Edu-leaders

Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal and The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched a Faculty Recharge Programme to recruit science, engineering and technology. The objective of this Faculty Recharge scheme is to strengthen high quality research in science-related disciplines at internationally competitive levels and promote innovative teaching in the universities through induction of fresh talent at all levels of academic hierarchy in selected departments and centres.

Scholars will be chosen through a competitive process conducted at the national level to ensure that individuals with exceptional creativity, zeal and commitment to research and teaching are appointed.

Through this programme, universities would be able to upgrade and reinvigorate faculty resources in their science related departments. Initially, the tenure of appointment will be five years, at the end of which it could be terminated, extended or elevated to the next higher level following a peer group review. Even though subsequent evaluations will also be of five years cycle, faculty recharge positions can, in principle, be carried through to superannuation. Each candidate will be required to submit a research project which would be appropriately funded along with a start up grant for setting up basic laboratory facilities, if selected under the programme.

To make this programme operational, the UGC has set up a dynamic interactive web portal which can be used by scholars to submit their applications online. The portal has been designed in a way that all operations in the process of faculty selection shall be conducted online beginning with receipt of application to shortlisting candidates. Final selection will be done through personal interview of scholars living in India, while applicants from overseas will be interviewed through video conferencing.

The MHRD and UGC have also formed a committee under the chairmanship of Professor M.M. Sharma, Former Director, ICT, Mumbai, to encourage students to take up science education and doctoral research.

The committee has contributed more than Rs 230 crore to strengthen infrastructure in selected science departments. A large number of postdoctoral fellowships have been awarded through outsourcing and online methodology. Nine UGC Networking Centres have been established. Rs 650 crore has been spent so far for various schemes.