Support for Underrepresented Groups
Mentoring / Counselling / Peer Support Programmes for Student & Employee from Underrepresented Groups
KIIT Deemed to be University provides support programmes to students, staff, and faculty from underrepresented groups, including the indigenous communities, people with physical or mental disabilities, and low-income households. The University supports indigenous students and organizes language courses for International students, career lectures, and field activities.
There is policy and online available application form to avail the support for underrepresented group.
https://kiit.ac.in/policies/applications-for-under-represented-groups/
In this regards, the following initiatives are as..
- Counseling Support through the Counseling Cell
- Tutor Mentoring System for the Students
- Learning from Peers
- Mentoring of KISS (Higher Education to Indigenous Section) by KIIT (Excellence to Eminence)
Counseling Cell
The University established Counseling Cell to overcome slumps or transitions with objective to create a favourable environment for the student community and empower them to achieve a fulfilling life with intellectual and emotional growth. Counselling is a process of continuous engagement with the Student Community, Parents and Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff through regular Interactions in following mode as:
- Individual / Group / Family Counseling
- Workshops / Seminars
- Sensitization Programs
https://kiit.ac.in/student-counselling/
For more details of the conducted activities in this regard as:
https://kiit.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Counseling-Cell.pdf
https://kiit.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Student-Counselling.pdf
The University also provides scholarships for tribal students and economically weaker students. https://kiit.ac.in/academics/scholarships-fellowships/
Along with, There are various scholarships scheme for International students as follows:
- Government Scholarship: EdCIL
- Compex Nepal Scholarship
- Homi J. Bhabha Scholarship Scheme
- Scholarship for Syrian students by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
- Royal Government of Bhutan Scholarship
- Asia Foundation
- KIIT University International Scholarship (KUISP)
- Study in India Scholarship(SII)
KIIT International Relations Office (IRO) has committed to the needs of international students.
KIIT University is engaged in Tutor-mentoring activity for its students to acquire not only academic and professional skills but they can interact and network to acquire help for other personal problems. Our tutor-mentor interaction program attaches each student to a faculty member, who helps, guides and nurtures the students at KIIT through regular interactive sessions with both students as well as their local guardians and parents. This helps parents and students utilize the numerous resources at KIIT effective, placement opportunities, career plans, coaching requirements, hostel issues, medical emergencies, even apprehend and arrest any behavioral and academic concerns, etc. The girls students are provided with female faculty members who visit their them at their hostels and interact freely with them. The international students are also associated with separate tutor-mentors who can relate and address their issues immediately.
https://kiit.ac.in/sap/know-your-mentor/
KIIT Student Activity Centre aims to bring all the students of the University under one roof with the objective of establishing a common ground for extracurricular activities as well as providing a platform for sharing of talent, culture and innovative ideas. KIIT University takes pride in celebrating creative attributes of human mind. It not only believes in imparting quality technical education, but also catalyzes an all round development of the student community through the various societies. These societies provide a Utopian platform to the students and ensure that the tremendous talent and potential embedded in today’s youth are explored to the fullest extent and are put to use for the betterment of the entire society. Be it oratory skills or quizzing, music or arts, KIIT provides full scope to its students to explore the unexplored horizons and reach great heights.
Learning Development Center has been established with the aim to provide all time support to its students, scholars and faculty members for all round academic development.
- Specialized counseling sessions for students with one to one interaction.
- Promoting peer learning and introducing flipped classroom courses.
- Guidance in preparation and application for higher studies.
The learning development center has faculty representatives from different departments and Schools as contact persons to whom their faculty-members and students & parents can approach for availing the services and support of the center. Students, Faculty, Parents can also write to [email protected]
With KIIT growing at its pace, another sister institute for indigenous section, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) was established side by side, especially to provide basic education to the tribal children of our society. KISS, the largest tribal institute of the world, provides food, accommodation, health care and all the basic necessities of life absolutely free to 60,000 (30,000 existing students and 30,000 graduates) poorest of the poor tribal children to pursue their studies here from KG to PG as well as vocational training. KISS, as a unique experiment to eradicate poverty through education and use of education as a tool to empower the underprivileged section of the society and provide sustainable employment, is being hailed by statesmen, policy makers, planners, social workers from India and abroad.
KIIT Deemed to be University’s Students / Faculties regularly inspire the KISS students to succeed academically and mentally. Every year, a number of engagement sessions with KISS and KIIT students are held.
https://kiit.ac.in/campuslife/kiss/
ENACTUS KISS-KIIT is an innovative initiative by some students of KIIT to improve the quality of life in society.
The Peer Support Programs conducted in year 2023
For more details of the conducted activities in this regard as : https://news.kiit.ac.in/
The KIIT Deemed-to-be-University signed an MoU with the National Building Constructions Corporation (NBCC) to impart skill-based programmes to the students of both KIIT and KISS and make them industry ready. The function was attended by the Founder of KIIT-KISS Dr Achyuta Samanta and GM HR of NBCC Debasis Satapathy. As per the MoU, skill development and industry-oriented internship training will be provided for KIIT and KISS students with a focus on SC/ST and students from the financially weaker section. In his address, Dr Samanta called upon NBCC to also set up a research facility on the KIIT campus. He said that KIIT has witnessed significant growth over the years and has excelled in various national and international rankings. The GM of NBCC hailed the achievements of KIIT and said that it is one of the few institutions from Odisha known the world over. He said that under the skilling initiative, students from KIIT and KISS can also visit NBCC project sites outside the State for exposure. NBCC also signed an MoU with the Kandhamal district administration for the construction and renovation of CHCs under various social welfare schemes. Kandhamal CDMO Dr. Manoj Kumar Upadhyaya has signed MoU on behalf of the District Administration.
The International Relations Office of KIIT Deemed to be University organized a heritage walk to the Dhauli Shanti Stupa on 22nd and 29th of December 2023, with 175 international students of KIIT accompanied by officials from the International Relations Office, including Mr. Surya Kanta Tripathy, Senior Administrative Officer; Mr. Sidharth Roy, Administrative Officer; Mr. Bijaya Panda, Manager; and Ms. Mami Kimura, Visiting Faculty (Japanese). The Dhauli Shanti Stupa is one of India’s most prominent and beautiful Buddhist Heritage Sites. Internationally known as the “Peace Pagoda,” it was built by the ardent followers of Buddhism to mark the conversion of Great Emperor Ashoka to Buddhism after the Battle of Kalinga. Mr. Bijaya Panda narrated the magnificent history behind the Shanti Stupa, fostering an understanding of the uniqueness of the Stupa amongthe students.
https://news.kiit.ac.in/kiitnews/heritage-walk-for-international-students-of-kiit/
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) has extended educational assistance to the students of Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, Satyabhamapur, Salipur of Cuttack district. KIIT & KISS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta promised to provide higher education to the students of the Trust in KIIT free of cost. Dr. Samanta announced names of 3 matriculated students from the trust for admission in KIIT Polytechnic. These students will study diploma courses at KIIT. Dr. Samanta said that the KIIT will also provide necessary support for study if needed in future. The program was attended by many dignitaries including Mr. Prashant Behera, MLA; Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust Secretary Sandhyarani Mallik among others. Such initiative by the KIIT authorities has been widely appreciated in the local area.
Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik inaugurated various facilities and centers for the employees of KIIT- KISS and the public on 11th November 2023. These include Shephalee Creche, KIIT Public School, Jayanta Mahapatra Public Library, Baba Ram Narayan Das Prasad Sevan Kendra, and KIIT Souvenir Gallery. Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT-KISS has always given importance to the welfare of KIIT & KISS employees and staff. Accordingly, various projects and programmes have been taken up for the employees’ and their families’ benefit and happiness.
The public school will cater to KIIT-KISS employees who draw less than Rs 30,000 salary per month. They can now provide English medium education for their kids under the CBSE curriculum at KIIT Public School. Similarly, Jayanta Mahapatra Public Library is named after eminent bilingual poet from Odisha Padmashree Jayanta Mahapatra. This air-conditioned Public Library has been established near KIIT Gundicha Temple. To help the patient attendants coming to Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, subsidized “Prasad Sevan” will be available at the KIIT Gundicha Temple Complex. The “Prasad” will be available from KIIT Jagannath Temple. Anyone can have this Prasad for Rs 30 per person and the place is named after spiritual leader Baba Narayan Das. KIIT Souvenir Gallery offers a diverse range of unique souvenirs representing cultures worldwide, especially rich Odia handicrafts and KIIT University-branded merchandise for students, staff, alumni, and visitors.
The Sustainable Economic and Educational Development (SEED) Society of Vikas Educational Charitable Trust on March 29 organized a scholarship programme through smart classrooms of Kalinga Institute of Nursing Sciences (KINS). The purpose of the programme was to help the needy GNM girl students with financial assistance. It was chaired by Prof. Niyati Das, Principal KINS. Subash Chandra Choudhury, Chairman, SEED of Vikas Educational Charitable Trust, explained in details about the organization and the benefits of the scholarship of Rs 25,000 distributed to each student by Sarbeswar Panda, General Manager, Project SEED. Interview and screening programmes were conducted among 56 GNM students (both first year and second year) by SEED of Vikas Educational Charitable Trust and 26 students were selected for the scholarship.
Central TB Division (CTD) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have come up with a new project “Comprehensive Tribal TB Management Programme for decentralized TB care services” for tribal-dominated districts of Odisha. One of the centers in Koraput is being headed by Prof. Dr. Sonali Kar from Department of Community Medicine, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) as the principal investigator (PI). Prof. Dr. Smita Panda from VSS Medical College, Burla, Dr. Aurobindo Samantaray, Associate Professor from SLN Medical College, Koraput, Dr. PK Hota (State TB Officer), Odisha, Dr. Prasanta Kumar Samal, (District TB Officer), Koraput are the Co-PIs in this project. The programme comes as one of the unique efforts which would help achieve our TB elimination target of 2025 and hence is projected for the next two years. Dr. Manjula Singh, ICMR Scientist-E, ICMR Headquarters, is overall in-charge in leading the unique project, which is conceptualized for 11 tribal districts across the country. TB continues to be a silent killer in India and its diagnostics and management are entirely borne by the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP). This project was flagged off pan-India in February 2023, with probationary recruitment of the four team members as per the ICMR requisites for KIMS.
https://news.kiit.ac.in/kims/kims-begins-comprehensive-tribal-tb-management-project-in-koraput/
KIIT International School (KiiT-IS) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New-Delhi-based Action for Autism (AFA) to develop the Department of Special Educational Needs (SEN) on the school campus into a Centre of Excellence. The MoU was signed between KiiT-IS and AFA in the presence of Principal Secretary SSEPD Department, Government of Odisha Bishnupada Sethi, KIIT-KISS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta, while AFA Founder Merry Barua and Chairperson of KiiT-IS Mona Lisa Bal signed the document. Speaking on the occasion SSEPD Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi said “I am overwhelmed with the way the Department of SEN is being operated inside KiiT-IS and it really surprised me that such an institution is here in Odisha to take care of the needs of the special children.” Declaring that the State Government will do every possible help to develop the SEN Globe at KiiT-IS into a Centre of Excellence of Global repute, Sethi also added that empathy and compassion have always remained the hallmark of KIIT-KISS Founder Dr. Samanta.
In 2014 SEN Globe started at KiiT-IS with only seven children and 15 teachers. In 2018 the school had 45 students and 17 teachers enrolled under the Department of SEN and now by 2023 the centre has 150 students, 55 special educators and 15 therapists (Speech, Cognitive and Occupational). SEN Globe follows a very systematic and scientific screening using all the standardized tools in identifying and teaching patterns, which is reflected in the extraordinary performance of the students. The entire process stands on the 3 key pillars of Screening, Mapping, and Programme assignment. It is also called IQ 3, i.e. Identification, Intervention, and Inclusion. While the entry age is 4-12 years, exit age (completion of 12th Grade) is 17 years. A documentary showing the day-to-day activities and grooming of the kids under SEN Globe was also screened on the occasion.
https://news.kiit.ac.in/mou/kiit-is-signs-mou-with-action-for-autism-for-sen-globe/
KIIT School of Social, Financial & Human Sciences (KSFH) recently organized a three-day awareness program with the theme “Manas Manthan: Celebrating Mental Health for All as a Universal Human Right” on World Mental Health Day. The event saw enthusiastic participation from students in various activities organized by the Department of Psychology at KSFH. The primary objective was to enhance the capacities of students, faculty, and staff members of KIIT-DU in the matters of mental health. A thought-provoking movie, ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’, was screened at the KSFH Auditorium, drawing active participation from students, faculty, and staff. The program concluded with an impactful talk by Dr. Amrit Pattojoshi, a prominent psychiatrist.
https://news.kiit.ac.in/ksfh/ksfh-organizes-awareness-programme-on-mental-health/
Experiential Learning, Career Aspiration And Contextualization Of International Learning” KIIT School of Public Health (KSPH) is selected by the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) under the one-year Academic Partnership Program Initiative (APPI) to strengthen its academic programs. As a part of this initiative, Dr. Srikanth Mahankali, MD, who currently serves as an International Liaison for The American Board of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, was identified by the CUGH as a mentor for the programme. The APPI programme at the School is led by Dr. Pratap Kumar Jena (FIC-Academic) under the guidance of Dr. S. K. Satpathy, Director, KSPH. As a part of the initiative, KSPH conducted the First International Student Webinar on 17th March 2023. Dr. Anudeep Singaram, M.Sc. (Global Public Health and Policy) from Queen Mary University, London; Ms. Divya Bhatia M.Sc. (Global Health) Georgetown University, USA; Ms. Shilpa Nair (4th Sem MPH), KSPH; and Dr. Pamela Okoye (2ndSem MPH), KSPH participated as student panellists. The programme was moderated by Dr. Pratap Kumar Jena with guidance from Dr. Srikanth Mahankali.
https://news.kiit.ac.in/ksph/ksph-conducts-international-student-panel-discussion-on-curriculum/
The 10th Anniversary celebration of “International Day of Art of Giving (AOG) Day” was observed worldwide on Wednesday through various events and activities. The innovative AOG concept was launched on 17th May 2013 by eminent philanthropist and educationist Dr. Achyuta Samanta to spread the message of cooperation, happiness, peace and harmony across the world. The theme for this year is ‘Helping the Help’. The followers, well-wishers and fans of AOG celebrated the Day across 350 locations in 120 countries across six continents. Besides, the followers and well-wishers of AOG commemorated the day in 3500 locations in 29 states, 4 UTIs and 200 cities and towns in India. In Odisha, AOG Day was celebrated at 10,000 locations in 30 districts, 10 major cities and towns, over 300 blocks and more than 5000 Gram Panchayats of Odisha. Mr. R Balakrishnan, Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister of Odisha described Art of Giving as the “heart of giving”. He said that AOG is a matter connected to fairness and it is important for individuals, society, and the country. Higher Education Secretary Bishnupada Sethi said AOG had become a solid movement while President of Sriram Temple, Unit-2 Bhubaneswar Swami Ram Narayan Das said Dr Samanta has awakened amongst us the happiness that can be gained through AOG. Dr Samanta said that people of Odisha should be proud of the fact that this thought process originated from this state. He said AOG event has been organized across the globe.
https://news.kiit.ac.in/aog/10th-international-art-of-giving-day-celebrated-world-wide/
About 5,000 women, dressed in traditional sarees, participated in Pattathon (Mini-marathon) on 28th January 2024 under the encouragement and inspiration of the Founder of KIIT and KISS Dr. Achyuta Samanta to promote women empowerment and educational access for all. This annual event was held across various districts in Odisha and different cities in India with the aim of ‘Education for All’. This year, the marathon was organized in 55 locations across Odisha, including the unique edition in Bhubaneswar. The marathon was held from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM, with 5,000 female employees of KIIT, KISS, and KIMS participating in it. The marathon witnessed the participation of prominent figures such as Odisha Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (OB & OCWW) Chairman Srimayee Mishra; BMC Mayor Sulochana Das; Deputy Mayor Manjulata Kanhar; Local Corporator Mihir Kumar Rout, International Cyclist Minati Mohapatra; athletes Shravani Nanda, Anuradha Biswal; KIIT and KISS President Saswati Bal; Dr. Itirani Samanta, Editor, Kadambini; Prof Saranjit Singh, VC, KIIT DU and Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar among others.