Orissa Information Technology Society (OITS) conducted a quiz test at senior (MCA, BE, B.Sc.(Eng) and B.Sc.(hons)) and junior (upto class XII) levels with separate questions, on 7th September, 2003. We contacted Berhampur, Puri, Sambalpur/Burla, Rourkela, Sarang, Cuttack, Raygada, Balasore, Damanjodi, Paradeep, Angul and Bhubaneswar. About 1200 students registered for the same, and around one thousand students appeared. Organisationally, the contest was modelled the same way as last year. This year there was a very positive response from Rourkela, Sambalpur/Burla, Raygada and Balasore and some other places as additional venues. But the response from Bhubaneswar decreased as many students had examinations. Professor Sudarshan Padhy, Coordinator, IT Olympiad mainly organised this activity, with able assistance from many people as announced as well as many others, including M.Tech. (Comp Sc) students, who were not eligible to contest, and young faculty members, came forward to help. The results at senior and junior levels are as below.

1. Puspita Ray, IMCA 9th Semester (Utkal Un)

2. Parthasarathi Dash, Un. College of Eng, BE (cs) 7th Semester (burla)

3. Geeta Mohanty, MCA 2nd Semester (KIIT, bbs)

4. Srinivas Sahoo, IMCA 9th Semester (Utkal Un)

5. Pritimukta Sarangi, BE 4th Semester, (CET, bbs)

6. Rajiv Goenka, MCA 4th Semester, (SSIT, bbs)

6. Priyati Ranee, MCA 5th Semeser, (Berhampur Un)

6. Sairam Behera, Btech, 5th Semester, (NIT, rkl)

7. Sujata Shatpathy, MCA 5th Semester, (GM coll. sbp)

8. Ambar Kumar Patro, BE 6th Semester, (NIST, Berhampur)

Special Prize B.Sc.(hons,cs): Partha Bisoi, +3 B.Sc., (BJB coll, bbs)

2. Siladitya Mohapatra: Class X, St. Paul school, rkl

3. Amulya Ratna Dash: Class X, Blessed sacrament high school, puri

4. Anurag Patnaik: Class XII, Ispat EM school, rkl

4. Sriraj Banerjee: Class XI, Ispat EM school, rkl

5. Ankit Dash: Class XI, DAV Public school, pokharipur

5. Smruti Ranjan Sahoo: Class X, St. Paul school, rkl

5. Pravanjan Das: Class X, De Paul school, berhampur

6. Aswini agarwal: Class XII, DAV Public school, Kalinga area,MCL

6. Sailesh Parmar: Class X, St. Paul school, rkl

7. Sobhan Jachuk: DAV Public school, CDA, ctk

8. Rupali Rituparna Ray, +2 First yr sc, SCS coll., puri

The IT olympiad prize distribution function was held on 18th January, 2004 at 2.30 pm. The Chief Guest was Bikramjit Maitra, Head, Infosys Centre at Bhubaneswar, and the guest of honour was Gautam Parija, administrative head, Infosys Centre, Bhubaneswar. Arun Samantaray, Administrator, Utkal University, presided over the function. All the prize winners, along with their teachers were specially invited. Also, the parents of the prize winners at junior level were separetely invited. There were altogether about 70 to 80 participants.

The president of oits, S P Misra, welcomed the participants. Next Sudarshan Padhy, Coordinator, IT olympiad program, spoke about the conduct of the olympiad examination, and referred to the fact that on this occasion there were about nineteen centres in which the students appeared, spread all over Orissa.

Prizes were distributed by the Chief Guest, Bikramjit Maitra. In the senior category, the first, second and third rank examinees were given cash prizes of Rs.3,000/-, Rs.2,000/- and Rs.1,000/- respectively, and consolation prizes of Rs.500/- each for the remaining eight examinees above, along with certificates. In the junior category, also the first, second and third rank examinees were given cash prizes of Rs.3,000/-, Rs.2,000/- and Rs.1,000/- respectively, and consolation prizes of Rs.500/- each for the remaining nine examinees, along with certificates. Most of the prize winners took these prizes, and for those who were absent, the amounts along with the certificates were sent by courier.

The Chief Guest addressed the gathering emphasizing the relevance of IT in all phases of our Society. He also emphasized that Infosys has always wanted to increase the number of selected candidates from Orissa, if they satisfy minimal norms needed for it. He mentioned that parallel to Olympiad tests, the selection process in Infosys takes into account not only the background knowledge of the candidates, but also their ability to think and adapt themselves to learn new techniques in computer science, since it needs continuous upgrading of ones capabilities. Gautam Parija also emphasized that for selection in Infosys the ability of candidates as such shall always be as important as the knowledge they have already acquired.

Arun K Samantarai, Administrator, Utkal University also focussed on the role of IT in Society. He particularly emphasized the need for closer collaboration with industry to make such programs a success. While all lauded this activity of oits, Sri Samantarai emphasized that assistance could be sought from Industry for such programs. The experts from Infosys readily agreed to the same keeping in mind the constraints they have.

S P Misra emphasized on two aspects for an extension of the Olympiad activity. (i) He mentioned that there is an attempt to coordinate this activity with a similar activity at all India level, so that a limited number of the students here could be selected to attend the training program at national level, and then if they do very well, get selected for international competetion. (ii) He also mentioned that from next year it is planned to have a short training program of the best students to enable them to face stiffer competetion. In particular Infosys assured that this can be done at their level if we plan out a program which will not affect the usual routine work of Infosys.

There was then a tea break, after which like last year an interactive session was conducted in the presence of Bikramjit Maitra and Gautam Parija. Here students asked many questions, which were mainly answered by the visitors, along with open house discussions participated by many experts and students. The point regarding further training of the prize winners was further emphasized regarding which assurance was given by Maitra. Another thing that emerged was that some computers - about forty or fifty - could be donated by Infosys for use in some schools, for which appropriate modalities could be worked out.

oits president S P Misra mentioned that any of the students who wish to keep in touch with oits could visit the website www.oits.org, or mail to him (spmisra1@sancharnet.in) so that arrangements can be made to keep them informed.

The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by Ajit Nayak, treasurer, oits as the secretary was absent.

Postscript: Please note that Sm Bagdebi Panda (Rs.2500/-) and A Agarwal (Rs.500/-) have not (till 31st March 2004) encashed their cheques dated 18.1.2004 and dated 24.1.2004 respectively. If they have any difficulty they may contact Ajit Nayak, treasurer, residence tel no 674-2351203 or my mobile no 9437000810.

(S.P Misra)

Address:

S P Misra, President, Orissa Information Technology Society,

House no. 147, Kanan Vihar HIG Colony, Bhubaneswar 751031, India.

Tel: 91-674-2740810, mobile: 9437000810

email: spmisra1@sancharnet.in; spmisra@iopb.res.in; spmisra1@yahoo.com