BHUBANESWAR: Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, regretted the prolonged delay in merging the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) with the Homi Bhaba National Institute (HBNI) and called for a faster integration.
During its inception eight years back, it was proposed that NISER will be merged with HBNI to boost Department of Atomic Energy’s (DAE) technological advancement capabilities through research undertaken in its affiliated institutes. The proposal has also received approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC). “It is, therefore, necessary that the process of integration of NISER should be completed without further delay,” Kakodkar said. He was speaking at the third graduation ceremony of NISER here on Monday. During the last year’s convocation, the institute had announced that it had requested the Centre to formulate a separate NISER Act to keep its stature at par with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc). NISER’s Board of Governors (BoG) had approved a draft Act which was sent to the DAE for processing last year. But the draft Act is yet to get the Parliamentary approval.
In the last fiscal year, it added 19 new projects, amounting to `6.28 crore, sponsored by sources other than DAE like Department of Science and Technology, Department of Bio-Technology and Science and Engineering Research Board.
NISER Director V Chandrasekhar said the research should continue to provide tangible benefits so that the fund they receive is justified. Two PhD scholars and 37 MSc Integrated programme students graduated in the third convocation ceremony. School of Chemical Sciences student K Sandeepa Rao was awarded Gold Medal for overall outstanding performance. Silver medals for best academic performance went to Sabyasachi Barik of School of Physical Sciences, Vishal Gupta of School of Mathematical Sciences and Priyanka Mishra of School of Biological Sciences.
Following an increase in demand, the seat intake in NISER has been raised to 100 this year. The institute has also set up International Affairs and Resource Planning office to assist the students in collaborating with international universities for higher education or research purpose. The ceremony was presided by NISER BoG chairman Krishna Joshi.