Meeting on Foss in higher education in Maharashtra ...
The meeting organised by NRC-FOSS in Mumbai was a great successNRC-FOSS, Chennai and VJTI, Mumbai conducted a meeting of Professors and Heads of Department of colleges in Maharashtra on 22.11.2007 at VJTI, Mumbai. The organisations represented were: Prof C N Krishnan, Kenneth Gonsalves and Rajeev Nair from NRC-FOSS, Chennai, Dr Narayankhedkar, Director, and Professor Jitendra Shah from VJTI, Dr G Sivakumar from IIT, Mumbai, Mr Sasikumar representing CDAC and OSSRC, Mrugesh Karnik, Anurag Patel and Pradeepto Bhatacharya from the Mumbai LUG, Professors, Heads of Department and Members of Board of Studies from Kolhapur University, Shivaji University, Pune University and Bombay University, TISS and colleges from in and around Mumbai. The details of the programme are given in the Announcements page of this site
The morning session was devoted to describing what FOSS is and the efforts of NRC-FOSS in introducing FOSS in higher education around the country. It was found that most of the participating institutions were using FOSS to some extent. The afternoon session had a demo on the capabilities of FOSS and a discussion on the way forward. Among the points decided were:
- More support and publicity for the NRC-FOSS node at VJTI
- It was pointed out that AICTE Inspection Committee members often insisted on the colleges having certain proprietary items of software even when the colleges were using good FOSS alternatives for the same. This was often because the members themselves were not aware of the existence of such FOSS alternatives, and/or because they had not been instructed suitably in this regard. It was suggested that NRCFOSS should bring this matter to the attention of AICTE.
- There was a view that students and managements would like to know the views of the industry (the future employer of the students) as regards FOSS and how exposure to it would help in students' placement -- some sort of an "Industry endorsement" would help. NRCFOSS should inform the industry about these programs and get them to comment on them as well as encourage them.
- It was felt that the NRCFOSS portal should contain some selected case studies of successful FOSS deployment s from various fields -- "success stories".
- It was felt that NRCFOSS team should visit different University regions in Maharashtra and hold events similar to what was done in VJTI, along with the respective VCs, and other academic administrators of the Universities. Representatives from the following Universities agreed to organise such events in their regions during Dec-Jan period- Pune University, Shivaji University, Sholapur University, Bombay University.
The participants were:
Dr Pramod N. Vasambekar
Dept of Comp Science, Shivaji University
Dr R.K.Kamat
Internet Unit, Shivaji University,KOlhapur
Mr Dhirendra Mishra, Lecturer
Dept of computer Engg,K.C.College of
Engg, Thane (east)
Mr. Prashant.H.Rathod
Dept of comp.engg.K.C coll. of
Engg.,Thane(east)
Prof D.V.Kodavade,Asst prof in
comp.science
DKTE textile and engineering,Ichalkara-
nji
Prof D.B.Kulkarni
I/C HOD IT dept
Walchand coll of engg. Sangli (M.S)
Dr. K.C.Mahite
OSD,BCUD
University of Pune
Prof B.R.Prabhu
HOD - comp and IT
Father Agnel coll. of Engg,
Bandra,Mumbai 50
Dr Surendra Kumar
Principal
Terna Engg College,Nerul,Navi -
Mumbai 706
Dr A.K.Sen,Principal
St.Francis Institute of Technology,S.V.P
Road ,Borivali west Mumbai
Ms Bidisha Roy, Asst Prof
Dept of Comp.Engg
St.Francis Institute of Technology,S.V.P
Road ,Borivali west Mumbai
Ms Sujata Deshmukh
Lecturer – comp.engg
Lokmanya Tilak Coll. of Engg,Kopar-
khairane,Navi Mumbai
Ms Aruna Hegde
A.P(comp.engg)
Lokmanya Tilak Coll. of Engg,Kopar-
khairane,Navi Mumbai
Mr Rahul Paikrao
J/c HOD -comp.engg
Amrutvahini Coll.of Engg.,Samgamner
Mr.V.Sivakumar
Systems Manager, Computer -
Center
Tata Institute of social sciences
P.O.Box 8313 ,Deonar,Mumbai 88
Prof.C.B.Deshpande, HOD- IT
Marathwada Mitra Mandal Coll. of.
Engg.Karve nagar,Pune
Prof Raju Dinkar Sonawane
Asst. professor VIIT
VIIT,V.P.MIDC, Baramati Dist- Pune
D.K.Chitre HOD Comp.Dept
Terna Engg College, Nerul
A.Sivakumar, Professor
IIT Bombay 400076
Dr.R.V.karambelkar
Shah and Anchor Coll. of Engg
Chembur
Prof. A .R.Yardi
I/C Director
Walchand coll of engg. Sangli
Sasikumar
Incharge OSS division
C DAC Mumbai,
Khargar,Navi Mumbai
Prof Chandrakant Hayatnagarkar
Marathwada Mitra Mandal Coll. of.
Engg.Karve nagar,Pune
Prof Jitendra .M.Shah
VJTI Matunga Mumbai
Prof. R.N. Sharma
Dean, School of Social Sciences, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai