Question : Promotion of Young Scientists

(a) whether the Government is taking adequate measures to promote young scientists to pursue research programmes and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the main objectives of the Start-Up Research Grant (Young Scientists) and the funds allocated therefor by the Government during each of the last three years and the current year;

(c) the required age group to avail benefit under this programme and the achievement made thereunder so far;

(d) whether the Government is providing any special schemes or scholarships under this programme; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES AND MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a) Yes, Madam. Government has taken several measures to promote young scientists to pursue research programmes. The young scientists are promoted primarily through early career grants, core research grants, doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships etc. Some of the notable programmes of the Ministry targeted at young scientists include: Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE), National Postdoctoral Fellowship (N-PDF), Early Career Research Award (ECRA), Research Associateship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Fellowship Schemes etc.

(b) The Start-up Research Grant Schemes are designed to identify promising young researchers with innovative ideas and provide them with training and research opportunities in frontier areas of science and engineering. The schemes also provide them a platform to develop as independent researchers for taking up challenging research problems for the benefit of the country. The funds allocated exclusively for young scientist research programmes during 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and the current year by the Ministry of Science and Technology are Rs. 1039.6 crore, Rs. 1136.9 crore, Rs. 1122.6 crore and Rs. 1180 crore respectively.

(c) The required age groups to avail benefit from the following popular young scientist schemes are given below:

Scheme / Programme Age group: Upper age limit of
Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research 32 years with relaxation of three years to
(INSPIRE) Faculty Scheme of Department of Science applicants belonging to SC/ST categories
and Technology (DST)
National Postdoctoral Fellowship of Science and 35 years with relaxation of five years to
Engineering Research Board (SERB) applicants belonging to SC/ST/OBC/Physically
Challenged/ Women categories
Early Career Research Award of SERB 37 years with relaxation of three years to
applicants belonging to SC/ST/OBC/Physically
Challenged/ Women categories
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) 35 years
Fellowship Schemes
Research Associate Scheme of Department of 40 years and 45 years for women candidates
Biotechnology (DBT)

A number of quality publications in high impact journals and patents have emanated from the Young Scientist’s projects. The schemes have helped many young researchers in the progress of their career in S&T, got appointment in academic and research institutions and received recognitions in the form of awards, membership in science and engineering academies.

(d) & (e): CSIR provides Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Fellowship to certain top ranking JRF- National Eligibility Test (NET) qualified candidates to nurture the budding scientific talent and to nourish the objective of pursuit of scientific research. Thematic Fellowship programmes in Solar Energy, Building Energy Efficiency Higher & Advanced Network and Water Research have been initiated by DST to support young faculty and research scholars for conducting research in US R&D and academic institutions.

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