Union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal’s pet project, which was successfully scuttled by the UPA-1 HRD minister, Mr Arjun Singh, is all set to be cleared by the Union Cabinet. After years of delay and politics, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is soon likely to be accorded the status of a university.
“The Cabinet note seeking approval for the university is likely to be taken up for discussion in the next few days,” sources added.
Sources stated that the proposed CSIR — advanced institute of scientific training — is envisaged as an establishment that will network between the 40-odd CSIR laboratories to create a national-level university with a strong research focus.
During UPA-1, the UGC had opposed granting the university status to the CSIR-AIST. The CSIR had even approached the Prime Minister’s Office in 2009 to establish its own varsity, independent of the UGC and the HRD ministry. “However, with former science and technology minister Sibal becoming the HRD minister, the proposal was finally pushed through,” official stated. It is understood that Mr Sibal took keen interest in the proposal and had directed the UGC to come out with possible solutions. The minister has himself chaired several meetings between the officials of CSIR, UGC and HRD ministry to finalise the proposal at the earliest.
With its headquarters in Noida or Faridabad, the proposed university will create a national pool of resources and faculty. It has also been proposed that besides post-graduate courses, the varsity be allowed to run undergraduate level courses in both sciences and humanities.
The objective is to stem the growing shortage of skilled manpower in the science and technology industry and the dwindling numbers of PhDs per annum.