M A I N   N E W S

Science research institute for Punjab okayed
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved the setting up of an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Punjab, an official announcement said today. The institute, which would come up near Chandigarh, would be the third in the series and would strive for global-level excellence in science research. The first two would be set up at Pune and Kolkata.

According to an official press note, the UPA government had launched an initiative for furthering science education in the country. While Indians were already making their mark in the scientific domain all over the world, it was necessary to further strengthen this thrust.

One of the concrete steps taken in this regard had been the decision to set up the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research. These institutes would actively forge strong relationships with existing universities and colleges in their neighbourhood and share faculty, resources and infrastructure to give a definite push to the endeavour of science education.

It was envisaged that these institutes would strive for global-level excellence in state-of-the-art research.