With world’s 4th largest rail network, India flags off first Railway University
New Delhi, Dec 31: India is now home to its first Railway University, the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI), based in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Formally dedicated to the nation the university offers multi-disciplinary education, research and training with a spotlight exclusively on the transportation sector. The NRTI is specifically established to create a resource pool of best-in-class professionals for the transportation sector, especially the railways.
According to Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Coal, government of India, “Indian Railways has embarked on a transformational journey through the introduction of new trains, high speed trains, dedicated freight corridors, modern stations, and other technological advancements”.
Goyal says the modernization of Indian Railways will therefore require a modern approach to employment and training.
“The NRTI will contribute to boosting the economy through skilling of manpower, fostering innovative entrepreneurship, and promoting efficiency in movement of people and goods. Additionally, it will also help contribute to other flagship programs such as Make in India, Skill India and Start Up India,” says Goyal.
Largest rail network globally
Currently the world’s seventh largest commercial employer with over 1.3 million employees, Indian Railways has emerged as the fourth largest rail network globally.
Boasting about 115,000 km of track length across about 7,500 stations, Indian Railways transports more than a billion tons of freight traffic per year and carries 8.4 billion passengers every year. Given the massive size of Indian Railways, coupled with its growth trajectory in the context of needs, a Railway University is but a necessity.
Recognized by the University Grants Commission as a ‘Deemed-to-be-University’ the National Rail and Transportation Institute will pave the way to innovation and promoting greater engagement with the academic community in Railways.
It is the first-of-its-kind university with a vision to develop a cadre of young graduates who are empowered problem-solvers with an actionable understanding of the transportation ecosystem.
The National Academy of Indian Railways palace houses the Railway University. (Supplied)
Ashwani Lohani, the first Chancellor of the National Rail and Transportation Institute, in a statement observed, “With a vision to be world-class right from its inception, NRTI has incorporated the latest experiential teaching methodology, a holistic industry-integrated curriculum, high-quality faculty and student-centric practices that are comparable to the best around the world”.
“In a unique first, Indian Railways and associated establishments will open their facilities and infrastructure to the students and faculty of NRTI as live labs where they can learn and gain live experience. The Institute has also forged academic partnerships with some of the top global universities which will provide opportunities to the students and faculty of NRTI for exchange, joint research and learning.”
E. Sreedharan, popularly known as “Metro Man” of India, visited NRTI recently and offered his advice.
Courses for the maiden academic year
For the inaugural academic year, which commenced in September 2018, the University offers only two courses – BBA in Transportation Management which is a specialized program focused on management practices in the context of the transportation sector and BSc in Transportation Technology highlighting on technology and its application in the field of transportation.
The NRTI is focused on developing global and national partnerships with top universities and organizations from across the world. This will enable access to the latest pedagogy and program design, and prevailing transportation related domain knowledge, innovations and research developments.
NRTI has adopted an interdisciplinary approach for research of transport systems – it is bringing together academicians, scientists and engineers from various backgrounds, and plans to leverage its academic and industry partnerships and collaborations.
First batch into first semester
The first batch of 103 students from 20 states in two fully-residential undergraduate courses is already into first semester at the 55-acre lush campus which houses the Pratap Vilas Palace (Vadodara) built in 1914 AD and originally belonged to the Gaekwads of Vadodara.
The palace is home to National Academy of Indian Railways, which functions as the apex training institute for the officers of all departments of Indian Railways in general and Accounts, Personnel, Stores and Medical departments in particular. The campus resonates with the calls of peacocks and migratory birds in its verdant environs.
As part of upcoming plans it will begin the Master’s program from the 2019-20 academic year onwards. NRTI intends to have five schools offering programs across Engineering, Management, Law and Public policy, Humanities, Planning and Design domains.
Courtesy: english.alarabiya.net
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Kerala court sentences man to life imprisonment for doc's murder in hospital
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Kollam (PTI): A teacher convicted in the sensational murder of Dr Vandana Das inside a hospital here was sentenced to life term on Saturday, and the prosecution said it will move an appeal seeking death penalty for the accused. The victim's family also batted for "maximum punishment".
Dr Das was brutally killed inside a taluk hospital in May 2023 by G Sandeep.
Kollam Additional District and Sessions judge P N Vinod sentenced Sandeep to a total of 30 years for various offences under the then Indian Penal Code (IPC) and said that after he serves that period, his life imprisonment for Das' murder will commence.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.35 lakh on the convict.
Though the prosecution had sought death penalty for the accused during the arguments on sentence, the court was of the view that the case does not fall under the rarest-of-rare category to warrant the maximum punishment.
It was also of the view that there was a chance of the convict getting reformed as he told the court that the rest of his life would be one of repentance, the order on sentence said.
"At the same time, I agree with the stand of the prosecution to the effect that the sentence should commensurate with the gravity of the crime and the sentence should not only be reformative, but should also have a deterrent effect."
"In my view, the said objective can be achieved by directing that the term sentences that will be imposed will run consecutively and life sentence that has to be imposed will commence only after the expiration of terms sentences," the judge said.
After the verdict, special public prosecutor (SPP) Prathap G Padickal told reporters outside the court that he will recommend to the prosecution to file an appeal seeking enhancement of the life imprisonment to death penalty.
The victim's father said that the verdict has come as a relief for the family, but that he cannot authoritatively say whether his late daughter has got justice. He indicated his dissatisfaction with the punishment, saying that steps will be taken to seek its enhancement after discussions with the public prosecutor.
Dr Das' mother said that the family can only wish for the maximum punishment and it was up to the court to decide what sentence should be given. She said that the family will go in appeal, but declined to comment on whether her daughter got justice.
She tearfully said that she wants the convict to suffer the same pain that her daughter underwent "as he stabbed her 27 times".
The court on March 17 had convicted Sandeep for various offences under the IPC, including murder, destruction of evidence and wrongful restraint.
It had also held him guilty under the provisions of the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage to property) Act 2012.
Sandeep was brought to the taluk hospital by the police for medical treatment during the small hours of May 10, 2023 and he went on a sudden attacking spree using a pair of surgical scissors kept in the room where his leg injury was being dressed.
A school teacher by profession, he had initially attacked the police officers and another person who had accompanied him to the hospital and then turned on the young Dr Das, who could not escape to safety.
She was stabbed several times and later succumbed to her injuries in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram where she was rushed following the attack.
Dr Das was a native of the Kaduthuruthy area of Kottayam district and the only child of her parents.
She was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was working at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital as part of her training.
Sandeep had called the emergency number 112, claiming that his life was in danger. When local police located him, he was standing close by his home, surrounded by local residents and his relatives, and had a wound on his leg following an alleged quarrel.
He was then taken to the hospital for dressing the wound.
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