Will commence academic session from 2007-08
There is some good news for those worried about the lack of efforts on the part of the government to popularise basic sciences. The central government plans to set up five new Centres for IITs of Basic Sciences in the country, to churn out the best minds in basic sciences. Calling it an innovative move — like the one taken 50 years ago to set up the IITs — Professor Arvind Kumar, Centre Head, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) said, “These special centres will nurture world-class scientists, who will take up challenging research and teaching assignments in universities, R&D labs and the industry.”
“These centres are being set up in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhubhaneshwar and Mohali. The Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS) at Mumbai University, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)-Kolkata, IISER-Mohali and the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISEC)-Bhubhaneshwar in Orissa will be the new major centres for basic sciences,” Professor Arvind added.
The Mumbai and Kolkata centres will commence their academic sessions from 2007-08. “The motto of all five institutes will be ‘teaching embedded in a research environment’, with faculty comprising eminent scientists and experts,” Arvind asserted.
Equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and libraries, these institutes will provide world-class facilities for research and higher studies in basic sciences.
“A very feasible inter-disciplinary curriculum will be introduced, for the studies under the integrated courses in these institutes,” he added.
IISER and NISER will be recognised as centres of excellence in science education and research in four basic sciences viz. biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics. At a later stage, the activities will be expanded to include earth and planetary, engineering and computer science.
