Lok Sabha Question No. 4411 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Technology Development Centre in Maharashtra
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Rajan Baburao  Vichare

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4411 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTRE IN MAHARASHTRA

4411.   SHRI RAJAN VICHARE:

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

ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ मंğी

- (a) whether the Government is aware that Maharashtra has significant number of science students having knowledge and potential and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to set up a Development Centre in Maharashtra; and
- (c)
- if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ तथा पृØवी ǒव£ान मंğालय क े राÏय मंğी ( èवतंğ Ĥभार) ( डॉ. ǔजतɅġ िसंह )

- (a) Yes,  Sir.  The  Government  of  India,  is  aware  about  the  significant number of science students having knowledge and potential in Maharashtra and is encouraging them suitably through its schemes and programs.

In  order  to  attract  young  talent  towards  pursuing  scientific  career,  the Department  of  Science  and  Technology  (DST),  Government  of  India    is implementing 'Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)', an  umbrella  scheme  to  communicate  excitements  of  creative  pursuit  of science  to  students.  The  scheme  also  aims  to  build  the  required  critical human  resource  pool  for  strengthening  and  expanding  the  Research  & Development (R&D) base.

Under  this  umbrella  INSPIRE  Awards  MANAK  (Million  Minds  Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) attracts talented school students at an early age of 10-15 years studying in Class 6-10 to pursue science. One lakh ideas from these students are eligible for INSPIRE Award of Rs. 10000/- each.

- Technology

During the FY 2018-22, 15,101 students from Maharashtra were given INSPIRE Awards MANAK, which reflects the innovation and creative potential of school students from Maharashtra.

INSPIRE Internship provides exposure to top 1% students from Class X Board by  organizing  Science  Camps  during  summer  or  winter  thus  presents opportunity of interaction with Science icons from India and abroad, including Nobel Laureates, to experience the joy of scientific pursuit. During 2017-22, 3500 students from Maharashtra participated in these camps.

Another component under INSPIRE, Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) aims to encourage meritorious students to study basic and natural sciences in  Bachelor  in  Science  (B.  Sc)  and  Masters  in  Science  (M.  Sc)  through attractive  scholarship  and  mentorship  opportunities.  The  selections  under SHE  is  based  on  performance  (top  1%)  in  Class  XII  examinations  of State/Central  School  Examination  Boards  and  in  selected  national  level competitive examinations like IIT-JEE, etc. During last three years (2018-21), 4631 students from Maharashtra received SHE scholarship, which reflects the merit potential of science students from Maharashtra.

During  the  year  2020,  about  1300  school  students  from  Maharashtra participated  in  National  Children  Science  Congress,  organized  by  DST,  to exhibit  their  creativity  and  innovativeness  and  particularly  their  ability  to solve a societal problem experienced locally, using the method of science.

In  order  to  encourage  students  for  career  development  in  the  area  of Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, is supporting 39 Colleges under Star College Scheme in Maharashtra.

'JIGYASA' is another major initiative for bringing scientists and teachers for nurturing young minds by Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology. This program envisages opening up the national scientific facilities to schoolchildren including students from Maharashtra, thus enabling CSIR scientific knowledgebase and facilities to be utilized by them.  Various activities such as Laboratory Visit; Popular Lecture Series; Summer Vacation Programmes; Scientists as Teachers and Teachers as Scientists; Teachers' Workshop; Student Residential Programme, Visits of Scientists to schools; Lab specific activities/Onsite experiments and many more are being conducted on regular basis.

(b) & (c) Presently,  the  Government  does  not  propose  to  set  up  a Technology Development Centre in Maharashtra as there is no such scheme.

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