Lok Sabha Question No. 1746 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: Young Scientists
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1746

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 /12/2015

## YOUN G SCIENTISTS

## 1746. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

W ill the Ministerof SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó Ùðüëðó

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is taking adequate measures to promot e young scientists to pursue research programmes andifso,thedetails thereof;
- (b) themain objectives oftheYoung Scientists Researc h Programmes and thefundsallocate d therefo r by theGovernment during each of the last threeyears and the current year;
- (c) the required age group to avail this programm e and the achievementmade thereundersofar;
- (d) whether the Governmen t is  providi ng any specia l schemes or scholarshipsunder this programme; and
- (e) ifso, the details thereof and ifnot, the reasonstherefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

(SHRI.Y. S. CHOWDARY)

òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó +ÉÉè® ÑðöÆãðó òãðìððÐð ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó

(gÉÉÒ ´ÉÉ<Ç. AºÉ. SÉÉèvÉ®ÉÒ)

- (a) Yes,  Madam.  Government  has  taken  several  measures  to  promote  young  scientists  to  purs res earch  programmes  in  the  country.  These  include  offering  attractive  research  fellowships,  in targeted  schemes  for  young  researchers,  strengthening  infrastructure  for  Research  and  Develo (R&D)  to  attract  and  retain  young  scientists  to  remain  wi th  research  careers.  Some  of the  targeted Programmes are Young Scientist Project Award Schemes, Early Career Research Award (ECRA), National Postdoctoral Fellowship (N -PDF), Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Re search (INSPIRE) Faculty Scheme and CSIR-Ne hru Postdoctoral Fellowships .
- (b) The  main  objectives  of  the  Young  Scientists  Research  Schemes  are  to  provid e  quick  research support  toresearchers  who  are  in  their  early  career  for  pursuing  exciting  and  innovative  rese frontier areas of sci ence and engineering; identify motivated young researchers with a focus to dev platform for early research independence; attract brilliant scientists and engineers from all ove to  take  up  scientific  research  positions  in  India  and  for  deve loping  independent  scientific  profiles  an intends helping them emerge as S&T leaders in the long term. The funds allocated for Young Sci Research Programmes during each of the last three financial years and in the current financial ye Depa rtment of Science and Technology are given below:

|   Sl. No. | Financial Year               |   Funds Allocated (Amount in crores) |
|-----------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|         1 | 2012-13                      |                               132.24 |
|         2 | 2013-14                      |                               178.84 |
|         3 | 2014-15                      |                               181.69 |
|         4 | 2015-16 (Till November 2015) |                               174.46 |

(c) The required age group to avail the Programmes are: i) INSPIRE Faculty Scheme: 27 - 32 age, ii) ECRA: Within 2 years of regular appointment; iii) N -PDF: Upper age limit of 35 years with age relaxa tion of 5 years to applicants belonging to SC/ST/OBC/Physically Challenged and Women and iv) Innovative Young  Biotechnologist  Award:  Upper  age  limit  of  35  years  a nd  age  relaxation  of  5  years to  special categories and women. The support has catalyzed in emanating research publications of high impa national  and  international  patents.  Many  of  t he young  Indian  researchers  received  globally  recognize awards, fellowships of national and int ernational science academies . Through these targeted schemes ,  the country could create the required critical mass in many areas of national interest.

(d) & (e): The recipients of these awards / fellowships receive attractive research grant for ca internationally competent research . I n addition ,  tho se who are not employed are provided personal money during  the  tenure  of  the  programme.  The  research  grant includes  money  for  consumables /  minor equipment,  contingencies  and  a  travel  grant.  Awards  like  Innovative  Biotechnologist  Award,  Na Bioscience Awards for Career Development are given to Young scientists to recognize innovative t in sectoral ar eas.

********