New Delhi: A bill that enables the Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to start an
Academy to award post-graduate and doctoral degrees was
introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR)
Bill, 2010 was introduced by Science and Technology Minister
Prithviraj Chavan.
"The proposed legislation aims to establish the Academy
for advancement of learning and promotion of research in the
field of science and technology in association with the CSIR,"
he said.
Currently, scientists pursuing research in any of the 37
laboratories of CSIR across the country have to register
themselves at different universities.
Once the AcSIR is set up, it would enable registration of
such researchers. In addition, the academy will also award
post-graduate degrees.
The objective is to stem the growing shortage of skilled
manpower in the science and technology industry and the
dwindling numbers of PhDs.
The academy is expected to produce 1,000 PhDs in science
and technology and about 120 PhDs in engineering annually from
the fifth year onwards.
With its headquarters expected to be in Ghaziabad, the
institute is envisaged as a set-up that will network between
the 37 CSIR laboratories, pool resources and faculty across
these to create a national level academy with a strong
research focus.
The CSIR has 4,500 scientists in diverse branches of
science and engineering of which 2,500 could effectively be
utilised for activities of the proposed academy. India
produced 8,420 PhDs in science and engineering in 2006, while
China churned out 22,953 PhDs.
PTI
