Govt. committed to promote partnerships in R&D: Reddy

Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jaipal Reddy on Thursday expressed his concern about connection between our knowledge and industrial application systems and said that the government

is committed to promote partnerships between industry and academia in research and development.

Launching the Prime Minister's Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research here Reddy said: "There are huge emerging opportunities that are waiting to be tapped and converted into value for the country by bridging the disconnects between the knowledge and wealth creation sector."

"Some concerns have been expressed at various levels that the connections between our knowledge and industrial application systems are weak. There are some pessimists who worry about such problems. The present doctoral fellowship is indeed working in the area of national gap and is targeted to bridge those disconnects," Reddy said.

"Our knowledge institutions like IISc, IITs, IISERs and Universities are creating intellectual properties in the form of papers in peer valued scientific journals, but the challenge is in the conversion of such knowledge into products of commercial value to the industrial users. While our public funded R and D (Research and Development) systems are busy publishing papers, the industries are searching for technologies for commercialization," added Reddy.

The Prime Minister's Fellowship Scheme for Doctoral Research offers opportunities with incentives for students registered for doctoral research starting the year 2012 in any of knowledge institutions as well as R and D personnel employed in industrial sector but registered into doctoral research programmes in cutting edge areas of importance.

The minister informed that a Sub-Committee of Prime Minister's Council on Trade and Industry was constituted for promoting Public-Private-Partnership in Research and Development and Clean Energy.

Reddy expressed his hope that the private sector will also invest more and more into research and innovations and partner our research institutions in solving national problems through accessible, available and affordable innovations.