The Hindu : National : Boost for scientific research

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

National

National

Boost for scientific research

Special Correspondent

Centre approves Rs. 600-crore package for universities

Networking centres to be set up in the basic sciences in leading universities to promote collaborative research in frontier areas of science and technology.

NEW DELHI: The Centre has accepted in its entirety the recommendations of the high-power task force set up under eminent chemical technologist M.M. Sharma for improving basic scientific research in universities. It has appointed the members of the task force as a fully empowered committee to guide, monitor and implement them. The package is estimated to cost Rs. 600 crores per annum.

As a result, 1,000 positions of research scientists at various levels, from lecturers to readers and professors, will be created and filled up in a phased manner over five years. MOUs will also be signed between the implementing agency and the State universities to ensure an enabling environment on a continuous basis for the scientists. Steps will be taken at the earliest to fill the large number of sanctioned faculty positions that are lying vacant in various universities for a long time.

Following the decision, 10 networking centres will also be set up in the basic sciences in leading departments of universities to promote collaborative research, with access to advanced facilities and training in frontier areas of science and technology. The centres will be in the area of physical sciences, chemical sciences, life sciences, material sciences and mathematical sciences. Two centres will be set up in each of these areas.

Among other things, the new package for basic research in universities will encourage linkages between universities and their faculties with industries and other user organisations, as well as Council of Scientific and Industrial Research laboratories and other public research agencies.

There would be a provision for visiting professorships and visiting fellowships to stimulate collaborative research.

The package also envisages a five-fold increase in the number of PhDs within the next 10 years; removal of the age bar and the introduction of a "flexi-time" approach for women scientists to ensure their enhanced participation in basic science research.

Other features of the package are: introduction of five-year integrated M.Sc. programmes for higher secondary students and PhD programmes for graduates in select Central and State Universities; conferment of complete autonomy with academic, administrative and financial powers to UGC-SAP Departments, DST-FIST Departments and research centres funded by national agencies; introduction of uniform retirement age for university teachers across the country; and a review of the national eligibility test.

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