Students and researchers from friendly neighbouring countries will be allowed to access science and technology institutions in India, Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan said on Friday.
The government has announced a slew of research and development programmes, besides fellowships in the areas of science and technology, healthcare and environment, offering training for capacity building for students, scientists and researchers from these friendly countries, he said.
Dr. Vardhan was inaugurating the the science and technology ministers’ conclave, held as part of the four-day India International Science Festival. Desiring and deserving students from neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Mynamar, Nepal and Sri Lanka can now benefit from India’s offer to allow the training of researchers.
Advanced programmes
The Counsil for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian Metereological Department, and the Department of Science and Technology offer tailor-made, hands-on training programmes and advanced programmes for researchers on a pre-announced annual calendar, he pointed out. He said 200 slots would be created annually and they would be supported by the Department of Science and Technology. “This will not only help in capacity building but also foster research networks between scientific institutions,” he said.
Yeafesh Osman, Bangladesh’s Minister for Science, said the country had set digitisation in motion. The government had formulated a science and technology policy and the country wanted to focus on knowledge building, he said. One of the areas was the need for training scientists to pursue research in oceanography, besides improving science communication, he said.
Afghanistan’s Higher Education Minister Abdul Latif Roshan felt investing in technology would minimise corruption. He appealed for an increase in the number of scholarships to Afghan students.
