Govt to establish excellence centres for science and technology

Updated on: Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The government is planning to establish 50 centres of excellence in front line fields of science and technology in the next six years, an official from the Human Resource and Development Ministry said.

The official said that these emerging areas of science are currently being taught at very few educational institutions. “The setting up of these institutions will be the most comprehensive attempt by the government at creating centres of higher learning in science and technology,” he said.

The centres that will be set up by the government will impart education in the sectors of biotechnology, nano-materials, mechatronics, bio-informatics, nano-technology and high performance computing apart from various other areas.

For the establishment of the centres, 35 proposals from around 30 educational institutions have been short-listed by a committee headed by scientist C N R Rao. 15 more proposals will be added later. The centres will be located in the campuses of already established government and private institutions and will be completely autonomous.

The courses that will be conducted by the centres will be at the post graduate, PhD and post-doctoral levels. The centres would also run short term training courses such as summer and winter schools. The centres will also offer separate courses that would help in enhancing the competence levels of teachers and post graduate students.

In the eleventh five year plan that will end on March 31, 2012, a provision of Rs 150 crore has been marked for the setting up of institutions of higher learning. Teachers and scientists will be recruited on the basis of contracts and will be given higher salaries.

Govt to establish excellence centres for science and technology

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