News Highlights:
Recently, the year-end review of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology was released.
Major Achievements of DST During 2022:
- India’s ranking in global S&T indices:
- India is now placed in the 40th position among the top innovative economies globally as per Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022.
- The country remains among the top 3 countries in scientific publications as per the National Science Foundation (NSF) database and in terms of no of PhDs, size of the Higher Education System, and the number of Start-ups.
- Creating a Robust Start-up & Innovation Ecosystem:
- DST has been a pioneer in establishing a network of Technology Business Incubators (TBI) and Science & Technology Entrepreneur’s Parks (STEP) across the country under the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) program.
- New PRAYAS centres have been supported during 2022, along with support to ongoing PRAYAS centres supporting young innovators to turn their ideas into prototypes.
- New Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR) centres have been supported during the year along with support to ongoing EIR centres that supports aspiring or budding entrepreneur of considerable potential for pursuing a promising technology business idea over up to 18 months.
- New Heights in Supercomputing Capacity:
- New installations of high-performance computers at five institutes (IIT Kharagpur, NIT Trichy, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Guwahati, IIT Mandi).
- The figures for human resources trained under the mission reached 17,500.
- Boosting Technology Development in Cyberphysical Domains:
- The Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) in 2018 for five years to be implemented by the DST.
- The Mission is being implemented through 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) created at reputed academic institutes across the country.
- Some of the innovations include
- XraySetu: AI researchers at ARTPARK developed an AI-driven platform called XraySetu that helped Chest X-ray interpretation of images.
- RAKSHAK: A team of scientists from IIT Bombay has developed a tapestry method for screening Covid-19 under Remedial Action, Knowledge Skimming, and Holistic Analysis of Covid-19 (RAKSHAK), an effort supported by the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Jodhpur.
- India’s Position on International S&T Engagement:
- India assumed the G20 Presidency recently and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in the country in 2023.
- As part of the same, DST is responsible for coordinating the activities of Science-20 (S20) and Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Engagement Groups during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023.
- India joins Finland to establish a Virtual Network Centre in Quantum Computing to jointly develop 20 qubits superconducting-based Quantum Computer in 1st phase and further scale up to 54 qubits in the second phase.
- Improved Geospatial Data, Infrastructure & Technology:
- Recently, the 2nd United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC) on the theme “Geo-Enabling the Global Village: No one should be left behind” was held successfully in Hyderabad.
- Survey of India (SoI), the country’s National Survey and Mapping Organisation, has successfully carried out drone surveys of rural Abadi areas of 2,00,000+ villages as part of the SVAMITVA (Survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas).
- Online maps portal provides users with various digital geospatial products (free and at fair & transparent prices).
- High-resolution mapping for major river basins is also being carried out to provide the high-resolution GIS (Geographic Information System) and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for improved flood hazard mapping and other planning purposes.
- Accessible Scientific Infrastructure for All Stakeholders:
- Four new Universities under ‘Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE)’ and 65 Departments in various academic organizations and universities were supported under the Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST).
- Solutions for Energy & Environment Challenges:
- A first-of-its-kind Distributor System Operator (DSO) report has been prepared that can help transform the operational and financial state of the Indian power sector and boost the private sector’s confidence attracting much-needed investment and innovation in the industry.
- A real-time pollution monitoring photonic system, Air Unique Quality Monitoring System (AUM), has been developed, which is capable of real-time remote monitoring of all air quality parameters, with high sensitivity and accuracy simultaneously, at a very high frequency of sampling.
- The first Indigenously Designed High Ash Coal Gasification Based Methanol Production Plant has been opened in Hyderabad. With this, Government owned engineering firm BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) has successfully demonstrated a facility to create methanol from high-ash Indian coal.
- Expansion to Newer Areas:
- The Department has been implementing two National missions on Climate Change. Four new State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) have been established in the States of Goa, UT of Chandigarh, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Career Opportunities for Women Scientists:
- DST is encouraging meritorious girls to pursue higher education and career in underrepresented Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) areas through its major initiative ‘Vigyan Jyoti’.
- Women scientists under the Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) pursue research after breaking into careers in 5 subject areas of Basic and Applied Sciences.
- The SERB-POWER mobility grant was introduced to allow women scientists to visit leading institutions/universities across the globe for 1-3 months.
- Conserving the Heritages:
- Under the DST’s Science and Heritage Research Initiative (SHRI) programme, the Pattamadai mat’s soundproofing qualities, a mat made by weaving or interlacing korai grass with cotton threads, has been explored in noise-guarding classrooms as well as recording studios against external noise disturbances.
- This can increase the demand for this traditional art of Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
- Research Capabilities in State Universities & Colleges:
- A dedicated scheme, State University Research Excellence (SERB-SURE) has been launched by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to create a robust R&D ecosystem in state universities and colleges, including private ones.
- Good Laboratory Practice (GLP):
- DST is implementing the National GLP Compliance Monitoring Programme for certification of Indian Test Facilities/laboratories, conducting non-clinical health and environment safety studies by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Principles.
- Policy Formulation in Key Areas:
- Brought out two guidelines during the year, and two significant policies are in the process of finalisation.
- Scientific Research Infrastructure Sharing maintenance and Networks (SRIMAN) guidelines
- Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) Guidelines
- Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy
- National Geospatial Policy.
- Brought out two guidelines during the year, and two significant policies are in the process of finalisation.
Pic Courtesy: Freepik
Content Source: PIB