The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) has launched a new scheme called ‘Accelerate Vigyan Scheme’ (AV Scheme) to provide a single platform for research internships, capacity building programs, and workshops across the country.
The primary objective of this inter-ministerial scheme is to give more thrust on encouraging high-end scientific research and preparing scientific manpower, which can lead to research careers and knowledge-based economy.
Accelerate Vigyan Scheme will initiate and strengthen mechanisms of identifying research potential, mentoring, training and hands-on workshop on a national scale. The institution is also planning to launch an app for this in the coming two months.
Salient Features of Accelerate Vigyan Scheme
The scheme includes two main programs – Sammohan & Abhyaas.
Sammohan (Bring Together)
- The Sammohan Program has been sub-divided into ‘Sayonjika’ and ‘Sangoshti’.
- Sayonjika is an open-ended program to catalogue the capacity building activities in science and technology supported by all government funding agencies in the country.
- Sangoshti is a pre-existing program of SERB.
Abhyaas (Skill Development)
- Abhyaas is an attempt to boost research and development in the country by enabling and grooming potential PG/PhD students by means of developing their research skills in selected areas across different disciplines or fields.
- Accelerate Vigyan Scheme has already called for applications under its Abhyaas component for the Winter Season.
- It has two components Karyashala & Vritika.
- Karyashala includes High-End Workshops.
- Vritika includes Research Internships.
The Union government scheme will work on mission mode, particularly with respect to its component dealing with consolidation / aggregation of all major scientific events in the country. An inter-ministerial overseeing committee involving all scientific ministries / departments and a few others has been constituted to support SERB in implementing the scheme.
The database of skilled manpower developed across different disciplines so generated and the final outcomes captured in the process through all sub-components of the scheme will serve the cause of all stakeholders in respect of capacity building in the country.
The scheme also seeks to garner social responsibility of the scientific community in the country.
