NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday cleared a proposal to set up two institutes dedicated to basic sciences on the lines of the premier Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. To be called the Indian Institute of Science for Education and Research (IISER), they will be located in Pune and Kolkata.

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has been authorised to fund both the institutes this year so that they can become operational in 2006.

A proposal to set up two IISERs was made in a charter prepared by a Committee of Experts chaired by C. N. R. Rao, who heads the Scientific Advisory Council of the Prime Minister. The charter envisages creation of universities of the "highest calibre" where teaching and education will be totally integrated with state-of-the-art research. Both undergraduate and postgraduate courses will be offered to encourage research at a young age. The institutes will be encouraged to offer inter-disciplinary programmes and forge active relationships with universities, colleges, laboratories, enterprises and institutions.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail