Accelerate Vigyan Scheme: SERB

• 02 Jul 2020

Why in News

Recently, the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), has launched a scheme called Accelerate Vigyan (AV) to strengthen scientific research mechanisms in the country.

Key Points

• Objective: To give more thrust on encouraging high-end scientific research and preparing scientific manpower, which can lead to careers in research and knowledge-based economy.
• Vision: To expand the research base, with three broad goals i.e. consolidation/aggregation of all scientific programs, initiating high-end orientation workshops, and creating opportunities for research internships.
• Components:
  
  • ABHYAAS Programme: Under it, AV is inviting applications for the winter season (December 2020-January 2021).
    
    • It 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.
    • It has two components: High-End Workshops i.e. KARYASHALA and Research Internships i.e. VRITIKA.
    • This is especially important for those researchers who have limited opportunities, access to facilities and infrastructure.
  • SAMMOHAN: It 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 for the organisation of workshops.
• Execution: An Inter-Ministerial Overseeing Committee (IMOC) involving all the scientific ministries/departments has been constituted for the purpose of supporting SERB in implementing the AV scheme.
• Significance:
  
  • Capacity Building: The database of skilled manpower developed across different disciplines through all the sub-components of the AV would help in capacity building.
  • Social Responsibility: The scheme also seeks to garner the social responsibility of the scientific community in the country.

Science and Engineering Research Board

• It is a statutory body under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology established by an Act of the Parliament of India in 2009.
• It is chaired by the Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Science and Technology and has other senior government officials and eminent scientists as members.
• It was set up for promoting basic research in science and engineering and to provide financial assistance to scientists, academic institutions, Research and Development laboratories, industrial concerns and other agencies for such research.

Way Forward

• The AV will work on mission mode, particularly with respect to its component dealing with consolidation/aggregation of all major scientific events in the country.
• It will also initiate mechanisms of mentoring, training and hands-on workshops on a national scale.
• In a nutshell, the AV platform is expected to be a game changer for developing career paths and providing support to skilled manpower in the country.

Source: PIB