Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA), formerly Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University (SOA University) is a privatedeemed university in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.[2] Many of the programs are nationally accredited, such as engineering, medicine, pharmacy, business, nursing, biotechnology, science, humanities, environment, nano technology, materials science, agriculture and law.
Recognizing its contribution to technical and professional education, the University Grants Commission (UGC) declared Siksha 'O' Anusandhan as a Deemed to be University in 2007 by the U/S 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. In 2007, the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), Bhubaneswar became a constituent institute of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University. Institutes, schools, and departments of SOA are spread over 450 acres (1.8 km2) of campuses in the city of Bhubaneswar.[3][4]
SOA was granted Category-I Graded Autonomy Status by the University Grants Commission in 2022.[5]
Academics
Siksha 'O' Anusandhan has nine degree-granting schools and institutes[6] that offer undergraduate programs in engineering, medicine, pharmacy, business, nursing, biotechnology, agriculture and law; graduate programs in engineering, medicine, pharmacy, business, nursing, biotechnology, science, humanities, environment, nano technology, materials science, agriculture and law;[7] and doctoral degrees in the above areas.[8]
Admissions
Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Admission Test (SAAT), a national level entrance test, is conducted by the university every year to select bright students. The test is conducted for undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered through its constituent institutes and schools.[9]
The university grants scholarships to meritorious and disadvantaged students.
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked Siksha 'O' Anusandhan 24th overall in India, 14th among universities, 26th in the engineering, 62nd in the management, 21st in the medical ranking, 50th in the Research, 9th in Dental and 9th in the Law in 2024.[21]
Science and research
Research at Siksha 'O' Anusandhan is headed by a dean. As of 2023, more than 1000 research scholars were pursuing Ph.D.s and 599 had been awarded doctorates. Siksha 'O' Anusandhan has sixteen research centres for basic and fundamental research.[22][23]
Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER)
Institute of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (IVS & AH)
School of Hotel Management (SHM)
SOA National Institute of Law (SNIL)
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPS)
SUM Nursing Colleges (SNC)
Institute of Technical Education and Research
The Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER) is the Faculty of Engineering and Technology of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan. It was established in 1996.[24] Initially it was affiliated to Utkal University[citation needed] and from 2002 to 2007, it was affiliated to Biju Patnaik University of Technology.[25] Since 2007, it is a constituent institute of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan.[citation needed]
The university provides hostel accommodation facilities for boys and girls. SOA has 17 girls hostels and 22 boys hostels to accommodate 5,000 girls and 7,100 boys. The hostels have Wi-Fi and medical facilities.
The university provides transportation facilities that cover almost all of Bhubaneswar.[26]
Central Library
The central library of the university provides international journals, books and dissertations in all branches of Engineering, Sciences, Medical Sciences, Dental Science, Nursing, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Humanities, Business Management, and Law.[citation needed]
The libraries participate in resource sharing networks and consortia such as UGC-INFLIBNET and MHRD-INDEST.[27]
SOA-CII
The Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Centre for Innovation and Incubation (SOA-CII) is a non-profit startup incubator funded, mentored and nurtured by SOA. It operates as a scaled incubator program that nurtures and accelerates startups in their conceptual and development stages. The virtual incubatees can work from any corner of the country.[28]