Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA), formerly Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University (SOA University) is a private deemed university located at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. The university is composed of nine degree-granting schools and colleges and has a student body of around 15,000. Many of SOA's programs are nationally accredited, including engineering, medicine, pharmacy, business, nursing, biotechnology, science, humanities, environment, nano technology, materials science, agriculture and law.
History
It was founded as Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER) in 1996 at Bhubaneswar and it received AICTE approval for B.Tech. Since its inception it was affiliated to Utkal University. Subsequently, it was affiliated to Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) between 2002 and 2007.
Recognizing its contribution to technical and professional education the University Grants Commission (UGC), in 2007, declared Siksha 'O' Anusandhan as a Deemed to be University 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 University are spread over campuses in the city of Bhubaneswar.
SOA has been granted Category-I Graded Autonomy Status by University Grants Commission in 2022.
Academics
Siksha 'O' Anusandhan has ten degree-granting schools and institutes 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; and doctoral degrees in the above areas.
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 being conducted for undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered through its constituent institutes/schools.
The university grants scholarships to meritorious and needy students.
Rankings
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked Siksha 'O' Anusandhan 30th overall in India, 16th among universities and 18th in the medical ranking in 2022.
Science and research
Research at Siksha 'O' Anusandhan is headed by a dean with the other faculty members. Currently more than 1000 research scholars are pursuing their Ph.D.s and 599 of them have been awarded doctorates. Currently, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan has sixteen research centres for basic and fundamental research.
Constituent Units
Institute of Agricultural Sciences (IAS) Institute of Business and Computer Studies (IBCS) Institute of Dental Sciences (IDS) Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital (IMS & SUM Hospital) 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. Initially it was affiliated to Utkal University and from 2002 to 2007, it was affiliated to Biju Patnaik University of Technology. Since 2007, it is a constituent institute of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan.
ITER includes the following departments: Primary Departments Civil Engineering Computer Science and Engineering Computer Science and Information Technology Electrical Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Electronics and Communication Engineering Mechanical Engineering Computer Applications Supporting Departments Chemistry Data Science Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Cyber Security Internet of Things Mathematics Physics Humanities and Social Sciences
Campus and facilities
The university is on friendly campuses of in the temple city of Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Hostels
The university provides hostel accommodation facilities for boys and girls. SOA has 17 girls hostels and 22 boys hostels to accommodate 5000 girls and 7100 boys. All the hostels have round the clock Wi-Fi connectivity and medical facilities.
The university provides transportation facilities for the day scholars that covers almost all of Bhubaneswar.