Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Motto Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara (Speak the Truth; Act Righteously)
Type Deemed University
Established 1981
Chancellor Sathya Sai Baba
Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.B.R. Varma
Director Prof. S Siva Sankara Sai
Location Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India
14°09′43″N 77°48′46″E / 14.1619°N 77.8128°E / 14.1619; 77.8128Coordinates: 14°09′43″N 77°48′46″E / 14.1619°N 77.8128°E / 14.1619; 77.8128
Campus Prashanthi Nilayam, Anantapur, Brindavan, Muddenahalli India
Website sssihl.edu.in

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (also called Sri Sathya Sai University (Deemed to be University)) is an institute of higher education located in Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was founded by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 31 October 1981[1][2] 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.[3] The Institute was inaugurated on November 22, 1981 by Justice YV Chandrachud, Chief Justice of India. Air Marshall OP Mehra, Governor of Maharashtra was the Guest of Honour[4]. 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.[5]

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).[6][7] 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.[8] This means that SSSIHL continues to be in the top bracket of Indian universities.[9]

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[10] and the former Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh.[11]

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.[2] 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).[12]

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).[13]

Prasanthi Nilayam Campus

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[14]
  • 26 August 2006 - Inauguration of Multimedia Learning Center and Humanities Building
  • 2 February 2007 - Institute name changed to Sri Sathya Sai University[15]
  • 14 February 2009 - Foundation ceremony of Muddenahalli Campus[16]
  • 1 June 2012 - Classes commence at the fourth campus of SSSIHL at Muddenahalli
  • 17 February 2014 -Bhumi puja for Sri Satya Sai Institute for Advanced Studies was conducted in Puttaparthi.

Features

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.[18]
  • Merit-based selection through a testing and interviewing procedure.[18]
  • A favourable teacher-pupil ratio.[17]
  • Residential character with students and faculty staying on the campuses.[18]
  • 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.[18]
  • Maximum number of working days, fuller use of national holidays and important festivals for education and extension work.[18]

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.[19] 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, BCA, and BA), masters (MSc, MA, MBA, MPhil, MCA and MTech), and PhD degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biosciences, Computer Sciences, Optics, Economics, Commerce, etc.[20]

Institute's 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.[21]

Collaborative Research

The University has also been undertaking advanced research in association with organisations such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Department of Biotechnology (Bioinformatics), Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Honeywell, Hewlett Packard Labs and many others. [22]

College Life

Morning Assembly

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. On Thursdays, a speaker talks about 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.

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.[23]

Sri Sathya Sai International Centre for Sports

A state of the art Olympic-standard multi-discipline indoor stadium was inaugurated on 22 November 2006, by the President of India, Honourable Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam. With facilities for Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Squash, Table-tennis, Badminton, Gymnastics and Yoga/Aerobics, this stadium - measuring 100 metres by 60 metres on a 4.8 acre site, is amongst the largest open-frame space domes in the country. It has a spectator capacity of 4,000.

Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium

A multi-purpose outdoor stadium, the Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium was constructed for the purpose of conducting the Annual Sports and Cultural meet of all Sri Sathya Sai Educational institutions (an annual event on 11 January). The stadium overlooks an array of imposing structures and statues symbolizing different religious faiths. On occasions, the stadium hosts International sports events. It boasts a viewers gallery that can accommodate over 25,000 people.

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.[24]

Hostel Life

Hostel stay is compulsory for all students. Hostel life revolves around "three Ds" — Discipline, Duty and Devotion.[25] The hostel life starts with morning prayers at 5am followed by jogging, games and exercise.

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. 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.[26]

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 10,000 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.[27] The alumni refer to themselves as Sai Students and have an alumni website.[28]

Rankings

University and College rankings
General – India
NIRF (Overall) (2018)[29] 101–150
NIRF (Universities) (2018)[30] 92

The university was ranked 92 among universities in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2018[30] and in the 101–150 band overall.[29]

References

  1. ↑ and is declared as a Deemed to be University, under Sec. 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956 in 10 November 1981.
  2. 1 2 http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/deemed%20universities/srisathyasai.html
  3. ↑ "SSSIHL - About SSSIHL - Key University Officers - Chancellor".
  4. ↑ https://sathyasaiwithstudents.blogspot.com/2017/11/sri-sathya-sai-message-on-inauguration.html
  5. ↑ "SSSIHL - About SSSIHL - History & Timeline".
  6. ↑ "City colleges cheer NAAC rating", The Hindu, June 8, 2006.
  7. ↑ 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 .
  8. ↑ "SSSIHL - Accreditation".
  9. ↑ "Top Universities in India 2013". 26 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publication Trust".
  11. ↑ "Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publication Trust".
  12. ↑ http://naacindia.org/Reports/SRI%20SATHYA%20SAI.doc.
  13. ↑ "SSSIHL - About SSSIHL - Overview".
  14. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  15. ↑ "Sri Sathya Sai University".
  16. ↑ http://www.ssso.net/Muddenahalli/muddenahalli.htm
  17. 1 2 3 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  19. ↑ "SSSIHL - Admissions".
  20. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/Academics.aspx
  21. ↑ http://sssihl.edu.in/sssuniversity/Research.aspx
  22. ↑ https://www.saipublications.com/b011_Sai_integral_education.html
  23. ↑ "SSSIHL - Integral Education - Overview of Sports & Cultural Activities".
  24. ↑ "SSSIHL - Integral Education - Annual Sports & Cultural Meet".
  25. ↑ "Sri Sathya Sai University".
  26. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 August 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  27. ↑ "SSSIHL - Alumni - Overview".
  28. ↑ "SSSIHL - Alumni - Alumni Impact Survey - Alumni Portals".
  29. 1 2 "National Institutional Ranking Framework 2018 (Overall)". National Institutional Ranking Framework. Ministry of Human Resource Development. 2018.
  30. 1 2 "National Institutional Ranking Framework 2018 (Universities)". National Institutional Ranking Framework. Ministry of Human Resource Development. 2018.
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