Cabinet Approves Rs 2,277 Crore Push For Capacity Building and Human Resource Development

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the 'Capacity Building and Human Resource Development' scheme with a total outlay of Rs 2,277 crore for the period of the 15th Finance Commission Cycle 2021-22 to 2025-26.

The initiative is intended to give a platform for researchers aspiring to build careers in universities, industry, national research and development laboratories, and academic institutions.

The CSIR umbrella scheme has four sub-schemes such as (i) Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships (ii) the Extramural Research Scheme, the Emeritus Scientist Scheme, and the Bhatnagar Fellowship programme; (iii) Promotion and Recognition of Excellence through the Award Scheme; and (iv) Promoting knowledge sharing through the Travel and Symposia Grant Scheme.

The scheme is implemented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and will cover all research and development institutions, national laboratories, institutes of national importance, institutes of eminence, and universities across the country.

Guided by scientists and professors, the scheme is expected to foster growth in science, technology and engineering, medical, and mathematical sciences.

The capacity building and human resource development scheme plays an important role in the achievement of the sustainable development goals for the science and technology sector in India by increasing the researchers per million population, an official release said.

"This approval creates a historical milestone in CSIR on its 84 years of service to Indian scientific and industrial research, through the umbrella scheme implementation, which accelerates the country’s R&D progress in the present and future generations," the release said.