North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology
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NERIST (North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology), located at Nirjuli, Itanagar in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, was established by the Government of India as a premier technical institute for science and technology, and opened to students in 1986.
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[edit] Location
The Institute is located at Nirjuli in the Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh, in a valley at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. It is 19 km from Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, on National Highway 52A between Banderdewa and Itanagar. It is 10 km from Banderdewa, the border between Assam & Arunachal Pradesh.
[edit] Background
NERIST was set up by the government of India, initially as a project of the North Eastern Council (NEC), to provide a system of education to create technical manpower at various levels for the development of the North Eastern region of the country.
It is a unique institute of its kind in the country, having unconventional and innovative academic programmes. The approach is to encourage a policy of vocationalisation at the 10+2 level and allow only motivated students to go for the degree level, while others go out of the institute to enrich their profession with some years of professional experience. At any future date if they decide to return to the institute to improve their qualification, they would be allowed to do so.
Since April 1, 1994, the institute has been fully funded and directly controlled by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), New Delhi. Since May 2005, NERIST has been a 'deemed university'.
[edit] Organisation
The institute is managed by a Board of Management, comprising representatives of MHRD, the eight beneficiary states of the North Eastern region, AICTE and eminent educationists. The state governor of Arunachal Pradesh is de facto head of the highest body, NERIST Society, which consists of education ministers of all North Eastern States. The Board of management is currently headed by the Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh. The board appoints a well-known academic, generally from within north east India, as Director of NERIST.
Each discipline has its own head of department, generally the most senior of the professors. In addition, there are heads of each hostel, a dean for student welfare, training and placement staff, a security chief and medical officers.
[edit] Academic structure
NERIST offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate degrees for the following six branches of engineering and applied sciences:
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Electronics and Communication Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Agricultural Engineering
- Forestry
The academic program in Engineering and Technology at NERIST consists of three independent modules, each of two years' duration. These three modules are called Certificate, Diploma and Degree modules. Each module has an entry point through an entrance examination conducted by NERIST. The first entry is after class X. Each module also provides terminality corresponding to an occupational level, and at the same time allows entry to the next higher module, leading to a degree in engineering and technology in about six years time after class X. In Applied Science stream, a two year Base Module and four year Degree module are offered. The system also allows lateral entry from outside with necessary pre-requisites, at the beginning of each module.
The Certificate and the Diploma levels emphasize the practical aspects of engineering, which help an individual become an entrepreneur or to face the day–to–day problems of industry. The Degree curriculum provides instructions not only in engineering but emphasizes management and entrepreneurship aspects as well, making an individual more suited for today's industries.
The Postgraduate Master of Technology programme of NERIST is offered in the following three areas:
- M.Tech. (Information Technology) under the Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering.
- M.Tech. (Environmental Science & Engineering) under the Department of Civil Engineering.
- M.Tech. (Forest Technology) under the Department of Forestry.
The Department of Humanities & Social Sciences of the Institute also offers two years Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Programme. Another programme on Energy Management is under consideration.
[edit] Admission
NERIST conducts the NERIST Entrance Exam (NEE) to select students for admission to Certificate, Diploma and Degree programmes. Three different examinations, known as NEE-I, NEE-II and NEE-III, are held to take admissions at three different levels. The NEE-I, for which eligibiity is a pass in Class X, is held towards the end of April every year for admissions to the Base Module. NEE-II is for the lateral entry to the Diploma Module of Engineering and to the Degree Module of Applied Science stream and NEE-III is for the lateral entry to the Degree Module of Engineering. The Notifications for NEE-I, II and III are published in most Regional and National newspapers. NEEs are conducted in various Centers located in the North Eastern States of India.
Of the total number of seats in each of the modules for direct admission, 80% of seats are reserved for the candidates of the eight states of the North East (10% each) as states' quota. 7% of seats are filled up from the students of North East on merit. 10% of the seats are filled up by the candidates from rest of the States under the All India (AI) quota. 3% of the seats are reserved for physically handicapped candidates with 40-75% locomotor disability. Admission to the postgraduate programmes is done through the all India level entrance examination GATE conducted by the IITs on behalf of the Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.
[edit] Student life
A student or an alumnus of NERIST is informally known as a NERISTian. NERIST has seven hostels for male and one hostel for female students. In addition to this, two separate hostels for the postgraduate and doctorate students are being constructed.
There are a number of science clubs and regional associations, of which most students are members. An annual programme of fun, culture and dance takes place around October called Sonabyss, involving many functions and competitions lasting four days. The Annual Sports week is organised in January, which provides a forum for the NERISTians to show off their sporting skills. Football and Cricket are the two most popular sports among the NERISTians.
The Annual Technical Festival, called SHRISTI, is held every year in August. Many Technical Institutes from all over North Eastern India take part in this three day fest, which is fast becoming a breeding ground for new ideas which may shape the future of the country.
