BHUBANESWAR | Monday, December 28, 2009 | Email | Print |  | Back
‘Scientists be treated differently from other Govt staff’
PNS | Bhubaneswar
Laying the foundation stone of the new campus of National Institute for Science Education and Research (NISER) at Jatni on Sunday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said if talented people were to be retained in science, scientists have to be treated differently than other Government employees in service and salary matters. Singh's advocacy for scientists was well received by the students and scientists community of the NISER.
"It is well known that the initial starting salary for scientists with a PhD in India is often lower than those of engineers, doctors, and management graduates," he said, adding that one way of making careers in science and technology attractive would be to improve remuneration and ensure integrity of the selection process.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the NISER would produce scientific trained manpower of a very high quality which could directly find placement across the country. "There will be greater emphasis on branches of science relevant to the Department of Atomic Energy, which also cater to better exploitation and utilisation of Odisha's natural resources," he said, adding that Odisha's mineral and marine resources will be taken into consideration in designing training programme of students here.
Calling for more public-private partnership in research and development in all areas of science and technology, Singh said: "I expect the private sector to do more for research and development," he said, adding that the country needs to increase our expenditure on science and technology from its current level of one per cent of our GDP.
Singh also hinted that the Government was committed to giving autonomy to the institutes par excellence "We are committed to ensuring operational autonomy, including in matters of appointments, to various institutions of excellence under the Department of Atomic Energy as in the case with some other scientific institutions of eminence in India," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor MC Bhandare said more stress should be laid on research. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that the State Government has provided land, water and electricity to the new campus.
NISER Chairman Anil Kakodkar said three batches have already been admitted. "Around 2,000 students would reach the institute," Kakodkar said, adding that NISER would have linkage with the Department of Atomic Energy and the Institute of Physics.
DAE Secretary Srikumar Banerjee said the new institute would open new frontiers in the field of science and technology. "About 1000 students will be enrolled after plus two level through a national common entrance test. Another 500 students will be enrolled as PG students and another 250 students will be enrolled to PhD. About 250 brilliant people would be taken as faculty members," Banerjee said.
The NISER is now functioning in the campus of the Institute of Physics. The new building would come up in a sprawling 300 acre campus. Around Rs 823 crore would be invested for the new building. Later in the evening, the Prime Minister left for Delhi.
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