GIST OF IMPORTANT (Science and Technology)

Reference

India is one of the top ranking countries in basic research across the world. In the year 2018 in the changing global scenario and competitive economy, Indian science is considered as one of the most powerful tools of growth and development. Established in May 1971, the Department of Science & Technology (DST) is the nodal nodal body for organizing, coordinating and promoting S&T activities in the country with the objective of promoting new areas of Science & Technology (S&T). plays the role of the department.

The major initiatives, achievements and features of the department in the year 2018 are as follows:

• The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the launch of National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems at a total expenditure of Rs.3660 crore for a period of five years by the Department of Science and Technology. to implement this mission.
• The mission addresses the growing technological needs of the society and gives priority to international trends and road maps of leading countries for next generation technologies.
• Launched in November, the Global Cooling Prize is a challenge in the field of innovation, aimed at spurring the development of residential cooling solutions to reduce climate impact compared to current standard products. be reduced by at least five times (5x). This technology could reduce emissions by 100 gigatons (gigatons) of CO2 equivalent by 2050. More than US$3 million in prize money will be awarded after a 2-year competition.
• As part of its Act East policy, India hosted the first ASEAN-India InnoTech Summit in New Delhi from 19-30 November, 2018. The main objective of the Innotech Summit is to establish a network between Indian and ASEAN researchers, scientists, innovators, technocrats, private companies, start-ups etc. Through this network, an ASEAN-India Innovation and Technology Databank will be created between India and the stakeholders of ASEAN countries.
• To combat vehicular pollution, ‘Wind Augmentation and purify Ying Unit- WAYU’ system was launched in New Delhi. Air systems can reduce PM10, PM2.5, CO, VOCs, HC present in the atmosphere.
• ‘The Make Tomorrow for Innovation Generation’ is a PPP initiative between the Department of Science and Technology and Intel Technologies and the Indo-US S&T Forum. In this program school children in the age group of 14-17 years were provided kits and encouraged to make innovative prototypes using it.
• In July 2018, a major partnership was announced between the governments of the two countries in the context of the establishment of the Indo-Korean Center for Research and Innovation in India, the center for the systematic operation and management of all cooperative programmes. will act as
• 30 young meritorious Indian scholars from the fields of Physiology, Medicine and allied fields participated in the 68th Nobel Laureates’ Meeting held at Lindau, Germany during June 24-29, 2018. 27 young Indian scientists/innovators also participated in the BRICS Scientist Conclave held in Durban (South Africa) from 25-29 June 2018. The conference covered three themes based on the use of energy, water and information and technology for social applications. The Conclave also organized the BRICS Young Innovators Award Competition, in which an Indian innovator of 23 years was honored as the ‘BRICS most promising innovator’.
• The objective of the MoU signed between India and Canada is to encourage a partnership focused on excellent research and industry-academic collaboration between the two countries, which will strengthen both the countries in their pursuit of innovation. Both sides tackle global challenges; Realizing the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI); digital economy; health technologies; Will enhance cooperation to promote cyber security and clean development, smart urbanization and future mobility.
• The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind has unveiled the Innovation and Entrepreneurship-Fine Festival.
• The Indian Department of Science and Technology and the National Technological Innovation Authority of Israel have jointly launched the ‘India-Israel Industrial Research and Development and Technological Innovation Fund’ (India-Israel) of US$ 40 million for a period of five years. Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund-I4 Fund) was established. The fund will provide support for joint R&D projects aimed at co-developing potentially innovative technology-driven products, services or processes for business technology.  

In early 2018, the Union Ministry of Science and Technology also launched the following three schemes of Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).  

1. Teacher Associate ship for Research Excellence– TARE: The objective of the scheme is to tap the inherent potential of professors working in universities, colleges and private educational institutions at the state level, who are trained but have facilities. , face difficulty in pursuing their research due to various reasons including lack of funding and guidance. The ‘TARE’ scheme allows teachers working regularly in state universities or colleges to do part-time research in educational institutions like IITs, IISC, IISERs, National Labs, etc. These teachers will get a chance to work with IITs, IISC, IISERs, National Labs etc. located in the city in which the institute is teaching. Under this scheme, traveling allowance of up to Rs 500 will also be given.

• Overseas Visiting Doctoral Fellowship (OVDF): Under this scheme, 100 Indian students are provided the opportunity to do research in reputed institutions abroad for 12 months during their research work and each student gets $2000 per month. scholarship is awarded.

• SERB Distinguished Investigator Award-DIA: The DIA has been instituted to recognize and reward PIs (Principal Investigators-PIs) of SERB/DST projects that have performed remarkably well. DIA is a one-time career award specially instituted for young scientists who have not received any other prestigious award or fellowship.
• Some of the other key initiatives of the year include the inauguration of India’s first Supercritical Brayton Cycle CO2 Test Facility at IISc Bangalore, which has the potential to pave the way for highly efficient compact power plants powered by a wide range of heat sources including solar energy.
• A new initiative called ‘Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating Research-AWSAR’ has been started to make the field of science more popular, with the aim of promoting and disseminating Indian research among the common people. So that it is exciting for any common person to understand these research papers and their objectives.
  
  In the field of S&T, a draft policy document ‘SRIMAN’ (Scientific Research Infrastructure and Maintenance Networks-SRIMAN) has also been prepared so that research and research work in the field of science can be given a boost. Many achievements are likely to be achieved in the S&T sector in the year 2019.

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