GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

RAJYA SABHA
STARRED QUESTION No. 142
TO BE ANSWERED ON 26-11-2007

INNOVATION IN SCIENCE PURSUIT FOR INSPIRED RESEARCH PROGRAMME

142. SHRIMATI N.P. DURGA:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) the aims and objectives of Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Programme;
(b) to what extent INSPIRE helps in producing more and more science students and stopping exodus of scientists from Indian scientific institutions;
(c) whether it has come to the notice of Government that there has been a fall in the rate of Ph.D. students in the country over the last few years; and
(d) if so, to what extent INSPIRE helps students to take up research?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES
(KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT AS REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 142 FOR 26.11.2007 REGARDING "INNOVATION IN SCIENCE PURSUIT FOR INSPIRED RESEARCH PROGRAMME"

(a) to (d): The Government of India has mounted a special scholarship scheme titled "Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)" to attract talented youth to study and careers with science. INSPIRE aims at building innovative knowledge infrastructure by conversion of comparative strength of India by virtue of its demography and inherited knowledge systems into competitive advantage. The main features of the INSPIRE are: a) Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS) providing Science innovation scholarship of Rs. 5000 for a total of one million young learners of the age group 10-15 years once in their school career and mentorship through global science leaders including Nobel laureates and Indian leaders in science at a summer camp for the top 1% performers in the Class X examination every year for a period of five years; b) Scholarships for Higher Education (SHE) for the age group of 17-22 years @ Rs 1 lakh per year for continuing science education at B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels for 10,000 candidates and c) Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC) for 1000 young researchers in the age group of 22-32 years for 5 years to pursue doctoral research in science backed by an assured research career opportunity scheme for another period of five years on completion of their Ph.D.

The rate of enrollment of students in Ph.D programmes has increased during the last few years in various disciplines including Science & Technology. The INSPIRE Programme, as it offers Science as a career option by providing necessary opportunities to youth with aptitude for science and a desire to innovate, in addition to reasonable financial assistance, would help in producing more science students and Ph.Ds and help in increasing the stock of the scientific community necessary for meeting future challenges and also help in stopping exodus of scientists from Indian scientific institutions.