuing documents such as Degree Certificates under Tatkal Scheme was introduced whereby the students can obtain these documents on urgent basis.

· Introduction of (32) page stitched answer book with security features.

· To introduce foolproof software in Electronic Data Processing (EDP) system. As an initial measure Dr. S. Ramachandram, Dept of Computer Science & Engineering as Coordinator of EDP Section at the Examination Branch. He has already submitted a detailed proposal to generate computer based transcripts, hall tickets and other University Certificates. The work is in progress.

· The automation of Examination Branch is proposed to be taken up at a cost of Rs.35.00 lakhs.

· Results and marks of the candidates are placed on University web site.

· Olive data information pertaining to the qualified students of professional courses is also available on university web site so as to facilitate the embassies to check the genuineness of the documents.

· A separate software package is developed to collect college wise and course wise student’s information so that computerized hall tickets can be issued to the students so as to avoid impersonation cases it can also reduce a lot of manual work.

· It is proposed to automate the entry of marks by evaluators in award list to avoid human errors and also to reduce the delay in result processing.

· Bills and cheque section of the examination branch are brought under local net-working system

6. Candidates qualified: NET/SLET/GATE etc.: 117

7. Initiatives towards faculty development programme:

a) The Academic Staff College of the university conducted the following courses for the teachers as well as academic administrator

i) Orientation courses - 04

ii) Refresher courses - 13

iii) Orientation courses in value Education - 02

iv) Workshops for Principals - 02

v) Orientation course for Academic Administrators and Non-teaching Staff - 02

b) FIP/QIP

c) Career Advancement Programme

d) MOUs with national and international research organizations

(Detailed list is in point 11)

e) Research Development and Consultancy Cell facilitates consultancy, patent filing and IPR Protection of inventions.

g) Deputing teachers to conferences/symposia/workshops organized both at national and international levels

h) grant of sabbatical leave

8. Total number of seminars/workshops conducted: 120

9. Research projects:

a) Newly implemented: 114

b) Completed: 32

10. Patents generated, if any: 2 (Few more under process)

11. New collaborative research programmes:

The new collaborative programmes which are started during the year are :

(a) MoU with University of Birjand, Iran for bilateral academic cooperation in

Science & Engineering.

(b) MoU with University of Tehran, Iran. The details are being worked out.

visited OU for possible bilateral academic cooperation. He has also

promised to strengthen the Dept. of Russian at Arts College, OU by

providing latest equipment, books etc.

(d) A team from University of California, Davis, USA under the Chairmanship

of Dr. Larry N Vanderhoef, Chancellor, University of California visited

Osmania University to explore the possibility of multidisciplinary academic

cooperation.

(e) High level delegations from State of Queen’s Land, Australia, Universities

in England and Japan have visited University to explore possibilities of

academic cooperation.

(f) College of Air warfare (CAW) is collaborating with the Dept. of Political

Science for M. Phil in Higher Air Command Course.

(g) College of Engineering has entered into MOU with M/S TCS Ltd., Infosys,

ISRO and IIT Mumbai

(h) The University has recently taken over the facilities of Indo-American

Center for International Studies (formerly known as ASRC) to develop it

into an Advanced Research center for Humanities and Social Sciences

(i) The University has initiated the process of establishing the Prof. C.R. Rao

Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Sciences.

12. Research grants received from various agencies:

3,76,77,043 (Non-UGC)+2,10,46508 (UGC) +1,31,30,000(other)

13. Details of research scholars:

722 (Ph D) +473 (M Phil)

14. Citation index of faculty members and impact factor:

Impact factor of journals in which the university faculty publishes ranges from 0.5 to 10 with various citation indices for individual authors

15. Honors/Awards to the faculty:

1. Prof. N. Gopi, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Osmania University has been selected for the prestigious Ugadi Puraskaram in Telugu Literature for this year by the Government of A.P.

2. Prof. G. Satyanarayana, Principal, University College of Arts & Social Sciences has been elected as a Executive Member, Indian sociological Society.

3. Prof. S. Venkateshwar, University College of Technology has been elected as President of IICHE.

4. Prof. Sunayana Singh, Dept. of English has been selected for Faculty Enrichment Fellowship, 2006 by Shastri Indo-Canadian Centre, New Delhi.

5. Prof. V. Kamalamma, Department of Kannada has been conferred with the Vijay Shree Award, 2005.

6. Prof. P. Manikyamba, Dept. of Hindi has been honoured with Hindi Sahitya Samman, Prayog, 2006.

7. Dr. D. Vasantha, Dept. of Linguistics has been honoured with One month residency in Bellagio, Italy, Rockefeller Foundation, USA, 2005.

8. Dr. S.A. Majeed Bedar, Department of Urdu has been honoured by Chief Minister of AP for his contribution to Urdu Language and Literature, 2006, Govt. of A.P.

9. Dr. Vijay Sri, Department of Sanskrit has been awarded for best literacy work by Bharatiya Mahila Samakhya.

10. Dr. Baig Ehsaas, Department of Urdu has been appointed as Member of Advisory Board of ‘Taqleequi Adab’ and ‘Daryafath’ Research Journals of University of Modern Languages, Lahore, Pakistan, 2006

11. Prof. L. Venkateshwar Rao, Department of Microbiology has been appointed Fellow of Biotech Research Society of India and also of AP Academy of Sciences.

12. Prof. K. Somaiah, Dept. of Physics has been awarded Best Teacher by Govt. of A.P.

13. Prof. K. Somaiah and Prof. K. Narasimha Reddy of Department of Physics have been selected as Fellow of AP Academy of Sciences.

14. Prof. V.M. Pandharipande, Dept. of Electronics & Communication Engineering has been selected for International Educator 2005 (International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England)

15. Prof. P. Rao, Dept. of Civil Engineering has been awarded Best Teacher by the Govt. of AP.

16. Prof. A.D. Raj Kumar, Dept. of Electrical Engineering has been awarded Best Teacher by the Govt. of AP., 2005

17. Prof. K.V. Achalapathi, Dept. of Commerce has been awarded Best Teacher by the Govt. of AP., 2005

18. Dr. Reddya Naik, Dept. of Zoology has been selected for UGC Career Award.

19. Dr. A. Ramulu, Dept. of Sanskrit has been honoured Vidya Marthanda by Bharatiya Sanskritika Nirmana Parishad, 2005

20. Prof. G. Bhagyanarayana, Dept. of Botany has been awarded Prof. B.B. Mundkur Memorial Lecture by Indian Phytopathological society as well as Prof. Shome Memorial Lecture Award by Indian Mycological Society.

21. Prof. K. Janardhan Reddy, Dept. of Botany has been selected as Fellow of AP academy of Sciences.

22. Prof. G. Seetharama Rao, Dept. of Botany has been selected as Fellow of AP Academy of Sciences.

23. Prof. Pratibha Devi, Dept. of Botany has been appointed as Editorial Board Member of the International Journal of Plant Science, USA Acad. Journals, Inc., New York.

24. Prof. P. Maruti Mohan, Dept. of Bio-chemistry has been selected as Fellow of AP Academy of Science.

25. Prof. J. Shobhanaditya, Dept. of Bio-chemistry has been selected as INSA Visiting Scientist

26. Dr. B. Sashidhar Rao, Dept. of Bio-chemistry has been selected as Consultant, FAO, WHO, UN.