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THE HARCOURT BUTLER TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE D. R. DHINGRA Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Nawabganj, Kanpur, India
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SCIENTIFIC and technological research has
been utilized to the advantage of industry principally in the Western countries. Indust,rial development in India is a t a very low level, mainly because science is studied in the university laboratories only and very little attempt has been made to bridge the gulf between science and industry. This has necessit,ated the establishment of a large number of technical and research inst,it,utesand the development. of the older institutes along modern lines.
fication was lowered to the ISc. and training was given for three years. However, the disadvantage of this was soon realized, and in 1932, on the recommendation of the enquiry committee appointed by the Government, the minimum qualification for admission was again raised to the B.Sc., but the period for acquiring the diploma of A.H.R.T.I. (Associate of the Institute) was reduced to two years. Another two-year research course was also started, to follow the Associate diploma and to lead to the Fellowship (F.H.B.T.I.). In 1933 the Leather Section was abolished, but short-term HISTORY courses in the Sugar and Oil Sections were started for The need for such institut,ions in this countv was the benefit of those not intending to cover the whole recognized as early as 1907, when the Industrial Con- two-year course. In 1936 the Sugar Section was taken ference recommended to t,he Government of the United over by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research Provinces the establishment of a technological institute. and made into a full-fledged Institute itself. Recently research chemists for vegetable fibers, This recommendation, though accepted by the Provincial Government as well as by the then Secretary of essential oils, and plastics have been appointed to the State for India, could not be carried out, for various General Research Section. The Government of India reasons, until 1920, when under the able guidance of has also decided to award techniral scholarships to the Dr. E. R. Watson a research institute was established Institute for further training in India. The U. P. at Kanpur. In 1921, on the recommendation of the Scientific and Research Committee has awarded 11 Indian Industrial (Holland) Commission, the training scholarships for industrial research work. The Inof students was started a t the Inst,itute, which then stitute also makes several scholarships and fellowships , assumed the name of Harcourt Butler Technological available to its own students. Institute, after the Governor of the United Provinces. In the beeinnine a three-vear Post Graduate Didoma ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS Course wasstart& in twdsections: (1) Chemical ReThe Institute is run by the Department of Insearch, and (2) Oil Chemistry and Technology. The dustries of the Government of the United Provinces. first-year course was common t,o both the sections The Provincial Government administers the Institute while the second and third years were devoted t,o through the Director of Cottage Industries, U. P., on specialization in individual subjects. In 1922-23 a the recommendations of an Advisory Committee, repsection of Leather Chemistry and Technology was resenting various Governmental departments, inadded. In 1926 another sect,ion of Sugar Technology dustries, etc. The activities of the Institute are broadly outlined was added on the recommendation of the Economic Committee of 1923. In 1929 the admission quali- as f0110\~~s:
The Harc0v.t Butler Technological 1nrtitute. Kanpur. India
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
444 1. Training of students for the diplomas of A.H.R.T.I. and F. H.B.T.I. and short-term courses. 2. Investigation of raw materials for industries. 3. Standardization of raw materials, processes, and finished prducts. 4. Exploration of the practical application of the new results of research with a view to their use in industry. 5. Testing of industrial and excise samples of commercial importance. 6. Technical advise to various indust~.iesin the Ptovince. 7. Publieation oi technical bulletins and acientific research papers.
COURSES OF STUDY #
Associateship Diploma Course (A.H.B. T.I.). The course is of two years' duration and the minimum admission qualification is a B.Sc. degree. This diploma has been recognized by the Government a s equivalent to an M.Sc. for recruitment by Provincial and Federal Public Service Commissions. In the General Research Section the first-year students are trained in applied biological and physical chemistry, chemical engineering, and applied practical work. They are promoted to the second year on the basis of a written examination. During the second vear thev carrv on research work on vroblems of in&trial chemistry and a t the end they are awarded the diploma of Associateship in Chemical Technology on the result of a thesis. In the Oil Section the course covers a number of subjects, ,such as oil milling; refining and hydrogenation of oils; soap; paints and varnishes; applied biological and physical chemistry; mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering, including machine drawing; examination and analysis of raw materials and finished products; etc. The Associateship Diploma in Oil Chemist,ry and Technology is awarded on the results of a \&ten examination.
Fellowship Diploma Course (F.H.B.T.I.). This is open to A.H.B.T.I. students only. The students in t,he General Research Section carry out higher research work in chemistry on prohlcms of industrial importance, while in the Oil Section they do higher research work on problems connectcd with oil and allied industries. At the end of two years the diploma of Fellowship is awarded on the result of a thesis. Short Courses. Therc are three short courses of six t o eight months each in the Oil Section. They are Oil Milling, Soap Manufacture, and Paints and Varnishes. There is also a short-term course in Essent,ial Oils and Synthetic Aromatics of six to eight months duration in the General Research Section. Recently the Department has rerommended to the Government the addition of two more short-term courses in the latter Section: (1) Industrial Analysis and Test,ing, and (2) Pre~arationof Industrial Products.
A Laboretory in the General Research Section
Thcse courses arc 111rtlic l~encfitof those ~ ~ rlu h not o ~vishto undergo the full (liploma course, and a K.Sc. is the minimum admission qualification. RESEARCH PROJECTS
R~S..FO~
in
ti^^ oil.
In addition t o the tcarhing n.ork, the following research vrojects are under wav in the General Research section. . Fiber Projecl. The xork on vegetable fibers mas started in 1924, hut with the division of the country the need of a proper substitute for jute fiher (mainly grown in Pakistan) has become so urgent that a full-time research chemist is now engaged in this project. The results achieved so far with linseed, banana, aloe, hhang, and calotropis are very encouraging; so much so that shortly attempts will he made to exploit linseed fiber on a commercial scale as a substitute for jute. Essential Oils. Considerable work has been done in reviving the old perfume industry of this Province by developing a new method of making attars from flowers of kewda, rose, bela, rhameli, hamingar, mahdi, and maulsari. These attars have secured new markets in foreign count,ries
SEPTEMBER. 1952
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Plastics. This project has been going on for the Handmade Paper. Special efforts have been made to last two years at the Institute with a full-time re- help in the development of the handmade paper insearch chemist employed. Plans for the extensive dustry by investigating the possibility of using various cultivation of lac have developed, with the cooperation cellulosic materials. Kans fiber has proved very useful of the Indian Lac Research Institute a t Ranchi. for the manufacture of paper and boards. Several new molding powders from molasses and proCottage Oil. A project for the development of the teins have been prepared to replace cheaply and locally cottage oil industry is being carried out in the Oil the foreign powders which the mills were hitherto using Section. Some improvements in Wardha Oil Kolhu and which are difficult and costly to obtain. Research have been made a t this Institute. Necessary literature has also been started on the development of ion ex- and drawings are supplied to popularize the use of imchangers from indigenous tannin materials obtained proved wardha oil ghani instead of old indigenous from our forests. ghani at present used by village telis.
