5 IITs in top 20 BRICS universities list

5 IITs in top 20 BRICS universities list

LONDON: Five Institutes of Technology (IITs) are in the top 20 in the world's first dedicated ranking of universities in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) group of countries. 

China's universities dominated the table with 40 universities featured in the top 100, 22 in the top 50 and 4 in the top 5 with Tsinghua University being ranked the best university. 

According to the "QS University Rankings: BRICS" to be announced on Tuesday, Russia has 19 of its universities in the top 100, Brazil 17, India 16 and South Africa 8 in the list. 

IIT-Delhi takes the top ranking (13) among Indian universities followed by IIT-Mumbai (15), IIT-Madras (16), IIT-Kanpur (17) and IIT-Kharagpur (18). 

There is then a huge gap on that merit list when it comes to Indian entries. The next rank for an Indian university is once again IIT-Rourkee (34) and IIT-Guwahati (51). 

University of Calcutta is ranked 52nd best in BRICS followed by University of Delhi at 53. University of Mumbai is ranked 62, University of Hyderabad 64, University of Madras 70, Benaras Hindu University 85, IIT-Allahabad 92, University of Pune 94 with Manipal University taking the 100th spot. 

Zoya Zaitseva, project director for QS University Rankings said, "It is not surprising that China leads, given the size of its economy and population and the massive resources it has been putting into higher education. As with the QS World University Rankings, this BRICS ranking points to a sharp contrast between Indian and Chinese achievement in higher education. Despite being only marginally smaller in population, India has only 16 institutions listed here, less than half China's. While India has world-class institutions in science and technology, its comprehensive universities are not as strong in an international context." 

The QS World University Rankings published recently also featured 11 Indian institutions in the top 800 with the highest ranking going to IIT-Delhi which was placed 222 in the list. 

Two other institutions made it to the top 300 — IIT-Bombay (233) and IIT-Kanpur (295). IIT-Madras was ranked 313 while IIT-Kharagpur stood at 346. 

India scored just 2.4 when it came to International faculty in its colleges while the average global count was 38.1 in 2013. When it came to international students, India's points were miserably low - at 3.1 as against an average global score of 37.9. 

As far as faculty student ratio was concerned, India got 29.4 points as against the global average of nearly 45. 

The BRICS ranking is the first of its kind to apply a dedicated methodology especially designed to place the featured nations on a more equal footing. The results are made up of respondents from over 9,800 academics from the nations. 

Zoya Zaitseva added, "BRICS countries are focusing on developing world-class universities as a strategic priority to sustain the growth of their economies by producing innovation, cutting- edge research and highly qualified and employable graduates. This first ranking reflects the relative strengths of each of these ambitious nations while also highlighting the potential for growth." 

QS' recent world's 200 top list had shown that not a single Indian university figured in the world's top 200 list. 

Source : TimesofIndia

Girl from red-light area in Mumbai flies to the US for studies

Mumbai: For 18-year-old Shweta Katti, who grew up as the daughter of a devdasi in the infamous red-light area of Kamathipura in the city, getting scholarship to study in the US is a dream coming true.

Shweta, who once studied in a civic school, flew to New York on Thursday to pursue a course in psychology at Bard University.


"Shweta has got the opportunity to study in the US. I don't know what she would be studying there. But I feel proud of her," her mother Vandana, a dev

dasi, told PTI here on Sunday.

Devdasis are girls who are 'dedicated' to a life of sex work in the name of religion.

"Since childhood Shweta had been good at studies. Earlier, she studied in the municipality school. From class VIII, she started going a private school in south Mumbai," she added.

After Shweta completed her higher secondary school (HSC), she approached 'Apne Aap', an organisation in Kamathipura to which she was associated since her class IV.

'Apne Aap' then took her to 'Kranti'--an NGO--which educates and empowers trafficked girls, to help her in pursuing further education.

Knowing well about her field of interest, the organisation then cleared the deck for Shweta to get further education in the US.

When asked about the funding part of Shweta's education abroad, Robin from 'Kranti' said, "Around 200 people from all over the world have contributed to towards her education in the US. She would be studying psychology over there. She had told us about her dream and we promised that we will make it happen."

Her mother says that Shweta would come back only after four years. "I am missing her. But I have to make myself strong," she said.

PTI 

SSA scheme: Students to get uniforms free of cost in Goa

Panaji: For the first time in Goa, around 25,000 school students would be provided two pairs of uniforms free of cost under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA).

The students are from SCs, STs and below poverty line families, SSA Goa project director Minanath Upadhye told.

This would be in addition to the Goa government's programme under which students in the government-run schools are provided a set of uniform.

Around 1,019 government primary and middle schools would be covered under this ambitious scheme, for which the Centre has sanctioned Rs 80.63 lakh, Upadhye said.

The SSA officials have decided to route the fund through School Management Committees (SMCs), which will decide on the purchase and distribution of the uniforms.

"As per SSA guidelines, uniforms are to be distributed at SMC level and not by inviting tenders at the centralised level," Upadhye said.

As many as 15,921 students would be provided two pairs of uniforms, while 8,473 students from Class I-III, who are already getting uniform from the state government, would be provided with an additional pair, he said.

During this academic year, the SSA has also provided free text books for 1.37 lakh students in primary and upper primary schools.

A total of 65,358 students from primary and 71,773 from upper primary schools ? government and aided ones -- would be provided free text books, Upadhye added.

PTI

Engineering students design 8 mobile games

HUBLI: You thought students only played mobile games? Here are computer science students of BVB College of Engineering & Technology who have designed eight mobile games which can be run on four operating systems.

The games designed by these VI semester students are Back Flip, Crazy Archer, Parking 2D, Bulldozer, Lasers, Gold Diggers, Doddal Blink and Spooky Hoofs. These games can be played on various operating systems like Android, Windows phone and IOS.

Abhishek, one of the student designers, said that college has given them an opportunity to design the games and C Logic, a private company, provided specifications to design them. ''We did it and it has given me a real time experience. It was exciting to learn how to develop the games for various operating systems,'' he said.

Gopal Joshi, professor of computer science department, said that earlier they had initiated the move of designing games by students which can be accessed on the Android operating system, but this year students designed games which can be played on different operating systems.

The college authorities first put the games on trial by inviting some school students to play them. The designer team noted the difficulties the school students faced and reworked on the games. Now, the college will release them in the market.

Each game has two versions. The team was given three days training by the company. Students had designed 29 games in 2011 and 30 games in 2012. This year, again students have designed the games in two versions.

Goa govt launches scheme to strengthen infra in schools

Panaji: Schools in Goa would now be able to upgrade or set up infrastructure, including for IT services, and even acquire land for the purpose, courtesy a dedicated scheme announced by the state government on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters that the scheme has been approved by the state Cabinet with the financial implication being pegged at Rs 50 crore annually.

"While primary schools will be given Rs 50 lakh each, high schools Rs one crore each and higher secondary schools Rs two crores for the purpose," Parrikar

said.

The chief minister said that 50 per cent of the total allocation would be made in the form of grants and rest as interest-free loan, which can be repaid over next 15 years.

Though nearly 276 schools are eligible for this scheme, only 30 schools would get the benefit for the current academic year, Parrikar said.


"The funds provided for the infrastructure creation can also be used to acquire land and also to install IT services like wi-fi and CCTV," he said.

State-run Education Development Corporation has been named as a nodal agency to implement the scheme, a revised version of the earlier scheme wherein schools were asked to mortgage their properties to avail the benefit.

PTI

Andhra Pradesh to issue notification on recruiting 20,000 teachers: CM

Hyderabad: In a major recruitment exercise, Andhra Pradesh government would issue notification for recruitment of 20,000 teachers by end of this month, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said.

Speaking at an event organised in East Godavari district today as part of the 'Education Fortnight', he said the state government has filled up 30,000 vacancies in recent times.

The government has filled about 1.23 lakh vacancies in government departments and another 60,000 would be recruited this year, he said, adding the recruitment was done in a transparent manner.

He said notification to recruit 20,000 teachers would be issued by end of the month.

He said the 'education fortnight' was being organised for the last three years during which several measures were taken.

He also said that the government has involved several departments to ensure that all children in the state go to school.

Boy, 13, cracks IIT-JEE

Patna: A Bihar farmer’s 13-yearold son has become India’s youngest student to crack the IIT-JEE for the second consecutive year as he was unhappy with his rank last year.

Satyam Kumar, from Bakhorapur village in Bhojpur district, had secured an all-India rank of 8,137 in 2012 at the age of 12 and cleared the IIT-JEE (Advanced) this year with an all-India rank of 679.

In 2012, Satyam had sat for the IIT entrance tests even before passing his Class XII examinations, in which he had appeared with a special permission from the CBSE. For the IIT entrance, he received coaching in Kota.

“He has shown extraordinary academic skills since his early childhood and always worked hard with a regular timetable,” said his proud father Sidhnath Singh.

With his two successive achievements in the IIT entrance tests, Satyam has broken the record set by Sahal Kaushik of Delhi, who cleared the IIT-JEE at the age of 14 in 2010.

Deeply interested in the wonders and possibilities in information technology, he is keen on setting up a more innovative social networking company like Facebook getting a computer engineering degree from the IIT in Mumbai or Kanpur.

Meanwhile, the underprivileged students of “Super 30” here have yet again made it big at the IIT entrance examination with 28 out of the total 30 students qualifying.

Scholarship for girls taking up ITI courses

AURANGABAD: An NGO has come forward to promote technical education among girls from villages in Gansavangi taluka in Jalna district by offering Rs 5,000 to each one of them taking admission in the Industrial Training Institute (ITI).

Somanth Khade, joint convenor of Swamy Vivekanand Shadh Shati Samoroh Samiti, confirmed the development and said the scheme would be available for girls from this year.

Mukund Kulkarni, principal of the institute, said, "The aim is to encourage girl students to take up ITI courses and create awareness about its benefits. Since the institute is located in the rural area, the response from the girls is not very encouraging. Hence, the scheme has been launched from this year to increase inclination of girls."

"Since the last two years, no girl has taken admission in the institute. Earlier too, the response was poor with only 7-8 girls taking ITI courses. People from rural areas believe that ITI courses are suitable for boys only," he said.

"To clear this misconception, the institute is spreading awareness among the students by conducting workshops and by distributing pamphlets in villages in Gansavangi taluka. The college is contacting every school principal and have put up posters in schools," Kulkarni said.

"The institute runs one-year and two-year courses. Girls enrolling themselves for any course would be eligible for the scholarship. The online admission process will begin from June 24. We have received at least 20 inquiries from girl students. We hope to admit all of them this year," Kulkarni added. 

Four from Andhra Pradesh make it to top 10 in IIT-JEE Advanced

HYDERABAD: Two students from Hyderabad secured the top two ranks in the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced), which guarantees admission in the IITs across the country. Two others from the state, including a girl student, made it to the top 10 out of the 1.15 lakh candidates who sat for the exam on June 2.

Seventeen-year-old P Sai Sandeep Reddy, a resident of Prakasam district who studied in a school in Madhapur, secured the first rank with 332 marks out of 360, officials said. He was followed closely by A Ravi Chandra, a resident of Hyderabad, who got 330 marks, securing him the second rank.

"I am a big fan of Harry Potter and I love to read story books whenever I get time," said an overjoyed Sai Sandeep Reddy. Son of a school teacher, Sandeep prepared hard for the exam by devoting 12-14 hours per day in the three months leading up to the JEE exam. "I am still dazed. I never thought I would top the exam," Sandeep said. The tall lanky boy, who dreams of carrying out research in robotics in IIT Mumbai, said he was immediately heading to the Shirdi Sai Baba temple with his parents to offer thanksgiving prayers.

Ravi Chandra, son of a central government employee, said he wants to carry out research in computer sciences. "I expected to be among the toppers but never did I think that I would be able to secure the second rank," said Chandra, who studied in the same Madhapur institute as Sandeep. Asked what he did to blow off steam, he said he loved to watch films and added that his inspiration was his brother who is studying in IIT Madras.

Out of the 1,15,971 candidates who took the exams, around 21,110 qualified. Two female candidates, including S Leena Madhuri from Tirupati, made it to the top 10 ranks for the first time. Leena, who stood eight with 314 marks said she studied for 15-16 hours leading up to the examination. "I also love playing chess and watch television," she said.

Meanwhile, M Viswa Virinchi, a resident of Kukatpally, who secured the first rank with in the JEE (Mains) with 345 marks, had to be contended with seventh rank in the advanced exam. Virinchi, who secured 315 marks, said he used to spend his free time taking piano lessons and wants to be an engineer.

The JEE Advanced results were declared two days in advance, but officials said the admissions would be done only from June 24 as planned. The examination had two objective papers comprising physics, chemistry and mathematics. Candidates have to qualify the exam to get admission into any of the 15 IITs in the country including IIT-Hyderabad.

The JEE (main) scores were an eligibility test for the advanced exam.

IIT entrance exam: Underprivileged children of 'Super 30' make it big again

Patna: The underprivileged students of 'Super 30' here have yet again made it big at the IIT entrance examination with 28 out of the total 30 students qualifying. The result of JEE(Advance) was declared on Friday.

Chandan Kumar, son of a landless farmer of Gaya district and one of the students of the famed institute told PTI that he had managed to study till matriculation by borrowing books from friends. "I have been reborn after my days in 'Super30'," said Abhishek Kumar, the son of a small shopkeeper.

"My father and mother gave me birth but Anand Sir has granted us another life," said Shivangi Gupta, daughter of a book seller in a small township of Rasoolpur in Kanpur, said.

For Alok Ranjan, the youngest of four sons of a private school teacher who manages to sustain family by giving tuitions, it is a joyous occasion. "I have never purchased a new book in my life. My joy knows no bounds now that I have cleared entrance to IIT."

'Super 30' is the brainchild of noted mathematician Anand Kumar who founded the institution in 2002 and provides free of cost coaching for IIT entrance examination to students belonging to economically weaker sections. The students are also provided with free food and accommodation.

"Due to lack of resources I could not go to Cambridge. I wish to see my reflection in all these students who hail from similar backgrounds," Kumar told PTI.

'Super 30' has attracted praise from world over and Tokyo University has announced to sponsor one of its students to study there. The institute was heaped with praises and lauded as the best in India by Rassad Hussain, the special envoy of US President Barack Obama who visited it in 2011. Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachhan had enacted the character of Anand Kumar in the film 'Arakshan'. 

11-yr-old genius makes it to Harvard University

Mexico City: Armed with an IQ comparable to that of Alberto Einstein, 11-year-old Luis Roberto Ramírez of Zamora, Mexico, is headed to Harvard University to study quantum physics and engineering, the Huffington Post reported.

“My dream is to start a company and sell my devices,” Ramírez was quoted as saying by Spain’s El Mundo.

The multitalented Ramírez also has an ease for languages. He taught himself English at age 5, and he’s since moved on to learning French and Chinese, according to Terra. “His learning level progresses in giant leaps,” his proud father Roberto Ramírez told Mexican newspaper Milenio.

“It’s incredible how he retains information and the way he expresses himself, not to mention the goals and the vision he has.”

However, a Harvard representative was quoted as saying by the Huff Post that no school records of the boy was found even though media claims that the boy is going to attend classes at Harvard.

'Nirbhaya' device to help people in distress

TIRUCHIRAPPALLI: Bhabha Atomic Research Centre at Mumbai has developed a personal distress signalling device 'Nirbhaya' that will send SOS messages to police besides near and dear ones during any emergency faced by its user.


The compact low cost tele-distress alarm device will be linked to a cell phone that would send SMSs to the police and the family in case of distress, "whatever be its nature... kidnap, attack, robbery or heart attack", according a release by the BARC.

The device, that is rugged and cannot be destroyed easily, has been named 'Nirbhaya' after the December 16 Delhi gangrape victim.

It can be easily carried around in a pocket or purse and requires a cell phone for its functionality, the release said.

During an emergency, the user has to press a single switch on the device and it will automatically send signal on bluetooth to multiple cell phones along with its GPS location.

The operating software of the device installed on the cell phone connected to it would send pre-formatted text messages to five pre-selected cell phone numbers, the release said.

Once the switch is on, it continues to send GPS location of the cell phone of the person in distress once every minute, and the phone transmits the messages as well as the location of the device repeatedly, the release said.

So, even if a kidnapper, for instance, manages to snatch the device, the last location of the victim would be known to police, it said.

The device has a rechargeable battery and comes handy when crimes against women are reported in big cities like Delhi, said a senior IPS officer here.

Drive to save rainwater

HAZARIBAG: Launching a campaign to preserve rainwater by taking up watershed projects, the chief executive officer of the Jharkhand State Watershed Mission, Ranchi B Nijalangappa, emphasized on constructing check dams.

The campaign was launched here for the farmers of Barhi, Chauparan and Padma under the Hazaribag west (forest) division where nine micro watershed projects will be taken. A sum of Rs 6.2 crore has been provided for the same. Each of these projects will have the capacity to irrigate about 500 to 600 acres of land during the year.

He advised the 40 villagers who were selected by the forest department to take up the watershed projects and utilize them effectively.

The watershed mission has taken up 117 watershed projects, of which 47 were given to the forest department.which will help villagers living in the forests. Besides the purpose for providing water to cattle and wild animals will also be benefited from these projects . He also informed that for saving the watersheds and getting regular source of water they will have to make sustained effort for next five years for which the mission and government will provide all help and financial assistance.

3-week-old baby's bleeding in brain stopped by using superglue

New York: Surgeons at the University of Kansas Hospital sealed a 3-week-old baby's life-threatening brain aneurysm with a dollop of superglue.

Ashlyn Julian was born on May 16. Her parents, Gina and Jared Julian, said she was a healthy newborn.

However, in a matter of days, Ashlyn went from being a quiet but tired baby to one who was screaming and vomiting.

Doctors discovered an aneurysm the size of an almond on little baby's brain.

Doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital discovered the she had an almond-sized aneurysm in the middle of her brain.

Surgeons used the smallest adult catheter they could find and a strand of microwire to put super glue on baby Ashlyn's aneurysm, the New York Daily News reported.

The unconventional method of using super glue to repair Ashlyn's aneurysm worked, and the 3-week-old is on the road to recovery.

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Gujarat government's School enrolment drive from Thursday

AHMEDABAD: Government of Gujarat is all set to organize Shala Praveshotsav campaign for the 11th consecutive year from 13th June. The programme will be held in rural areas during June 13 to 15 and in urban areas during June 20 to 22.


The chief minister, along with the cabinet ministers and senior government officials will join the programme in order to encourage children and parents and to create social awareness about the importance of education.

As per the state government's claim the school drop out rate between class 1 and 5 has decreased from 17.83% in 2003-04 to 2.04% in 2012-13, while decreasing from 33.73% to 7.08% between class 1 to 7.

The state government claim that it has built over 1, 04,000 classrooms and constructed over 71,000 sanitation blocks. The state has also recruited over 1, 33,000 vidhya sahayaks to ensure adequate number of teacher to each school. As a result, female literacy rate has seen a rise of 12.93%, increasing from 57.80% to 70.73% in last decade.

The state government also provides insurance assistance to the parents of the children studying in primary and secondary schools under Vidhya Deep scheme. The government pays 100% premium under the scheme.

New York man, 97, gets diploma eight decades late

Associated Press:

Watertown, New York: It took nearly eight decades, but

Frederick Gray is finally a high school graduate.

The Watertown Daily Times reports that the 97-year-old World War II veteran was presented on Monday with a diploma from Watertown High School during a ceremony at his northern New York home.

Gray was set to graduate in 1934 but dropped out a year early to get a job to help support his family during the Great Depression.

Gray worked in a factory before being drafted into the Army in 1942. He served in the 24th Infantry Division in the Pacific campaign, earning a Bronze Star.

He returned to his job and retired as head of the company's billing department.

Gray says he never expected to get a diploma and is "dumbfounded by the thoughtfulness."

Uttarakhand NGO gets French award for protection of human rights

Dehradun: An NGO in Uttarakhand has bagged a French award for its contribution to protection of human rights.

The

Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), a voluntary organisation based in Nainital, was honoured with 'Special Mention of the 2012 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic' in recognition of its work in the field of "defence of socio-economic rights and sustainable development" of people, the NGO officials said today.

The award comprising a medal and a diploma was presented to the CHEA Director by French Ambassador Franois Richier at a function in Delhi on June 6, they said.

CHEA was appreciated for its endeavours to strengthen community forestry institution (Van Panchayats) for women's empowerment and affirmation of economic and social rights of rural communities in the Indian Central Himalayan region, they said.

PTI

Mercedes may assemble A-Class in India

PTI

New Delhi: Mercedes-Benz India is considering local assembly of its luxury compact car A-Class, encouraged by over 400 bookings received within 10 days of the car's launch, .
   
When asked if the Mercedes plans to assemble the A-Class in India, Mercedes-Benz India managing director and chief executive officer Eberhard Kern said: "Currently, we are doubling our capacity at Chakan (Maharashtra). We will add more models to be assembled there for which we will decide early next year."

"We have received over 400 bookings in just ten days after launch. This is a historical high for us as never in the past we had any models receiving this kind of booking," Mr Kern told PTI.
   
Mercedes Benz India assembles the E, C, S and M Class models currently and will also start rolling out the GL Class from August this year at the Chakan plant. The facility has an annual capacity of 10,000 units, which will increase to 20,000 units next year.
   
The company had launched two variants of the A-Class compact car in India on May 30 at an introductory price of Rs. 21.93 lakh and Rs. 22.73 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).
   
Globally also the A-Class has received good response and has so far clocked 90,000 bookings within months of launch in September 2012.
   
Mr Kern said the waiting period for the model in India will be around three months and the company will continue to take bookings for the A-Class.
   
"For a booking made now in June, the delivery will be in September. We are in discussion with our headquarters to somehow meet the demand here in India," he said.
   
On the response to the A-Class, he said: "It is very much beyond our expectations. Somehow, the A-Class seems to be a choice of the new generation."
   
In order to strengthen its position in the market, Mr Kern said Mercedes will launch the new E-Class in India on June 25.
   
Merecedes has been focusing on its new generation cars (NGC), which comprises the A-Class, B-Class, CLA (sedan) and the GLA (compact SUV). It had launched the B-Class in India last year. The CLA and GLA are also expected to be hitting the Indian market in the near future.

Sex workers sign up for Ignou course

AHMEDABAD: Education is said to be the passport to a better future. That thought has probably encouraged 20 teenaged sex workers to sign up for Indira Gandhi National Open University's (Ignou) newly launched bachelor preparatory programme (BPP) for sex workers.

Sapna, 19, is one of them. "My brother is growing up and may soon resent my profession," she says. "When I got into sex work, I was desperate. But there is still a girl in me who wants to study." Sapna dropped out of school three years ago after her father died. Her younger brother and illiterate mother were in no position to put food on the table. When a neighbourhood brothel offered to sign her up for Rs 1,000 a day, she could not refuse.

After three years of sex work, Sapna has now rediscovered her desire to study. Nineteen other girls like her from Ahmedabad and Wadia village have also signed up for the course in the last two days. Ahmedabad is only the second city after Kolkata to have the Ignou initiative.

There are an estimated 30,000 sex workers in Gujarat and 4,000-odd in Ahmedabad. Director of Ignou's regional centre in Ahmedabad, S K Ghosh says, "The number of sex workers signing up for the course is expected to increase manifold as we are holding meetings with voluntary agencies working with them." Initially, Ignou is offering BPP and a diploma in food and nutrition to the sex workers, and has waived fees for them.

"Our inspiration for this initiative came from our successful experience in state prisons where 10,000 inmates completed or are undergoing courses, ranging from BPP to post-graduate courses and diplomas," Ghosh adds. In a first, Ignou has prepared the course material in Gujarati for BPP and some diploma courses to increase its reach.

Researcher Bhumi Dave, who has studied the state's sex workers, says most of them have basic education. "Some 52% have secondary and higher secondary education. A degree can provide them better alternatives and self belief," she says.
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A six-lakh flat developed by IIT Madras

Chennai:Imagine a 500-square foot flat that costs about six lakhs.  

The cheap and eco-friendly house has been designed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras which hopes it has delivered a model for housing projects that can be used by the government for the poor.  

"We hope it will be a game changer in addressing the housing shortage," said Devdas Menon, a professor at IIT. The university has offered to train builders in copying its model.  

The house has been set up for display on campus.  Instead of bricks, the flat is made of gypsum reinforced with glass fibre.  The housing technology costs just Rs. 1250 per square foot. Ceilings, floor and staircase made using this don't require plastering. 

The big advantage of the technology, its developers say, is the time it saves. A 500 square foot flat with two bedrooms, a hall and a kitchen can be assembled in just a month.

Professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director of IIT Madras, say houses built using this technology are also earthquake resistant. "We have not compromised on anything. These structures are as sturdy and long lasting as any building built today. The designs have been approved," he said.

Professor Menon adds that the fact that Gypsum is an industrial waste material that is easily available is a big advantage.  "The fertiliser industry waste itself is around 40 million tonnes, building up annually and there are many other sources of gypsum. I think for a long time we can sustain with this kind of construction. We are already talking to potential private sector builders. What we need is large number of plants all over the country and trained workers to correctly build it and we hope to provide that support. We hope this would be game changer addressing the tremendous housing shortage". 

The technology can be used for buildings up to ten floors. Presently, a plant at Cochin manufactures the pre-fabricated structures. 

IIT Madras spent 10 years researching and finessing Australian technology on which its house is founded.