NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants a young brigade of scientists to be groomed at central laboratories to find economical solutions to problems facing the country. He wants them to focus on socio-economic needs in the field of health, water, sanitation, waste management, smart cities, solar energy, irrigation, and food.The PM also emphasised that the scientific departments should work in tandem with the developmental ministries and government agencies.
Modi directed to create special opportunities for scientists below the age of 45 years on a competitive basis. These special opportunities may include early recognition and support, creation of special groups such as Academy of Young Scientists, involvement in scientific committees that set the directions and evaluate projects, Centre of Excellence headed by a young scientist.
“The selected laboratories should be functional by April 1, 2018,” stated the minutes of the meeting prepared after the meeting in July.
The meeting was attended by heads of scientific departments—department of biotechnology, department of science and technology, ministry of earth sciences, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Department of Health Research.
On similar lines, young IAS officers and DRDO scientists are also being trained. Since 2015, a batch of 160 young IAS officers is being selected by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and are being trained in central ministries.
The PM had also advised the country’s premier defence research agency Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to hire young scientists, not over the age of 35 years to head at least five laboratories of defence research agency.