Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) is all set to offer a new Masters programme in Biotechnology that is said to be the sole postgraduate programme in the country that allows students the opportunity to choose among three specialisations — disease biology, molecular plant sciences, and molecular diagnostics and DNA profiling.
Standalone programme
It was the only standalone Masters programme offered by the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, through (RGCB), Sudhanshu Vrati, executive director of the RCB said.
Forty-one students have been enrolled for the first batch of the programme from over 700 applicants from across the country.
Global tie-ups
Launching the programme here on Saturday, Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, said the country currently focussed on working with global partnerships in emerging technologies in the biotechnology sector.
Besides developing a conducive ecosystem for biotech start-ups, the department was supporting human resource development programmes such as the Star College scheme to support colleges and universities in improving science education across the country.
180 colleges
Around 180 colleges had been brought under the ambit of the programme. Similar schemes were in place at levels including in postgraduation and research.
Dr. Swarup added that the department was well ahead on its path to turn the biotechnology sector into a $100-billion industry by 2025 in line with the National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-20.
B. Anand, Additional Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; RGCB Director M. Radhakrishna Pillai; and RGCB MSc programme course coordinator Debasree Dutta also spoke on the occasion.
