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News >> Technology >>
Govt to set up two science institutes
By agencies
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Thursday, 29 September 2005, 19:30 IST
NEW DELHI: With a view to strengthening the country's foundations in basic science, the government will set up two institutes dealing exclusively with science education and research, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said.
"I have always felt that it is a pity that a country of a billion people has only one Indian Institute of Science," Singh said here at the presentation of CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award and Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Awards.
"To rebuild our foundations in basic science, the government is creating two institutes dealing with science education and research, one each at Pune and Kolkata," he said hoping these institutes would attain world class standards as the institute at Bangalore.
Singh said the government was very keen on pushing forward many meaningful and productive public-private partnerships. In particular, research in pharmaceuticals was of critical interest, he added.
He said the government had initiated a number of steps to promote science.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development had set up a task force on rejuvenation of scientific research in universities. The task force has a target of doubling the number of Ph.Ds within the next six years, he added.
Besides, a new National Science and Engineering Research Foundation have been approved which will receive generous funding and will be autonomous in character.
Other initiatives include institution of Ramanujan Fellowship, J.C Bose Fellowship and fellowships for scientists and technologists of Indian origin, the Prime Minister added.