Government has taken various initiatives to develop a world class research facilities in India: HRD Minister

News:Union Minister for Human Resource Development has informed Lok Sabha about the initiatives taken by Government to promote research in the field of science & engineering.

Facts:

Government has taken following initiatives to promote research in the field of science & engineering and to develop a world class research facilities:

Prime Minister Research Fellowship Scheme:

• The PMRF scheme is aimed at attracting the talent pool of the country to doctoral(Ph.D) programs of Indian Institutes of Technology(IITs) and Indian Institute of Science(IISc) for carrying out research in cutting edge science and technology domains with focus on national priorities.
• Under it,students who have completed or are in final year of B.Tech /Integrated M.Tech/ M.Sc courses in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/IISERs/ NITs/IIITs will be offered direct admission in PhD programme in IITs/IISc.
• The selected students will be offered monthly fellowship of Rs.70,000 for the first two years,Rs.75,000 for 3rd year and Rs.80,000 in 4th and 5th years.

Establishment of Research Parks: 

• Research parks are physical environments that can generate, attract and retain science and technology companies and talent in alignment with sponsoring research institutions that include universities as well as public, private and federal research laboratories.
• The five new Research Parks at IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, and IISc Bangalore have been approved by the Government under Startup India Initiative in Higher Education (SIIHE) Scheme.

Impacting research Innovation and Technology(IMPRINT):

• IMPacting Research,INnovation and Technology(IMPRINT) scheme is a pan-IIT and IISc joint collaboration.The scheme was launched in 2015.
• The scheme aims to provide solutions to the most relevant engineering challenges by translating knowledge into viable technology in 10 selected technology domains.
• The projects are funded jointly by MHRD and the participating Ministry in the ratio of 50:50.

Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana(UAY):

• The scheme was launched in 2015.The scheme aims to promote innovation of a higher order that directly impacts the needs of the industry and thereby improves the competitive edge of Indian manufacturing.
• The projects are funded jointly by MHRD,participating Ministries and the Industry in the ratio of 50:25:25.

Institutions of Eminence (IoE):

• The Institution of Eminence scheme is a scheme of Ministry of Human Resource Development pertaining to higher education institutions (HES) in India.
• The scheme aims to develop 20 world-class teaching and research institutions
• The selected institutes will enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy.

Smart India Hackathons:

• Smart India Hackathons are organized on a yearly basis since 2017 to find out digital solutions to various problems faced by the people and gives hands-on working and research opportunity for engineering students.

Institutions innovation Council(IIC):

• Union HRD Minister had launched the ‘Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) program under Innovation cell of MHRD in 2018.
• The purpose of formation of network of IICs is to encourage, inspire and nurture young students by exposing them to new ideas and processes resulting in innovative activities in their formative years.