ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

Human Resource Development
The Department is implementing an integrated
programme of human resource development in
biotechnology to generate adequate and
appropriately trained manpower required as well as
upgrade skills of existing manpower for overall
development of Biotechnology in the country. Under
this programme, the Department is implementing a
number of schemes for teaching and training.
The progress under different schemes is as follows :
Postgraduate M.Sc/M.Tech Teaching Programme
The Department of Biotechnology has initiated a
number of M.Sc./M.Tech. teaching courses in
different universities and institutes in biotechnology.
The universities / institutions have been selected on
the basis of existing expertise and infrastructure,
strong ongoing R&D programmes and nearby
institutions engaged in R&D in biotechnology.
Selection has been made in close collaboration with
agencies like University Grants Commission,
Department of Ocean Development, Ministry of
Human Resource Development and respective state
governments to ensure continuation of the
programme. The department provides critical inputs
in terms of equipment, upgradation of infrastructural
facilities, recurring grant for books and journals,
consumables , travel, contingency, visiting faculty,
studentship etc. The courses were started in 1985-
86 in four universities and have been gradually
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increased to 63 courses at the end of 10 five year
Plan based on the need to increase the number of
general biotechnology courses as well as start new
courses in marine, agriculture, animal, medical ,
pharma, biochemical engineering, etc. Details of
institutions running the courses, no. of seats, mode
of selection of students, course coordinator,
studentship are given in Annexure-I. To ensure
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quality of students and to maintain All India nature ,
students are selected through common entrance test
conducted by JNU, New Delhi. The programme has
an inbuilt component of visiting faculty to fill the gap
areas in in-house expertise and provision of
studentship and summer training for students. The
progress of these programmes is vigorously
monitored by annual course coordinators meet, task
force and respective advisory committees.
The annual meeting of course coordinators was held
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on 31 July Ist August, 2006 at Bhubaneswar to
review the progress of postgraduate teaching
programme, DBT JRF and DBT-PDF programme.
The DBT UGC task force on HRD has been
reconstituted (annexure I) and task force met on 28th
29 August, 2006 to consider 22 new proposals for
support by UGC and 14 new proposals for support
by DBT. During the year, advisory committees of
NBRC, Gurgaon, HAU, Hissar, Goa University, Goa,
Bhagalpur university, Bhagalppur, Burdwan College,
Gopalbag, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi have been
held.One new course on agricultural biotechnology
by ND university , Faizabad has been supported and
2 new proposals to start M.Sc. biotechnology in
NEHU, Shillong, and agricultural biotechnology in
UAS, Bangalore have been approved. One course
for advanced PG diploma in intellectual property
rights , biosafety and regulatory by M.S. University,
Baroda is under consideration for financial support
by the Department.
The total intake of students in the postgraduate
courses is around 1000 per annum. Of ongoing 63
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courses, 24 have been started in 10 Plan. Till date
17 universities/R&D institutions have been provided
one time financial support under non-recurring grant
for strengthening their ongoing PG teaching courses,
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of which 7 have been supported during 10 Plan.
19 Human Resource Development