Assistance Scheme for Young Scientists

LOK SABHA

Developing and nurturing of human resource in Science & Technology has always been on top of the Government’s agenda. A number of schemes have been instituted by the Government for encouraging Young Scientists, and also for nurturing talented students in the form of SERC Programme for Young Scientists including BOYSCAST Fellowships and Fellowships like Swarnajayanthi Fellowships, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Fellowships, KS Krishnan Fellowships, Ramanna Fellowships and J.C. Bose & Ramanujam Fellowships for practicing young scientists & technologists, and CSIR programme on Youth for leadership in Science (CPYLS), Diamond Jubilee Research Interns Award Scheme, Junior/Senior Research Fellowships (JRF/SRF), Biotechnology Post Doctoral Research Associateship & Overseas Fellowships, Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY), National Science Olympaid Programme etc. for attracting and retaining young talented students in R&D. In addition, the young scientists including students have been exposed to new technologies through schools, workshops etc. to encourage them to discover and/or experiment on new technologies including the emerging fields like nanoscience & nanotechnology, biotechnology etc. Most of these schemes have been operated in a liberalized manner from time to time based on the needs of the young scientists.

In addition, the Government, in the XI Plan has launched a new scheme called INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research). The main features of the proposed scheme will be: (1) innovation funding in schools (one million young innovators); (2) summer camp with science icons (for high performers); (3) assured opportunity schemes for proven talent force; and (4) retention of talent in public funded research through public-private partnerships. Further, another new scheme on Scholarships for Science in Higher Education (SHE) is being initiated in the XI Plan under which 10,000 fellowships of Rs.1,00,000/- per year for bright students in science streams during their B.Sc/M.Sc courses would be provided. These initiatives are aimed at generating interest in youth to conduct more and more research and produce valuable results.

The Government recognizes that a large number of scientists go abroad for higher studies and/or advanced research. A majority of them do come back and contribute to growth of S&T in the country. The Government has recently launched some innovative schemes to either motivate scientists of Indian origin to come back to India or leverage their scientific expertise for growth of R&D in the country. Some such initiatives are the Ramanujan Fellowship and the Collaborative Projects with Scientists & Technologists of Indian Origin Abroad Programme (CP-STIO) of DST. K.S. Krishnan Research Associateship of Department of Atomic Energy, the Ramalingaswamy Fellowship and the Talent Search Scheme for the Non-Resident Indians of Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) are some of such schemes.

This information was given by Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal, in the Lok Sabha today.

Source: Press Inormation Bureau
Date: March 04, 2008