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New Science Institute to come up in Mohali

Staff Correspondent

State Govt. to allocate 200 acres of land

CHANDIGARH: The Planning Commission in New Delhi has, in principal, approved establishment of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Punjab, which would strive for global level excellence in science and research. The proposed centre would be in line with the three set up in Bangalore, Kolkata and Pune.

An official release quoting Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said that the Punjab Government had decided to allocate the required 200 acres of land for this Institute, in Sector 81 of the newly created Mohali district. While the sector is being developed by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) adjacent to Chandigarh, the total cost of the project besides that of the land is estimated at Rs. 500 crore.

Ms. Bhattal said that in his address to Parliament on February 16 the President had indicated that the Union Government had decided to establish new centres of excellence in basic sciences in Kolkata, Pune and Punjab. The Government was investing substantially in science and technology to promote domestic research and development, both public and private sector.

Ms. Bhattal said that at present the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore, fully funded by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, is the only institution of its kind in the country. As IISER, Mohali, would not have an undergraduate stream, it would cater only to postgraduate education and research. The institute would actively forge strong relationships with existing universities and colleges in the neighbourhood through sharing of faculty, resources and infrastructure to give a definite push to the endeavour of promoting science education and achieving global levels of excellence.

Ms. Bhattal said the Institute would have main academic programmes in major areas in Physical Science, Chemical Sciences, Mathematics, Material Sciences, Environment and Earth System Sciences, Life Sciences and Computer Science. It would also admit post-doctoral fellows. When fully established, the total strength of the integrated M.Sc. programme is expected to be around 1,000, and that of the doctoral and post doctoral programmes about 1,055.

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New Science Institute to come up in Mohali

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