BHUBANESWAR: Sambalpur University’s Centre of Excellence in Natural Products and Therapeutics has started a research internship programme for students of the institution and from outside the state, becoming the first public university of Odisha to do so.
The internship is for both under-graduate and post-graduate students who can learn about research techniques, approach, equipment, among other things at the centre of excellence. Senior officials of the Higher Education department informed this is the first research internship programme in any university and close to 136 students are undergoing training on various aspects of research on natural products and therapeutics.
Of them, 30 are from Sambalpur university, 66 from other higher educational institutions in the state and the remaining 40 from outside Odisha. It will help the students gain first-hand experience in research modalities before they pursue it at PhD level.
Vice-chairperson of Odisha State Higher Education Council Ashok Das said the initiative is aimed at training UG and PG students in sophisticated analytical techniques and instruments.
For training purpose, the government has decided to extend sustenance grants of Rs 35 lakh under the new Mukhyamantri Research and Innovation Fellowship programme to the university.
Established in 2018, the centre of excellence focuses on inter-disciplinary research on medicinal plants found in the bio-diversity-rich Gandhamardan region. The centre is collaborating with the department of biotechnology and bio-informatics and school of chemistry.
Officials added similar research internships will be carried out at the centres of excellence of all public universities.
At present, 11 research centres of excellence are operational at seven government-run universities where research fellows (faculty members) are conducting Odisha-centric applied research in areas of natural sciences, engineering, humanities and social sciences.
The universities are Utkal, Sambalpur, Berhampur, North Odisha, Ravenshaw, Gangadhar Meher and Rama Devi. While four of them are researching social science, humanities and literature, the rest are researching on various topics related to science and public health.