Sri Sathya Sai University

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Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
University Sathya Sai Puttaparthi.jpg
Motto Sathyam Vada, Dharmam Chara (Always Speak the Truth, Always Engage in Righteous Action)
Type Open admissions
Established 1981
Chancellor Manepalli Narayana Rao Venkatachaliah
Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.B.R. Varma
Director Prof. Radhakrishnan Nair
Location
Anantapur District
,
Andhra Pradesh
,
India

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Campus Prashanthi Nilayam, Anantapur, Brindavan, Muddenahalli India
Website www.sssihl.edu.in

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Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (also called Sri Sathya Sai University (Deemed to be University)) is an Indian university founded by Sri Sathya Sai Baba, under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act of 1956.[1] Sathya Sai Baba is the founding chancellor of the institute, while the current chancellor is M.N. Venkatachaliah who was a former Chief Justice of India.[2] There are four campuses of the university, three for men at Prashanthi Nilayam in Puttaparthi; Whitefield near Bangalore; and Muddenahalli, Karnataka and one for women at Anantapur.[3]

The university is based on the gurukula system of ancient India wherein education is provided free from kindergarten to postgraduation. All students, from first grade to postgraduate studies, stay in the hostel. The Sri Sathya Sai University in Prashanthi Nilayam was the only college in India in the past to have received an "A++" rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission).[4][5] In January 2011, The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) granted Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed to be University) re-accreditation with ‘A’ Grade and a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.625 (on a scale of 4.00) as per the new accreditation procedure.[6] This means that SSSIHL continues to be in the top bracket of Indian universities.[7]

The annual convocation takes place on November 22 of every year. It has been attended by eminent dignitaries such as the former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam[8] and the former Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh.[9]


History

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning was founded on November 22, 1981 by Sri Sathya Sai Baba. An autonomous body, it has been recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and the University Grants Commission (UGC), as a Deemed University, see notification no. F9-11/81-U.3 dt.10.11.1981.[1] The institute has been admitted as a regular member of the Association of Indian Universities (letter no. Meet/Reg.Memb/86/97596 dt.20.4.1986).[10]

The institute has grown out of the colleges founded by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh), Whitefield (Karnataka), Muddenahalli (Karnataka) and Prashanthi Nilayam (Andhra Pradesh).[11]

File:Sathya Sai Baba College 3.jpg
Sathya Sai Baba College

Timeline

  • 22 July 1968 - Inauguration of Anantapur Campus
  • 9 June 1969 - Inauguration of Sri Sathya Sai Arts and Science College for men at Brindavan
  • 28 November 1978 - Sathya Sai Baba laid the foundation-stone of the College of Arts, Science and Commerce at Prasanthi Nilayam
  • 22 November 1981 - Inauguration of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning as Deemed University
  • 20 November 2000 - Inauguration of Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music[12]
  • 26 August 2006 - Inauguration of Multimedia Learning Center and Humanities Building
  • 2 February 2007 - Institute name changed to Sri Sathya Sai University[13]
  • 14 February 2009 - Foundation ceremony of MuddenahalliCampus[14]
  • 1 June 2012 - Classes commence at the fourth campus of SSSIHL at Muddenahalli

Mission

File:Planetarium Puttaparthi.jpg
Planetarium

All aspects of the university seek to reflect the ideals of Sathya (truth), Dharma (righteousness/right conduct), Shanthi (peace), Prema (love) and Ahimsa (non-violence).[15]

Sathya Sai Baba (the university's founder) stated in an address to the university's students:

"This college has not been established just to prepare you for earning degrees.

The main purpose is to help you to cultivate self-knowledge and self confidence, so that each one of you can learn self-sacrifice and earn self-realisation ... through the valuable lessons of detachment, loving service, fraternity, humility, sincerity, fortitude and fearlessness.

Our hope is that by your lives, you will be shining examples of spiritual awareness and its beneficial consequences to the individual and society."[16]

Features

File:Sathya Sai Music College.jpg
Sathya Sai Music College

Institute features include:

  • Free education: The institute does not charge any type of fees — for tuition, laboratory, library, examinations and the like.[17]
  • An open admission policy enabling students from all over the country to seek admission to courses, irrespective of income, class, creed, religion or region.[15]
  • Merit-based selection through a testing and interviewing procedure.[15]
  • A favourable teacher-pupil ratio.[17]
  • Residential character with students and faculty staying on the campuses.[15]
  • Development of scientific research at the doctoral level; introduction of education technology through the installation of a theatre in rural surroundings.[17]
  • Blending of value-based education with secular education.
  • Integrated courses of five years duration to promote talent.[15]
  • Maximum number of working days, fuller use of national holidays and important festivals for education and extension work.[15]

Departments

The link provides an overview of each department, its teaching staff, facilities, research focus and news and events. Links to departments.

Admissions

Admission to the institute is primarily based on a written examination which invites only shortlisted candidates based on their academic record and eligibility. Candidates selected in the written examination are then invited for a personal interview. Qualifying both the written examination and personal interview ascertains provisional admission to the institute.[18] Admission to the MBA and the MTech CS program have an additional requirement of a group discussion and programming skills, respectively.

Academics and scientific research

The institute follows a 10.0 point grade point average system to evaluate the students. The students have internal evaluations (CIE). The university offers bachelors (BSc (Honors), BCom, and BA), masters (MSc, MA, MBA, MPhil and MTech), and PhD degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Biosciences, Computer Sciences, Optics, Economics, Commerce, etc.

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning research work has been published in reputed high-impact factor journals including Nano Letters, Chemical Communications, the Journal of Materials Chemistry C, Applied Physics Letters, Langmuir, Journal of American Chemical Society, Optics Express, Optics Letters, etc.

SSSIHL conducts research in the areas of nanoscience and non-linear optics.[19]

Sports and cultural activities

Students participate in sports and cultural activities. Examples of these include:

  • Music, dance, drama, quiz, panel discussion and elocution
  • Competitions in Veda chanting, stotra recitations and teachings of the Bhagavad Gita
  • Painting, sketching/drawing, card-making, bookmark-making, preparation of useful articles out of waste
  • Musicians are given opportunities to sing devotional songs
  • During dramas and their preparation students are involved in music, sets, lighting, costumes, makeup, etc.[20]

The sports and cultural activities at the university culminate at the Annual Sports and Cultural Meet, held on the 11 January every year, marked by a display of cultural and athletic items. These include national and international sports items like equestrian events, two- and four-wheeler stunts, para sailing and gliding, bungee jumping, carabining, martial arts, lion and dragon dances, Eastern and Western dances, musical medleys, gymnastics, and human formations.

Students of all the four campuses of the university get a chance to present their talents and skills.[21]

Yoga classes

The university provides lessons in the philosophy of yogasanas and physical fitness exercises.

Self-reliance

Self-reliance in the hostel includes catering of food in the dining hall, gardening, organizing health care in the dispensary, guest reception, maintenance of library and reading room.

Weekly activities relating to self-reliance and co-curricular programmes are undertaken on campus. Activities include:

  • Maintenance of Hill View Stadium, lawns, quadrangle, gardens, auditorium, prayer hall (foyer), plants and fences
  • Electric installation and plumbing
  • Development of horticulture around library building
  • Organization of dramatics
  • Photography, painting, video films and slides

Social service weeks

During social service weeks, students repair roads and buildings, clean and whitewash, organize medical camps, and plant trees.

The students participate on special occasions and serve the poor by distributing clothes and food to them; maintenance of general traffic, orderly movement of crowds, catering, seating, etc. are the other activities which are assigned on such occasions.

Morning assembly address

Students address the morning assembly sessions for about 15 minutes on themes relating to unity of faiths, great leaders of the world, eminent scientists, sages, saints patriots, thinkers, philosophers and their own experiences in the university.

Thursday assemblies

On Thursdays, a speaker talks on his experiences. They include scholars from educational institutions, educationists, judges, engineers, doctors, business managers, administrators, diplomats, scientists, and social workers from within India and all over the world.

Students are continuously assessed on these items. The Final Grade statement of the student takes into account the grades awarded under the category of Integral Items, along with Academic Items.[22]

Hostel life

Hostel stay is compulsory for all students. Hostel life revolves around "three Ds" — Discipline, Duty and Devotion.[23] The hostel life starts with morning prayers at 5am followed by jogging, games and exercise.

File:Sathya Sai Baba College Hostel.jpg
Sathya Sai Baba Boys Hostel

Alumni

Sri Sathya Sai Alumni is an alumni organization that links with the institutions set up by Bhagawan Baba. The alumni contribute through Sathya Sai Organizations. They participate in the activities in the field of education, medicine, village upliftment (Grama Seva) and other areas. More than 10000 alumni graduated from the portals of the colleges since the inception of the Sri Sathya Sai College for Women in 1968 and the Sri Sathya Sai College for Men at Brindavan in 1971 and the formation of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in 1981.[24] The alumni refer to themselves as Sai Students and have an alumni website.[25]

Noteworthy conferences held

Ethics and the World of Finance: A unique and unparalleled conference held in the history of the academic world of recent times at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning on August 28 and 29, 2010 with the divine blessings of the chancellor, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the guidance of then vice chancellor, Professor Vishwanath Pandit. The conference brought together topmost banking and financial professionals, renowned academics in the field of banking, finance and economics, and the topmost regulators in the field. Some of the eminent personalities part of the conference were Dr. Duvvuri Subbarao (had given the key note address for the conference), Dr. Y. Venugopal Reddy, Internationally Renowned Economist and Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India; Mr. Sethuraman V. Giri, Former Central Vigilance Commissioner, Government of India, Mr. K.V. Kamath, Chairman, ICICI Bank Ltd., Mr. Uday Kotak, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank. For a detailed list of participants who were part of the conference click here. Later the conference proceedings was brought into a book form by the Institute, which is available in this link. To have a look at the conference proceedings [2].

In December 20-22, 2014, the institute organised the International Conference on Frontiers in Nano Science, Technology and Applications Finsta 2014.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/deemed%20universities/srisathyasai.html
  2. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/AboutSSSIHL/KeyUniversityOfficers/Chancellor.aspx
  3. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/AboutSSSIHL/HistoryTimeline.aspx
  4. ↑ "City colleges cheer NAAC rating", The Hindu, June 8, 2006.
  5. ↑ DOC file: Draft Report of the Peer Team on Institutional Accreditation of Sri Sathya Sai University (Deemed University) Vidyagiri, Prashanthi Nilayam – 515 134 (A.P) Visit dates: December 2–4, 2002 .
  6. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/Accreditation.aspx
  7. ↑ http://www.university.careers360.com/node/14914
  8. ↑ http://sssbpt.org/Pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/25convo_report.html
  9. ↑ http://www.sssbpt.org/pages/Prasanthi_Nilayam/convocation2010.html
  10. ↑ http://naacindia.org/Reports/SRI%20SATHYA%20SAI.doc.
  11. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/AboutSSSIHL/Overview.aspx
  12. ↑ http://www.sssu.edu.in/History.htm
  13. ↑ http://www.highereducationinindia.com/universities/sri-sathya-sai-university.php
  14. ↑ http://www.ssso.net/Muddenahalli/muddenahalli.htm
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 http://www.sssu.edu.in/pdf/Handbook2008.pdf
  16. ↑ http://www.sssu.edu.in/Home.htm
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 http://www.sssu.edu.in/Features.htm
  18. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/Admissions.aspx
  19. ↑ http://www.finstaa.org/committee.php
  20. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/IntegralEducation/Overview.aspx
  21. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/IntegralEducation/AnnualSportsCulturalMeet.aspx
  22. ↑ [1]
  23. ↑ http://www.educations.com/Sri_Sathya_Sai_University__b9564.html
  24. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/Alumni/Overview.aspx
  25. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/Alumni/AlumniPortals.aspx

External links

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