SERB, CMU sign MoU to support minimum of five outstanding Indian students for doctoral research

The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body of the government, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to support a minimum of five outstanding Indian students per year for doctoral research in identified areas of science, engineering and mathematics at CMU.

SERB, through the MoU, proposed to spend 2.4 million dollars and CMU will spend at least five million dollars on Indian students, who will be selected during 2016-17 to 2020-21.

This Overseas Doctoral Fellowship programme is aimed to build national capacity where the talent supply of researchers in areas of interest to the country is sub-critical.

The program in the long run will create critical mass of performing scientists in niche areas where there is shortage of scientists in the country. The country can also utilize the expertise gained by these young scientists to strengthen/initiate national programmes in the domain knowledge of interest to the country.

The board has also signed MoU with other top ranking institutions like Cambridge University, Stanford University etc. to build expertise in other areas of interest to our country.

Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Y.S. Chowdary gave this information in a reply to Lok Sabha Question in the Parliament.