The government will form an empowered inter-ministerial commitee to incentivise the quality of research in the country, science and technology secretary Ashutosh Sharma said. The committee will examine all fellowship matters that have a bearing on the quality, value and experience of doctoral research, including the quantum of fellowship. Sharma said this would widen the scope of research and also the career prospects of researchers. The hike in research fellowships, which was announced a day back, will also be reviewed periodically by the empowered group.
Biotechnology secretary Renu Swaroop and department of scientific and industrial research secretary, Shekhar C. Mande, added that there were now several schemes for researchers who wanted to get into the realm of startups. The enhanced research grants which the government announced yesterday are meant for the researchers working in the field of science and technology, physical and chemical sciences, engineering and mathematical sciences, agricultural sciences, life sciences, and pharmacy. The hike will directly benefit 60,000 research fellows and provide a template for state governments to increase their fellowship rates.
The new rates are 25 per cent higher than the previous ones, with a junior research fellowship starting at Rs 31,000, instead of Rs 25,000. A senior fellow is now entitled to Rs 35,000, as against the previous Rs 28,000. Furthermore, there is a 30 to 35 per cent enhancement in the financial rewards for scientists involved in research and development projects. The top bracket has been fixed at Rs 54,000. All fellows are entitled housing rent allowance as per Central government scales. Swarup emphasised that these were stipends to help researchers decide their career paths, and that these were not salaries.
The government is also trying to promote global exchange of researchers under a scheme called VAJRA, or Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty Scheme. It allows overseas scientists and academicians, mainly the Non Resident Indians and People of Indian Origin, to work as adjunct or visiting faculty for a specific time in an Indian public-funded academic or research institute.