PUNE: Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) has launched a Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE) with an objective to broadly provide support to research projects that are socially relevant, locally need-based, nationally important and globally significant.
City-based researchers believe that research based on societal application has been practiced already. However, students need to be trained about interaction between academic research and practical application.
MHRD will also fund higher educational institutes for high impact research projects. It will provide Rs one crore for one institute and Rs five crore for multi-institutional network projects.
Dean of Science and Technology Department of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Arvind Shaligram appreciated the initiative, stating that it will boost innovation. “Earlier, students would specialise in a particular subject and would perform research based on that subject only. We need multidisciplinary knowledge to bring out productive research, and that is what has been intended in this circular,” said MM Salunkhe, Vice-Chancellor of Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University).
